City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 587-6500

Address: 1001 Alaskan Way, Pier 54 (Central)

Description: Ivar’s is one of the true Seattle classic experiences, and no visit would be complete without a stop at one of several locations around the area; Pier 54 is the original, a tradition since 1938. Ivar Haglund was a colorful local character who remains beloved since his death in 1985. The waterfront Acres of Clams location still showcases Ivar’s original recipes, and many consider the clam chowder here the best in the city. Besides the chowder, Ivar’s offers fresh steamed clams, traditional fish-and-chips, jumbo prawns, salmon, and halibut.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Address: 1936 Harbor Ave. SW (South)

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 625-0129

Address: 95 Pine St. (Central)

Description: Just around the corner from Pike Place Market, Steelhead feels as close to the water as it is, with the hand-tied fishing lures and large color photographs of fishermen lining the walls. New Orleans native Kevin Davis is the chef and owner, and turns out chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, along with dependable crab cakes and seafood chowders. Steelhead aims to be a diner without pretension, where locals hang out and bring their out-of-town visitors. The views are great, overlooking the market, Elliott Bay, and the Olympic Mountains.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 320-9771

Address: 2701 E. Madison (Central)

Description: Serving a menu straight out of Basque country, Harvest Vine presents dishes such as venison leg poached in coffee oil, whole salt-crusted daurade fish, pan-seared tuna belly with saffron rice, and seared foie gras with caramelized pumpkin. Authenticity is of utmost importance, as genuine Basque ingredients are imported from Spain and underappreciated finds such as oil-slicked sardines are prized. Chef Joseba even shares recipes on the Web site.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 784-0699

Address: 2325 NW Market St. (North)

Description: This lovely little tapas bar has a nice wine selection, but its real drink specialties are the signature cocktails. The food is simple and rustic, from albondigas (lamb meatballs in a brandy sauce), chorizo con huevo, and gambas al ajillo (spicy garlic prawns). The dates stuffed with blue cheese seem to get raves from everyone. The pan con chocolate also wins raves—a chocolate dessert toast that is at once sweet, salty, and spicy.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 583-0392

Address: 1100 Pike St. (Central)

Description: The Latin-inspired small plates and cocktails at Tango are served in a sophisticated, warm environment filled with local artwork. Dishes from Spain and Portugal and down into North Africa are served, and the paellas are authentic and plentiful. Accompanying the food is a well-rounded wine list and a wide assortment of high-quality tequilas and rums from the charming bar lounge. Every Mon evening, bottles of wine are half price. If you skip the El Diablo decadent chocolate cake, you are really doing yourself a disservice.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 204-9771

Address: 2207 2nd Ave. (Central)

Description: The same team that opened the wildly popular Harvest Vine is behind Txori. It’s in a very New York–looking space, long and narrow with shelves that stretch to the ceiling, all stocked with wine or jars and cans of food. Txori serves tapas from the Basque region of Spain, and the owner comes from San Sebastian—probably the reason that the food is so authentic and wins rave reviews just about everywhere. Pintxos, as the San Sebastian tapas are known, are served here. From chunks of slow-braised pork caramelized to a crisp and served on a slice of tomato-soaked baguette, to octopus tentacle, to piquillo peppers stuffed with sausage and then fried, everything at Txori is both authentic and delectable.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Address: 2505 1st Ave. (Central)

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 624-3287

Address: 820 2nd Ave. (Central)

Description: Where El Gaucho is unconventional, Metropolitan exudes everything that comes to mind when you think about a steak house. The decor is classic, with mahogany and brass fixtures and walls filled with framed photographs of the celebrities who have patronized Metropolitan. They even have a glass display filled with red hunks of meat at the front entrance. The thick porterhouses combined with an icy martini are timeless. Japanese Wagyu beef and plenty of seafood are also on the menu. The black marble bar is always packed, partly because of the boys’-club feel that is warm and welcoming to both genders, and also because Metropolitan offers one of the best happy hours in town.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 283-3647

Address: 5219 Ballard Ave. NW (North)

Description: From one hot dog cart that Dante Rivera ran with his dog, Josie, for five years, Dante’s now boasts five units that roam all around the city. But these are not your ordinary hot dogs. The Mexican chipotle veggie dog, chicken andouille sausage dog, and apple sage will set your idea of hot dogs on its head. A bricks-and-mortar window was recently established in Ballard as a permanent location. For other locations and hours around the city, see the Web site; Dante’s Inferno Dogs can be found in University Village, Bellevue, and West Seattle every day. And yes—Dante is his real name.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 367-2777

Address: 2918 1st Ave. South (South)

Description: Two locations of El Camion serve up authentic Mexican food in some of the most pristine, spotless mobile kitchens you will ever see. From simple favorites like tacos and burritos, to mouth-watering carne asada, carnitas, tamales, and mulitas, El Camion has an extensive menu that is sure to please everyone. Condiments include salsa in four levels of hotness, from mild to smoking, and a big jar of pickled vegetables on the counter from which you help yourself. Both locations are generally open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Address: 5825 Airport Way South (South)

Description: Take a traditional falafel, cooked to a crispy golden perfection, wrap it in a soft grilled pita, and top it with your choice from an amazing list of condiments. Beet salad, sautéed peppers, tomato zucchini spread, spinach, salted cucumbers, and tahini are all on the list. Oh, and traditional tzatziki sauce, too. Gourmet magazine reported that “every bite is an adventure.” Look for the big yellow truck.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 288-3534

Address: 3 W. Nickerson St. (North)

Description: This brightly colored truck at South Lake Union serves the street version of the Thai food found at its bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Fremont. Go with a standby favorite like pad thai, or try the pad kee mao, drunken noodles with chicken, vegetables, and plenty of chiles. The two mobile locations are open Mon through Fri from 11 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. They also bring catering on-site via the mobile restaurants.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Description: Calling itself “Seattle’s sauciest food truck,” Marination won the best food cart in the country on Good Morning America in 2009. The cart specializes in Hawaiian and Korean food, marinated in their own signature sauce and mostly served in tortillas, but sometimes on buns. The pulled-pork sliders win raves from everyone who tries them, and there are great vegetarian options as well. Marination also serves unexpectedly inventive items like the miso ginger chicken and what they call Spam sushi—a grilled slice of Spam, making love to a ball of rice and wrapped in a seaweed blanket. Seriously, I know how it sounds, but you have to try it. You’ll never badmouth Spam again.

City: Seattle, WA

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (206) 601-5510

Description: Calling itself SomePig and its tweets Tw’Oinks, this crazy-looking metal food trailer has been customized to resemble a giant silver pig. This food destination is all about making the most delectable pulled pork sandwiches possible, which come either hot and spicy or tangy and sweet. You can add Beecher’s Flagship cheese for less than a dollar, and a veg version is also available. The slaw makes a nice addition. Maximus/Minimus is usually found at 2nd and Pike downtown from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but it sometimes adds other locations and also provides mobile catering services.