Seattle

Outdoor patio and happy hour specials, plus serious Italian specialties like cioppino and spinach lasagna, are good enough to entice Seattle residents to brave the crowds in the tourist-heavy market. — Travel + Leisure

With oversized, arched casement windows overlooking Pike Place Market and its famed clock, Matt's truly is in the heart of the market. — Travel + Leisure

This Seattle mainstay received a dramatic makeover highlighting its views westward to the Olympic Mountains and southward across Elliott Bay. — Gayot

Stylish and transcendent oyster bar tucked behind a bike shop. — Not For Tourists

It's small. It can get noisy. The wine list needs an interpreter, parking is tough and they don't take reservations for parties of fewer than six. Other than that, Lark is perfect. — Seattle Times

You would be hard pressed to find a more authentic French bistro in Seattle. — Frommer's

Grab soup, salad or a flatbread sandwich for a quick and inexpensive lunch, or make this elegantly austere space a date night or group destination for a leisurely feast. — Seattle Times

Seattle baseball superstar Ichiro dines here. — DK Eyewitness

Rustic Italian on Eastlake specializing in seasonally based Tuscan cuisine. — BlackBook

Now take a deep breath and let the aromas of Vietnam fill your nose. Immediately order the fresh spring rolls, which are packed with great flavors and textures. — Frommer's

Iron Chef contestants Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi (Revel) have moved their Seattle restaurant to the Fremont Collective building and turned it into a casual riff on a Korean steakhouse. — Zagat

This little hole in the wall on Capitol Hill is the most authentic-feeling Italian restaurant in Seattle. — Frommer's

A pretty place under the famous Big Sky where chef Eric Donnelly has spent many happy hours casting, catching, and releasing fat brown trout. — Gayot

The Georgian is as grand as they come, and if you're looking for haute cuisine, palatial surroundings, and superb service, no other restaurant in Seattle comes close. — Frommer's

Go Westward. There is seafood there. In the open air. A lakeside view for me and you. — Not For Tourists

A stylish, comfortable hangout with a well-tended bar and a tantalizing, flexibly priced menu that draws thoughtful eaters and drinkers from the surrounding neighborhoods. — Seattle Times

Paying homage to his wife and partner Jackie Cross'€™s Greek heritage, chef Tom Douglas highlights Pacific Northwest ingredients in Lola'€™s Greek-themed menu. — Gayot

This restaurant has been serving traditional Japanese food for more than 100 years. — Where

Famous for its "amazing selection of oysters", this Downtown "institution" also serves "fantastic", "locally caught" seafood and killer cocktails at an "unmatched" Pier 56 location. — Zagat

This restaurant has had locals in a state of fervor over its unbelievable New York-style wood-fired pizzas. Closed Mon. and Tue. — Where