ASIAN

Musang has earned multiple James Beard Award nominations (including a nod to chef Melissa Miranda in 2026) for its stellar Filipino cuisine. Even the simplest starters get creative twists, like the sinigang potato chips dusted with tamarind. Seasonal mains like the grilled pork secreto with spicy coconut sauce and shishito are rich and shareable. Dine under the lovely two-story LED sakura tree at Ballard’s Moshi Moshi Sushi & Izakaya, where you’ll find traditional sushi rolls and sashimi, along with specialties like spicy-tuna crispy rice and entrées like yakisoba noodles and miso-marinated and broiled black cod with pickled radish. Zaika Restaurant & Lounge in lower Capitol Hill offers a modern vibe and stellar Indian dishes, like vegan jackfruit kofta, alongside classics, such as butter chicken and Kashmiri lamb rogan josh. The restaurant features an inviting full bar and lounge too.

Infinitely customizable and flavorful hotpot dishes are the draw at downtown’s Qiao Lin Hotpot, which specializes in spicy Chongqing-style fare, featuring housemade broths that boast 32 spices and six chili varieties. Choose your base and ingredients, then cook your meal tableside. Enjoy Japanese, Cantonese, Korean, and southeast Asian flavors at Vivienne’s Bistro, a relaxed upscale space inside the Sheraton Grand Seattle—try the forbidden roast duck served with caramelized lemons and bao buns, or the nine-flavor basil beef. In the Chinatown–International District, Jade Garden Restaurant has a devoted following for its extensive and delicious dim sum. Fill your plate with flavorful steamed barbecue pork rolls, shrimp-stuffed eggplant, baked pineapple buns, and dozens of other savory and sweet delights. Order sips from the extensive Japanese whisky or shochu lists. Nearby at E-Jae Pak Mor, try the namesake Thai specialty, pak mor—delicate steamed rice flour skins wrapped around a selection of savory meat or vegetarian fillings.

AFRICAN

A low-profile exterior opens into a cheerful and airy space at First Hill’s hearty Ghanaian and Liberian restaurant, Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen, First Hill. Eating with your hands is encouraged—try chicken or beef short ribs and plantains, peanut stew and fufu, and weekends-only jollof rice. Specialty cocktails pair well with meals, as do refreshing nonalcoholic libations like pineapple-ginger soda and sobolo-bissap (hibiscus) juice with sorrel. A festive and spacious lounge in Pike Place Market, Karoo Café serves up South African small plates—think veggie samosas, boerewors sliders, and bobotie pies (curried beef in puff pastry)—alongside inspired drinks; on weekends, live music and other engaging performances take the stage.

MIDDLE EASTERN

Casual Cafe Suliman in Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market presents a versatile, seasonally shifting menu that earned chef Ahmed Suliman a 2026 James Beard nomination. Veggies, grains, and proteins are layered with rich flavors—consider carrots with whipped feta and aged sherry vinegar, and Halloumi with fennel and quince vinegar, plus savory toasts and other snacks to pair with coffee or a glass of wine. Grab a table or sit at the chef’s counter at Fremont’s Hamdi to watch the aromatic Turkish dishes come smoking from the charcoal grill and wood-fired oven. The kokorec (lamb sweetbreads), signature hand-minced lamb kebab, and flatbreads are all delicious. At Falafel Salam in West Seattle, choose the preparation for your proteins (crispy falafel, chicken, lamb kefte, or beef gyro): traditional, wrapped in pillowy housemade pita bread, as a salad, or over rice. Try the halva mousse for dessert, with tahini, cream, and date honey.

LATIN AMERICAN

SoDo’s Cafe Con Leché is a colorful Cuban spot known for empanadas, ropa vieja, bistec de palomilla, and tostones, alongside tropical cocktails and cafecito. Check out the monthly dinner and salsa dance lesson featuring live music. Indulge in churrasco-style grilled meats at the downtown outpost
of the popular Brazilian chain Fogo de Chao, with its extensive menu of beef cuts, including the dry-aged (minimum 42 days) tomahawk ancho, along with other proteins and preparations like lamb chops, linguiça, and seafood. Upbeat and inviting Poquitos Capitol Hill prioritizes local ingredients in its flavorful Mexican dishes. Take a peek at the Monday and Tuesday mezcal and tequila specials, and dine with your pup on the patio in the warm months.

A go-to for rich regional Mexican cooking for 20-plus years, Ballard’s La Carta de Oaxaca serves many dishes with mole, cheeses, and black beans. Try the house specialty black mole with chicken or pork ribs, or the lamb birria (rack of lamb flavored with dried chiles and avocado leaves). Low-key family-friendly La Cabaña is a Central American spot in Greenwood that draws inspiration from several countries. Perfect for sharing is the sampler platter of pupusas, pastelitos, chicharrones, and much more. Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey, the team behind the wildly popular Frelard Tamales in Fremont, also runs El Sueñito Brewing from the same space, where you can sample craft beers and a full menu of tasty Mexican bites. In the U District, Arepa Venezuelan Kitchen turns out the delectable corn cakes for which the restaurant is named. They’re stuffed with cheese, plantains, and shredded beef, and are available with sides like tostones and fried yucca.