3 Best Restaurants in Pioneer Square, Seattle

Located on the first floor of Populus Hotel, Salt Harvest echoes the hotel's commitment to sustainability and the local ecosystem; its menu is an ode to the flavors of Washington's land and seas. Dine on green marble tables enveloped by draping plants and bold paintings, tasting your way through seasonal plates sourced from local farms. Meats, fish, and some vegetable dishes are wood-fired, subtly infusing the food with hints of smoke from local woods. The cocktail menu is equally as enticing, drawing on seasonally-sourced herbs and fruits to inspire its libations. While dinner steals the show, breakfast and lunch aren't to be overlooked, with dishes like breakfast fried rice, Turkish eggs, and a crispy fish sandwich. 

The lines are long for hearty, unforgettable sandwiches filled with superior house-cured meats and more at this shop, originally founded by famed New York chef Mario Batali's father Armandino. The oxtail sandwich special is unbeatable, but if it's unavailable or sold out (as specials often are by the lunchtime peak) order a salami, porchetta, or meatball sandwich with onions, peppers, cheese, and olive oil. Vegetarians can't go wrong with the eggplant parm sandwich. You can order whole or half sandwiches. Most people opt for takeout, or grab one of the tables in the packed dining room.

Oysters don’t get any fresher than this: Taylor, a fifth-generation, family-owned company, opened its own restaurant to serve their products in the manner most befitting such pristine shellfish. The simple preparations—raw, cooked, and chilled—are all designed to show off the seafood with light broths, sauces, and a few accoutrements. This is the place to come for a true sense of the Pacific Northwest’s “merroir”—taste of the local waters, including the (in)famous local giant clam, the geoduck, which is mostly known for its unique, somewhat lewd shape. Proximity to the stadium makes this the perfect destination for Seattle’s local tailgaters, who often prefer a dozen fresh-shucked bivalves to chili or barbecue.