4 Best Restaurants in Downtown, Seattle

Located in the hip State Hotel, Ben Paris has become a neighborhood favorite for elevated classic American fare for brunch and dinner. Consider a fried chicken sandwich with spicy mayo and kimchi coleslaw, breakfast hashes, or mussels in a garlic wine sauce, dished up in a stylish space with graphic wallpaper and a bustling bar. Don't miss the outstanding braised octopus or the creative cocktail list designed by Abigail Gullo, a star bartender from New Orleans. 

The 16th-story, panoramic views of Downtown, Elliott Bay, and Smith Tower make Charlotte one of Seattle's top special-occasion destinations. While dinner service is definitely a splurge—Charlotte offers a la carte options but the four-course prix fixe menu of creative Pacific Northwest fare is their calling card—the restaurant also serves a lovely breakfast with dishes including Dungeness crab toast and kimchi grilled cheese. On the top floor of the luxury hotel Lotte (Charlotte is pronounced "Char-lot-tay"), the blonde-wood-heavy, mid-century-inspired dining room has a handful of spaced-out tables right by the floor-to-ceiling windows, making for a spectacular perch at sunset if you're lucky.

Slate tabletops, a tile floor, and a rolled-zinc bar will transport you out of Downtown Seattle and into the charming 6th arrondissement. The menu is quintessentially French: at lunch, there are rustic pâtés and jambon et fromage (ham and cheese) sandwiches on crusty baguettes, while dinner sees homemade charcuterie, salads, daily fish specials, and a selection of cheese. The roast chicken (for two) takes an hour to prepare and is worth every second that you'll wait. Blackboards spell out the specials, and wines are served from the earthenware pichets that inspired the brasserie's name.

Cozy leather bar seats surround the wide wood bar at the stylish, modern Mr. West Cafe Bar, where they’ve got you covered from morning pick-me-up to early-evening imbibing. The coffee menu offers the usuals, from drips and cortados to cappuccinos and lattes, as well as creative espresso-based options like coffee soda, coffee egg cream, and a cardamom tonic. There’s also a separate tea drinks menu and a solid wine, beer, and cocktails list. If you're looking for more than a drink, fill up on light bites like chia pudding or yoghurt with peach compote, or opt for something more filling like the shakshuka or smoked salmon on toast.