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Ballard is the north end's answer to Capitol Hill when it comes to edgy, innovative, and delicious dining. Restaurants have taken a cue from the beloved year-round farmers’ market (held every Sunday, rain or shine, from 10 to 3 along historic Ballard Avenue NW), and fresh produce, local ingredients, and top-notch quality are de rigueur here. There's sure a lot to choose from—savor anything from chewy slices at local pizza darling Delancey to pristine Northwest oysters at the Walrus and the Carpenter.
This steak house gives high-quality beef a Mexican accent. Barley-fed Australian Angus and American, Japanese, and Australian Wagyu hit the grill, while USDA Prime meat goes into tacos and tortas. The salsa bar and appetizers, including handmade guacamole, are fresh and flavorful. There's a strong wine list to go along with all the beef, and the bar stocks a superb selection of mezcals.
There's an unassuming air to this family-run Lebanese restaurant: it's in a relatively remote north Ballard neighborhood, and there's nothing flashy about the dining room's white walls and tablecloths. But when you look at the menu, you start to sense that something special is going on. Dishes are described in tantalizing detail, promising traditional Middle Eastern flavors in creative combinations. It's all as good as it sounds. The grilled meat skewers are delicious, but you won't go wrong making a meal of mezzes—pears with tahini and pomegranate, eggplant with fresh cheese and honey, and lamb-filled phyllo "cigars" are a few of your many choices.
Brandon Pettit spent years developing his thin-but-chewy pizza crust, and the final product has made him a contender for the city's best pies. Neighborhood families and far-flung travelers alike line up before opening time for seasonal pizzas topped with anything from fresh sausage to local clams to blistered padrón peppers. The wine list is is short but elegant; desserts are simple but inspired—the homemade chocolate chip cookie with sea salt is delicious. Long wait? Pop next door to charming Essex, the owners' artisanal cocktail bar.
Local restaurateur Renee Erickson was inspired by the casual oyster bars of Paris when she opened this inconspicuous spot, located at the south end of Ballard Ave, behind Staple & Fancy. The result has been a lasting sensation. In town full of oysters, the freshness and selection here manage to be a cut above. Reservations aren't accepted, which is why every day when the doors open at 4, there's a line waiting to fill the tall tables and the seats at the zinc barand why at any time a wait is likely. The menu also offers refined small plates, mostly other seafood and vegetables, but oysters are center stage. If you love them, you'll love it here.
