2 Best Restaurants in Ballard, Seattle

This tiny café, which looks like a cross between a truck-stop diner and a Tex-Mex joint, serves an outstanding Mexican-style breakfast (and lunch and dinner are just as good). Wait for a space in the tiny dining room, belly up to the counter, or just watch the frenetic activity as everything from soup to salsa is made from scratch. Try delectable pork carnitas; chorizo from the state of Michoacán; mole negro over pork or chicken; rockfish with cinnamon and guajillo chiles; or mouthwatering chilaquiles—tortilla chips cooked in green or red salsa and topped with cream.

Oak paneling, dark accents, and wide windows onto bustling Ballard Avenue give this quasi-Italian joint an lively, stylish vibe. The menu keeps one foot firmly rooted in Italy, particularly with creative pizzas and pasta, but there are decidedly non-Italian alternatives such as a lamb burger, Dutch fries, and baked Alaska for dessert. Sunday brunch is similarly eclectic: you can have baked eggs, biscuits and gravy, or stick with pizza.