User Lists in Seattle, WA Metro

There are plenty of reasons to love Seattle, but its superlative restaurants--most inspired by regional ingredients--certainly top the list. It's hard to pick just five of the city's best restaurants, but these Seattle fine dining restaurants are tops when it comes to service, atmosphere, and, of course, food.

It's easy to become a beer snob in Seattle, where small local breweries produce excellent beers in a huge range of styles, including the Northwest's signature India Pale Ale. And while local bars and restaurants offer plenty of brewed-in-Seattle taps, the best place to sample the goods is at a brewery's on-site tasting rooms, drinking beers you can't find anywhere else. Just be warned that many keep limited hours, and don't serve much in the way of food, so call ahead to confirm they're open and serving. (Photo: Black Raven Brewing by Allecia Vermillion)

In a city with one coffeehouse for every 2,500 residents, how do we discern the "Average Joe establishment? from Seattle's finest? These days it takes more than free Wi-Fi or specialty roasted beans to rise above the competition and win the caffeine-savvy populous. We've collected a list of spots that diversify themselves from the daily grind with amenities like movies, game nights and bike repair tips: coffee shops, with a twist.

The Space Needle might stand out from Seattle's skyline, but there is more to the local architecture than the city's best known structure. These buildings are Seattle's architectural treasures, for their history, their designer or just their unique look--some hidden away in outlying neighborhoods, others declaring their greatness by standing out amongst the crowded downtown blocks. Read on for a tour of architecturally stunning structures that are sure to please visitors and locals alike.

The U-District boasts a healthy mix of cheap-and-cheerful ethnic eateries?ideal for the surfeit of cash-strapped students who live in the area?and more vegan and vegetarian restaurants than any neighborhood in the city. The food on The Ave is vibrant, flavorful, and sometimes a little greasy?perfect for soaking up the extra shots that provided liquid encouragement to last night's shenanigans. Read on for our picks for some of the best vegetarian, ethnic, and hangover grub in the U-District, plus one finer-dining pick for a posh evening out.

Teriyaki is arguably Seattle's defining dish. A meat-rice-salad combo created by Japanese immigrants, but with no relation to anything authentic, it is wholly a creation of Seattle's taste buds. To get an idea of the full spectrum of what Seattle's best teriyaki joints have to offer, try these five places that set themselves apart from the crowd.

Thanks to less government red tape, the Seattle street food scene has exploded in the last year. (Our very own Marination Mobile even grabbed top honors to win ?Best Food Truck in America? as voted by Good Morning America!) As much as we love their addictive kimchi fried rice and Aloha sliders, we've decided to call out some of the lesser-known-yet-equally-worthy food trucks in this list of Seattle's best food trucks.

For those of us that grew up around more Hamburger Helper than steak tartare, the idea of dining on innards and exotic meats can be a little terrifying, no matter what sort of culinary street cred it comes with. Embrace your inner gourmand, or at least earn the respect of your most adventurous foodie friends, at these Seattle restaurants preparing ingredients like beef tongue, bone marrow and alligator so deliciously you'll actually want to try it--no dares needed. Because sometimes, it's just not hip to be square. (Photo of tongue sandwich at June.)

Seattle is a hotbed for great restaurants, and there is no better mix of high-end, low-end, and everything in between than in the bustling downtown core. Whether you're looking for the best pizza joint in the city, the freshest Pacific Northwest seafood, a luxurious haute cuisine menu, or a little French bistro to romance that devilishly handsome lover of yours?we have it all here, in our round-up of best downtown restaurants.

With so many miles of beautiful Elliott Bay shoreline, there's no shortage for places to hit while you're exploring the Seattle waterfront. We've put together just a few recommendations for places to stay, eat and play near the water, but in reality, anywhere with a nice view will do in a pinch.