5 Best Restaurants in Tacoma, Washington Cascade Mountains and Valleys

This hillside neighborhood tavern just south of downtown doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's an appealing option for lunch (or weekend brunch), dinner, or cocktails, as the drinks selection is extensive and the affordable food—from tacos to tofu—far exceeds typical pub grub. Favorites include crispy pork-belly tacos with apple-cabbage slaw and tart cherries, Moroccan-style quinoa salad with harissa-agave vinaigrette and seared tofu, and a commendable Reuben on rye bread. For brunch, fill up on chorizo Benedicts or the dangerously decadent "hangover homies"—home fries topped with melted cheese, scallions, two fried eggs, and spicy cheddar sour cream.

This warmly lighted tavern in the historic North End operates under a clever and ambitious premise: every four months the kitchen unveils a new menu dedicated to the cuisine of a different region of the Americas or Europe, from Barcelona to Montreal to Argentina. To keep fans with less adventurous tastes happy, the restaurant maintains a number of noteworthy dishes on every menu.

The 1907 brick building that once housed the horse-drawn fire-engine brigade is now a convivial pub that's filled with firehouse memorabilia. The hearty, eclectic comfort food—burgers, tacos, mac and cheese—are well-priced and tasty. The adjacent E9 brewery turns out a nice range of craft ales and serves creatively topped pizzas.

With its clubby interior, huge wine list, and proximity to downtown attractions, it's easy to see how this flashy restaurant is a favorite for special occasions and high-end business meals. Here you can expect a menu of contemporary variations on seafood and steak, including Columbia River steelhead with a maple-balsamic glaze and New York strip with red-flannel hash and a red-wine sauce; vegetarians shouldn't pass up the unusual roasted cauliflower "steak" served with olive gremolata, tomatoes, orange, and capers.

Reservations are a must—try to book well ahead for weekends—at this compact and quirky South Tacoma brunch destination featuring the wonderfully weird cuisine of chef-owner Shawn Tibbitts. The payoff is the chance to stuff yourself with prodigious plates of candied-bacon-wrapped breakfast burritos and salted-caramel banana pancakes. Tibbitts is both personable and a bit of a showman, and there's a good chance he'll take your order personally.