6 Best Restaurants in The Central District, Seattle

This acclaimed Black-owned restaurant dishes up “Seattle soul" in a vibrant setting. Think exquisitely prepared soul food that pays homage to family traditions, alongside creative fare honoring Seattle's multicultural intersections, like the whole fried catfish topped with a Thai-inspired papaya salad. The cocktail menu is just as creative, featuring Seattle-meets-the-South cocktails concocted with bourbon, pecan liqueur, Jamaican rum, and apple brandy, to name a few. 

Traveling around Vietnam together led two friends to open Reckless, which taps Vietnamese and other Asian flavors for its inventive street food-style noodle and rice bowls, salads, and crispy rolls. The craft cocktail list is just as creative as the culinary offerings at this cozy spot with dark walls, rustic wood booths, and eclectic artwork that is a favorite for locals. Start with the crispy duck roll before digging into dishes that blend the flavors of Vietnam with coastal inspiration, such as the turmeric rockfish simmered in coconut cream atop vermicelli noodles and the lobster fried rice. 

Don't let the modest digs dissuade you: the Ethiopian cuisine here is delicious. Open all day, Cafe Selam serves specialties like beef or lamb tibs (cubed meat sautéed with onions and spices) and ketfo (steak tartare), but is particularly known for its ful, a spicy breakfast dish of lightly pureed fava beans topped with eggs, onions, peppers, and feta cheese, served with two fluffy French loaves.

Though slammed at lunchtime thanks to the high school across the street, this fast-food restaurant (the original location of a popular local chain) serves up some of the best fried chicken in Seattle—Oprah once had the founders fly to Chicago to make it for her birthday. Both original and spicy flavors are terrific, but be warned that the spicy is exactly that. The rolls are big, fluffy, and baked in generously greased muffin tins. 

Offering a taste of New Orleans in the Central District, Fat's Chicken & Waffles serves authentic Southern cuisine in a hip spot filled with furniture and murals made by local artists. Helmed by a chef with deep Louisiana roots, Fat's serves shrimp and grits, red beans and rice, biscuit sandwiches, and other soul food classics in addition to the namesake chicken and waffles.

Housed in the bright white space that is Temple Pastries by day, Central District newcomer Sacro Bosco brings Roman-inspired pizza and natural-leaning wines to the neighborhood by night. The small but plentiful menu features a few rotating apps alongside a few staple and a few seasonal pizzas, served Roman style: long, rectangular, thicker crust, and plenty to share. Pair it with a glass of natural vino or channel your inner Italian and go for a spritz.