3 Best Restaurants in Belltown, Seattle

Attached to Serious Pie, this fragrant bakery will make you reconsider cookies as a valid breakfast choice. The coffee, fresh pastries, cinnamon rolls, and breakfast sandwiches here are delicious, but Dahlia is particularly famous for its peanut butter sandwich cookies. (According to lore, the late director Nora Ephron was such a fan of the peanut butter cookies while filming the iconic rom-com Sleepless in Seattle that she requested the recipe and briefly even had the sweet treat named for her.) The decadent coconut cream pie is also a local favorite. Lunch items, including sandwiches, soups, and salads are served until 3 pm.

Stepping foot into Lenox transports you from the streets of Belltown to the warm atmosphere of Puerto Rico and Cuba. Chef Jhonny Reyes draws on his roots in both islands and the flavors of his childhood, evident in the seasonal menu featuring tantalizing bites like snow crab hush puppies and seared halibut in an herbaceous coconut sauce, served with traditional sides like red beans and rice and plantains.

Founder Shiro Kashiba is no longer here (he's now at his namesake restaurant Sushi Kashiba in Pike Place), but this sushi spot is still the best in Belltown. Settle into the minimalist space for ultra-fresh fish and omakase service that's a bit more affordable than at other spots. The happy hour (4:30-6:00 pm Monday through Thursday) is a particularly good deal.