Best Restaurants 2009: 100 Years of Seattle Dining

100+ YEARS
Maneki  (1905, International District)
What it brought to the table: Seattle’s first sushi bar and tatami rooms, and good Japanese home cooking.
Why we still love it: At Maneki we’re surrounded by reminders of our historic connection to the Pacific Rim, and we adore the good, no-frills cooking.






30 - 50+ YEARS
There was a time when dinner out was a special-occasion affair, and restaurants with jaw-dropping vistas were the top choice for toasting  golden anniversaries and milestone birthdays. And the next day? We were back to our budget-friendly faves.


Ivar’s (1938, Waterfront)
What it brought to the table: Fish ’n’ chips, fried to order, on Pier 54. And the enduring charms of Ivar Haglund, who coined the phrase “keep clam.” Why we still love it: Sitting at one of the wind-worn tables on Pier 54, tossing a fry to the hovering seagulls and noshing hot, tender fish ’n’ chips dipped in tartar sauce remains a wonderful summer tradition.

Dick’s (1954, Wallingford)
What it brought to the table: Delicious, affordable burgers, hand-whipped shakes and killer fries, all served up lickity-split to cool cats in Mom and Pop’s Studebaker.  Why we still love it: Almost nothing at Dick’s has changed in 50 years. In this case, that’s a very good thing.  

Northlake Tavern (1954, University District)
What it brought to the table: A checkered-tablecloth joint that’s a dream come true for the beer drinking pizza lover.  Why we still love it: The unabashedly big-boned bar pizza. And we love that they brag about their pizzas’ heft (the large weighs a whopping 6 pounds).

Canlis (1950, Queen Anne)
What it brought to the table: Pure Old Hollywood glam, with befurred ladies wearing a king’s ransom in jewels, and gents in suits clinking martini glasses. Roland Terry and Pete Wimberley collaborated on the iconic building’s original design, and the female servers glided around the dining room in kimonos. Why we still love it: New chef Jason Franey and pastry chef Neil Robertson both boast extraordinary pedigrees (Eleven Madison Park in New York and Guy Savoy in Vegas, respectively), and have introduced new classics, such as the hazelnut brown butter cake with thyme ice cream. But they’ve also kept signature dishes like the Peter Canlis prawns, which have been on the menu for more than 50 years. Today, Canlis is still the swankiest place in town, but its recent makeover has kept it fresh. This synergy between the old and the new makes Canlis a rare jewel in Seattle’s diningscape.They say most restaurants won’t live to see their second birthday, and in tough economic times, two years almost seems like a lofty goal. So this year we look back at the exceptional restaurants that have beaten the odds; the ones we fall in love with again and again, year after year.