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Capitol Hill has become Seattle's major culinary destination. The greatest concentration of restaurants is in and around the Pike–Pine Corridor—Pike and Pine Streets running from Melrose Avenue to 15th Avenue. Überhip gastropubs like Quinn's and all-day cafés like Oddfellows are all the rage, as are smaller, posh new American and Italian-inspired eateries like Lark, Anchovies & Olives, and Cascina Spinasse. On the northern end of Broadway, Poppy is a delicious departure from standard menus, with its Indian-inspired thali (small amounts of different dish preparations served in small compartments on a large platter), while a wide variety of coffeehouses make the Hill downright destination-worthy.
Lark is a classic example of fine dining, Seattle style. Carefully sources local ingredients are prepared in ways that show a worldwide range of influences—on the same menu you might find tuna tataki, lamb kofta, ricotta gnudi, and grilled peach salad with cotija. (Bring your phone; you’re likely to be Googling some of the culinary terms.) The atmosphere is casual but sophisticated, set in a former warehouse that won awards for its handsome redesign.
The sushi selection here is vast and top-quality, but chef Taichi Kitamura really distinguishes himself with his ippins—small, delicate dishes such as egg custard, grilled black cod, braised wagyu beef, and mustard greens and albacore with almond-wasabi sauce (among more than a dozen choices). You can order a la carte, choose from several set menus, or sit at the sushi bar and indulge yourself with omakase. The location is in Eastlake, just west of Capitol Hill.
If you're a sushi lover with some money to spend, this is the place for you. Set off the street amid a nondescript row of storefronts, it's a modest-looking, nine-seat sushi bar that serves only omakase—two dozen offerings, featuring exotic nigiri and sashimi interspersed with cooked dishes, all meticulously curated by chef Taneda. The end result is likely Seattle's most carefully crafted meal. Getting a reservation is like scoring tickets to a hot concert: go online as soon as seats become available (usually two weeks in advance) and hope the sushi gods on smiling on you.
