Great place on a cold day: Firehouse Café Nice little coffee and pastry shop in the Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham. Located in an old firehouse with a performing arts center...

Quick trip to check out: Back East BBQ. We have a wedding coming up in August so we did a bit of a secret shopper trip to the area to...

On my list for some time: Mkt. One of a long lineup of Ethan Stowell restaurants in Seattle this one is in the Tangletown area and hence its name….Meridian…the older...

Another business dinner downtown: Capital Grille. Classic high end steak place, with the usual decor, that does a great job of what they do well……steak. They also have the usual...

Long time coffee spot on south Capitol Hill: Café Presse. A sister to Le Pichet with a focus on coffee. Located very near Seattle University, it’s a spot to consider...

Another Seattle restaurant by Renee Erickson: Bar Melusine. Described as an oyster bar with small plates and focused on the cuisine of Normandy and Brittany; it’s located on lower Capitol Hill...

An old favorite for Vietnamese cuisine: Green Leaf. This place has been a stalwart of Vietnamese food for many years. It’s in a small space in the International District and...

Late afternoon lunch after a morning of cross country skiing: Salish Lodge Attic. Great location and it’s on the way back from the pass which makes it an ideal stop....

On a run to pick up wine south of Seattle and needed a lunch stop: Berliner Pub. The online wine store, Garagiste, moved from the Sodo area to Renton about...

Liquid food: Garagiste. If you live in Seattle and enjoy wine, check out this offering. It’s not a wine club so buy what interest you. It’s all done online although...

Sushi outlet north of downtown: Wataru. Have seen this place for a few years when driving by and finally decided to visit after a recommendation from the chef of the...

Always a good stop for breakfast: Portage Bay Cafe. One of four restaurants in the Seattle metro area that all offer local, organic food which is always good with excellent...

Ok…so it’s not a restaurant but you gotta try The Cookie: Metropolitan Market. One of a half dozen stores in Seattle known for higher end groceries, The Cookie has attracted...

One of my go to places for comfort food after a long day: Toshi’s. Reminds me of the one located near Greenlake 30 years ago. Always fast and consistently good....

Finally got to experience this place after a false start a few months ago: Heartwood Provisions. Not sure how to describe the cuisine but let’s just say it’s varied……classic raw...

All I got was take away: Monsoon. However this has got to be some of the best Vietnamese fusion food in the city. My love thought of me while having...

Looking for dim sum: Chiang’s Gourmet. While they don’t serve dim sum on weekdays…..it is available on weekends as breakfast only (10 am to 3 pm) in the true Chinese...

On everyone’s list and mine too: Stateside. French Vietnamese with a flare on Capitol Hill. Had brunch which was a bit of fusion with more classic French fare but the...

Second location of this coffee bar: Pioneer Coffee Roasters Didn’t know about this one but it is almost a reproduction of the location in Cle Elum but it is perhaps...

Multiple locations from BC to Bellevue but try this one within a few miles of crossing the border: Woods Coffee. When you need your coffee fix after the border crossing...

Mexican food abounds in Eastern Washington with this spot offering a bit of a Mayan touch: Carlos 1800 Mexican Grill & Cantina. Couldn’t get a table at our first choice...

Just outside of town: Methow Valley Ciderhouse. Stopped by to try this place because it looked interesting. Basically a sausage place with local ciders. The meat is from local producers...

Great way to start the ski day: Rocking Horse Bakery. Funky space…boat on the ceiling and bikes on the wall….that is always busy. Great coffee and pastries right on the...

Very touristy German themed town but check out: Schocolat. Lots of places to spend your money here but this is a local artisan producer of Belgian style truffles that does...

Nice place for a quick coffee break just off I5: Pioneer Coffee Roasting Co. Right in downtown and just past Snoqualmie Pass makes it a perfect stop to refuel. The...

Highly regarded restaurant for dinner: Salare. The chef is from St Petersburg and the food has a certain Southern touch. Had pickled vegetables, corn bread (sweet) as well as whole...

