📍 Added in June: In my never-ending quest to taste all the teriyaki in Seattle, Buxx stands out as one of the best. What differentiates it? Sure, the chicken is tender, juicy, and not over-marinated. Yes, the sauce has that essential balance between sweet and savory, neither too loose nor too gloppy. But the real key is the intensity of the sear and the level of char they get on the chicken. The crisp edges and intensely smoky grilled flavor make this about as good as teriyaki gets. 

📍 Added in June: L’Oursin is as close as you’ll get to an unpretentious, perfectly French bistro in Seattle with well-executed versions of the classics. Think: escargot in a buttery garlic-and-parsley sauce, pork and foie gras pâté en croûte, and hanger steak frites with a creamy brandy sauce. My favorite way to dine here is with their preset, family-style meals offered to tables of seven or more, because it saves me having to decide among all the things I want to eat.

📍 Added in June: The Xochi truck in Issaquah specializes in tacos de guisados—meats that are slow braised or stewed in flavorful sauces. Think chicken tinga simmered with tomatoes and chiles, pork shoulder rubbed with achiote, or, my favorite, chicharrón, which come braised until meltingly tender. The vegetable tacos get just as much attention as the meats; try the caramelized broccoli or the roasted chiles in a creamy sauce.

📍 Added in June: I’m typically a traditionalist when it comes to pizza toppings—give me a margherita or a pepperoni and I’m satisfied—but at Pizza by Ruffin, a shop that opened in South Lake Union, I make exceptions. Here, husband-and-wife team Isaiah and Colleen top their Roman pizza al taglio with flavors of the Black diaspora, like mushrooms and Jamaican curry, barbecue pork, and doro wat with potato.

📍 Added in June: At 34 years old, Serafina is one of the oldest Italian restaurants in Seattle, but it doesn’t show its age: It’s a true East Lake neighborhood gem. I come here for the excellent braised eggplant, the classic eggplant rollatini (served old-school on a bed of angel hair with marinara), the tender meatballs, and the excellent nonalcoholic beverage program. The large space makes it great for family meals, date nights, or lingering solo at the bar over a plate of handmade pasta.

My kids and I love a good diner. My daughter is a hash fiend, my toddler son is an egg and omelet monster, and I bounce back and forth between the corned beef hash and the French toast. 14 Carrot does the latter exceptionally well: custardy brioche griddled golden brown with soft butter and that extra-thick diner syrup that tastes oh-so wrong and oh-so right. (P.S. There are 82 carrots in the diner—my daughter counted them.)

Khampaeng Panyathong created one of Seattle’s most iconic burgers at Taurus Ox when he combined a standard smashed burger with Lao flavors like jaew and cured pork belly. With Ananas, his new(ish) pizzeria, he aims to do the same with pizza. He’s got a few of your standard flavors but mixes them up with a pie topped with khao soi pork and bamboo shoots, or one with anchovy and pineapple. He’s never been to NYC, but that didn’t stop him from opening a New York–style pizzeria.

Aviv Hummus Bar in Capitol Hill serves fresh balls of crisp and light falafel whose diminutive size belies their intense flavor. It’s everything I want in a falafel bar. Hot, stretchy, cloudlike pita. Silky smooth tahini and hummus. Fried eggplant rich with olive oil. Spicy condiments like an herbaceous zhug and a coriander-packed amba. Creamy chickpeas. Fresh, crunchy cucumbers and juicy tomatoes. I could eat like this every day.

Nobody would say that Ba Bar—with locations in Capitol Hill, South Lake, and U Village—flies under the radar, but the slow-roasted duck suprème, served with broken rice, pickled carrots and daikon, pineapple, and nuoc cham, may well be one of the best deals in town. Few restaurants serve duck as juicy and crisp, let alone for only $21. The whole menu is packed with value, but the bún bò huế (spicy beef noodles) and chewy caramelized pork floss cookies are extra special.

The more I visit Backyard Bagel, the more I’m convinced that it has truly captured the essence of the New York bagel experience. From the warmth and crackle of the freshly baked bagels, to the lack of toasters (fresh bagels need no toasting), to the generous schmears, to the proper cutting into quarters, they’ve nailed it. The bagels are a little fluffier and lighter than your typical New York bagel, but it’s a stylistic choice I can get behind.