7 Best Restaurants in International District, Seattle

Silky and ethereally light rice noodle dumplings star at this colorful hybrid counter service spot serving lesser-known Thai specialties. The bold and bright decor matches owner Pum Yamamoto’s bubbly personality, filling the room with joy and energy. Any of the rice-flour-based dishes show off the restaurant’s skills with the steamer, but particularly the signature pak mor; the supple, delightfully wrinkly handmade wrappers cradle chicken, pork, or tofu in a dish that rarely shows up on Thai restaurant menus in the U.S. because of the delicate work required to make it.

Phở Bắc first brought its eponymous noodle soup to Seattle in the early 1980s; now, the children of the original owners proffer an equally pioneering Vietnamese restaurant. The recipes and flavors hew tightly to tradition, but the space and style come wholly from a young, modern perspective. The photogenic oversized beef ribs sticking out from an enormous bowl of noodles and broth have become iconic, as have the shots of whiskey served with hot pho broth. Multiple locations around town vary in menu; the benefit of this one is its prime location in Little Saigon, just across the parking lot from the boat-shaped original location—now a Vietnamese fried chicken restaurant from the same family.

What started as a small dumpling restaurant has grown into a juggernaut local chain, with this location as its flagship. Crowds pack in for juicy pork dumplings, crisp-bottomed q-bao, and artfully arranged noodles and vegetables. With a large, modern space, affordable prices, and the kinds of foods locals once drove to Canada or flew to China for, this spot packs in the crowds during weekday lunches. Service is friendly and efficient, though, making sure everyone gets their meaty soup dumplings in time to get back to the office. For visitors, arriving at an off-hour is recommended; you can also join the waitlist via Yelp.

The oldest Japanese restaurant in Seattle, Maneki is no longer a hidden gem catering to in-the-know locals and chefs, but that doesn't mean the food is any less impressive. Though the James Beard American Classic winner serves good sushi, it's better known for home-style Japanese dishes, which can be ordered as small plates and accompanied with sake. Try the miso black cod collar or the delicious daily fish specials. Rice-paper lamps and screens add a bit of old Japan to the otherwise plain main dining room, but parties of four to ten can reserve a charming tatami room. Maneki is always packed, especially on weekends, so don't even think about coming without a reservation.

For budget-friendly and oh-so-good Sichuan cooking, head to this simple spot in the Asian Plaza strip mall east of I–5. The atmosphere is ordinary, but the service is friendly and the food is as traditional as it gets. Dry-cooked string beans (available with a variety of meats), Kung Pao chicken, delicious dumplings, spicy Sichuanese ravioli, and ma po tofu (a spicy combination of tofu and minced pork) are favorites; the sizzling hot pot is popular and good; but the house-made noodles are unmissable.

Wildly popular with savvy diners from across the city, this Vietnamese haunt really doesn't look like much from the outside—and the entrance is through a cramped parking lot (which it shares with Sichuanese Cuisine restaurant)—but once you're inside, the elegantly simple space is extremely welcoming. Try the spring rolls, which are stuffed with fresh herbs, fried tofu, peanuts, coconut, jicama, and carrots; authentic bánh xèo (a crispy, stuffed rice pancake); spicy pho; the signature "seven courses of beef"; and, to finish, grilled banana cake with warm coconut milk. Service is attentive and reservations are recommended.

Uwajimaya has a lively food court offering a quick tour of Asian cuisines at lunch-counter prices. The deli offers sushi, teriyaki, and barbecued duck; fresh spring rolls served with hot chili sauce at Saigon Streets; plus tacos and a poke counter. Finish your meal with some cream puffs at Beard Papa's, fish-shaped pastries at BeanFish, or mochi doughnuts from Dochi, or simply stroll the aisles for fun snacks like rice candy, gummy delicacies, and mochi ice cream.