At the Four Seasons: Goldfinch Tavern. Even though it’s a hotel restaurant it’s quite good and the service is excellent. Very nice, modern but cozy space…a great one when it’s...

Liquid food here: Darby Wines Hollywood Hills tasting room. You must visit my good friend Darby English on your next trip to Woodinville. The space is great for tasting and...

This is it…the diner of Twin Peaks fame: Twede’s Cafe It’s been some time since I’ve eaten here but this is one of those places that never changes. It’s a...

I have been wanting to try this restaurant for some time: Mamnoon. It’s described as Middle Eastern food but it’s predominantly from Syria and Lebanon. The menu is extensive with...

Neighborhood bar and grill: Sand Point Grill. We visit fairly frequently since it is close to home. It’s usually crowded around dinner time so keep that in mind if you...

One of Seattle’s best seafood restaurants: Rockcreek. The menu is seafood so if you don’t like seafood then this isn’t the place for you. That said, it’s all outstanding. This...

One of my favorite sushi places in Seattle: Kisaku. Wouldn’t think you would find this outside the international district much less in Tangletown. The sushi is excellent as is the...

Right on Penn Cove: Front Street Grill. It’s a very busy place….a good sign that the food has to be good They have at least a dozen different preparations of...

Always wanted to eat here as I cycled past it: Oyster Bar Spectacular view from the upper restaurant. Of course the raw Kumamoto oysters were outstanding as were the fried...

Classic, intimate Italian in small town WA: Andante. Up and coming wine AVA which produces better wine every year. It’s a cool weather AVA so think Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc,...

Best bakery in Seattle: Bakery Nouveau. Twice baked almond croissants are to die for! Too bad you can’t just try everything all at once. The original location in West Seattle...

Convenient place for a quick bite: Nordstrom Grill. It’s not fine dining but meets the need when you are in the area. The chicken paillards is one of the best...

One of my favorite French restaurants in Seattle: Voilà! It is very French in a nice intimate space in Madison Valley. Give the Moules á la Provençale and add frites...

Nice spot for happy hour: List. Come early….it’s small and busy. Visit website  ...

Very unique small plates: The Whale Wins. Visit website...

While not a restaurant this is an event to consider: Vine Arts. Held in the Chihuly Garden & Glass space this is a PNW wine tasting with a blind tasting...

BBQ in Seattle: RoRo. Craved a bit of Q this afternoon so made a run to this well known spot. Classic place with typical offerings. The pulled pork had good...

A little sangria, fish tacos and pollo en mole with hand made tortilla from abuelita: Rosita’s Mexican Grill.                 @rositas_greenlake Visit website @theeatingplaces...

Great dinner, as always: Pair. One of our go to restaurants in Seattle because it never ever disappoints. It’s all about small plates, with a French flair, which are always...

Another great dinner at this local restaurant: Barking Frog. Salmon with corn fritters, mussels Thai style, a Bandol Rosé followed by Caramel sorbet and a local Januik Muscat. @barkingfrogwoodinville Visit...

You gotta have a bakery with your am coffee: Cinnamon Twisp Bakery. Typical space offering good coffee, espresso, lattes and bakery items. A must have is the namesake of the...

Great place for Italian food in Eastern Washington: Tappi. Part of a trip a couple of years with several returns; all of which combined cross country skiing with eating. The...

Great dinner: Arrowleaf Bistro. Started with wild mushroom turnover followed by a winter salad. Entrees were sturgeon and bacon wrapped rabbit. Excellent! @arrowleafbistro Visit website @theeatingplaces #theeatingplaces...

Happy hour is about the only time you can just walk into this place and get a table: Radiator Whiskey. Upscale bar food with flights of bourbon, scotch and whiskey....

Unique Asian offerings: Nue. Described as eclectic, world street food, which fits the bill. Great place to try something different because that’s what it’s all about. Had the Taiwanese chicken...