Darcy'sĪ good conversation bar is a rare and wonderful thing, especially on Belltown's Second Ave. That ethos extends to the beef, too, like grass-fed cuts of rib eye or New York strip grilled over wood-fueled flames for a charry bite of meat served with a side of frites. The menus (brunch, lunch, dinner) are heavy on comfort food (fried chicken and waffles!) and even heavier on sustainability: Ninety percent of raw ingredients are sourced within 360 miles of Seattle. Holding down the corner of First and Bell is this sweet-spirited spot with raw timbers, lofty ceilings, long tables, and a drop-in ambiance-Belltown’s version of Oddfellows. Even better if the rum’s sipped out back, under the sun, in the fenced-in patio. Extend this tropical retreat with rum punch. Let Jerk Shack transport you to a warmer world-with warm service-in which two can share a half jerk-spiced fried chicken rustically served on a wood slab with medallions of crispy plantain. Belltown suddenly feels much more Caribbean, thanks to chef Trey Lamont.

Painted bright yellow inside, with greenery atop repurposed rum barrels, this shack exudes the smoky aroma of an island-style cookout. Whichever you choose, order the Vietnamese pancakes: thickly embedded with shrimp, nearly cream textured, brimming with bean sprouts, swaddled in fresh basil, mint, and lettuce greens, and anointed with drips of briny fish sauce. Green Leaf gives you everything you want in a hole-in-the-wall and nothing you don’t: plentiful plates of fresh and wholesome Vietnamese food delivered on handsome ceramic plates by extremely friendly folks at giveaway prices (not much over $10) inside the sprawling basement of the Labor Temple in Belltown. FOB Poke Bar also just expanded to Capitol Hill in the space formerly home to another poke spot, Wanderfish. Staff suggestions keep all these choices from becoming overwhelming, and you walk away with a healthyish lunch that bursts with color and texture. Seen one new poke shop in this town, you’ve seen the other 500, right? Not so-this Belltown newcomer lets you assemble a bowl with uncommon add-ins like octopus, pickled radish, or crispy lotus root. The result is a showstopper if you want to impress a date-regardless, it's a sensational place to tipple (there’s even an inn upstairs in Belltown). El GauchoĪ straight shot of retro has been injected into this sprawling Belltown homage to the '50s-era Gaucho original -from the banquettes to the pianist, from the showy tableside preparations (including a flaming bananas Foster) to the candlelight-only shimmer of what has to be the darkest dinner house in town. Add in spacious interiors, louder-than-average music on the speakers, and a 4–7 happy hour with discounts on tallboys and more composed libations alike, and you have a Belltown location that’s just as appropriate for a rowdy birthday party as it is for beverage nerds.

Take the Mighty Jack, a balancing act of bonded bourbon and apple brandy whose sweetness is tempered by a nice hit of amaro.Ī venerable temple of mixology it’s not, but Cursed Oak still has all the requisite bars of a craft cocktail spot: twists on classic recipes, barrel-aged concoctions, and a deep spirit list. Inside the tucked-away bar-sibling to street-facing Pintxo-comfort comes in many forms, particularly bourbon.

Through an alleyway entrance off Bell Street awaits Branchwater, a low-lit lounge with dark wood everything and cushy armchairs. Just like its late sister restaurant, Boat Street Cafe, there’s whimsy and loveliness to every little thing about the Kitchen: its whitewashed walls, its flickering votives, its wintry floral arrangements, and weekend brunches so inventive and extraordinary you may never settle for pancakes again.

An industrial-sleek outpost serves downtown Bellevue. Flaky flatbreads might be speckled with prosciutto and béchamel or smoked chicken and sun-dried cherries a meaty hank of hanger steak arrives in its potent juices alongside a cloud of shredded daikon and shiso. Belltown’s sleek Black Bottle wine bar-with its bare wood and blond tables-has attracted a rabid following based on “blasted” broccoli and lemon curd ricotta cake, and a whole lot of intentional innovations in between.

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