7 Best Restaurants in University District, Seattle

The stained glass saint over the door, holding wheat in one hand and a Japanese melonpan (bun) in the other, exemplifies this eccentric but excellent bakery perched above Portage Bay, just south of the UW campus. Scandinavian-style cardamom knots, classic French croissants, and fried egg sandwiches with Thai-style turkey sausage are great to start the day, and an intriguing array of grab-and-go salads and sandwiches are popular at lunch. The counter and kitchen take up the small indoor space, but a covered patio on the side keeps diners warm and dry.

Baja California Mexican cuisine and a laid-back vibe define this casual spot, done up in bright, beachy colors, with a deck overlooking Portage Bay. Fresh fish tacos and mangodillas (quesadillas with mango and poblano chilies) are menu favorites; whatever you order, be sure to pay a visit to the salsa bar. In good weather, the lively deck is the place to be—and it's a challenge to nab a table. Agua Verde is perched waterside on a street surrounded by quirky boat-repair shops; in the warmer months, you can rent kayaks under the restaurant and paddle around Portage Bay. 

Among the several gyro shops along The Ave, Aladdin is the standout, serving succulent meats, crispy falafel, smoky baba ganoush, and silky smooth hummus. There's a dining room in the back, but this is primarily a takeout joint, with very late hours. Generations of UW undergrads have ended a long night here.

For the UW version of a classic student-friendly, no-frills restaurant, it’s hard to beat Korean Tofu House. In an unadorned basement dining room, the hardworking crew serves up hearty, delicious, reasonably priced Korean specialties, including kimchee tofu soup, bibimbap, and bulgogi. Though "tofu" is in the name and features prominently, most dishes have some meat in them; vegetarians should read the fine print.

Though it shares its name with a half-dozen other teriyaki shops in town, this location on the Ave is the original. It shows its age, but it's been around so long because makes a first-rate version of classic Seattle-style chicken teriyaki. Expect white rice (a mountain of it); sweet, sauce-glazed meat (stick with the chicken); well-fried gyoza dumplings (worth the extra dollar); and a chunk of iceberg lettuce (so you can say you ate a vegetable).

This might be the cheapest Thai restaurant in town, but rock-bottom prices aren't the only reason this place is always packed—the food is delicious, authentic, and spicy (two stars is usually pretty hot). Plus, you get dinner and a show as the flames lick up the woks in the open kitchen. Students and foodies pack in for garlic chicken, spicy curries, Thai coconut soup with shrimp, and flavorful pad Thai. Tables can be hard to come by during the dinner rush, but there's usually space at the counter in front of the kitchen kitchen.

The specialty at this no-frills spot is biang biang noodles, made by hand (in a dramatic process of stretching and slapping) and topped with spicy, well-oiled meats or vegetables. Xi’an serves the cuisine of China’s Shaanxi province, which is known for its heavy hand with the spices, but the flatbreads, salads, and soups here can be on the milder side.