Food & Drink

Kamonegi Is Having Its Best Week Ever

The Fremont soba shop made it on Bon Appetit's top 50 list, with JuneBaby and Wa'z

By Chelsea Lin July 31, 2018

MB_SEAM_Kamonegi-37

First, it was the announcement that Eater had chosen Kamonegi  as one of its best new restaurants of 2018. That’s national Eater, not just Seattle. In fact, it was the only Seattle restaurant to make the list. 

Today, Bon Appetit announced its top 50 best new restaurants—a list that will be whittled down to just 10 on August 14—and again, Kamonegi made the cut. (Seattle restaurants JuneBaby (duh) and Wa’z also were on the list.)

We’ve been following chef Mutsuko Soma for the last couple of years, since she was manning the kitchen at now-closed Miyabi 45th. Her craftsmanship in making soba is unparalleled—not just in Seattle, but in the country. We’re happy to see her find success in Kamonegi. It turns out that Seattle was hungry for more Japanese food than just sushi and ramen. (Good luck getting a reservation now.) 

Chef Soma says: “It’s been non-stop surprises for us! I can’t believe how fortunate we’ve been. I didn’t expect for us, and also soba, to get this kind of attention. It makes me think we picked a good name: Kamonegi means duck and leek, namely that a duck bringing a leek in its mouth is one good thing that brings another. I think our fortune recently is a reflection of the name we chose. I hope to keep living up to the recognition we’ve received and just work harder to keep our staff sharp and ready for the busy weeks to come.”

Also, can we take a minute to recognize that all three of these Bon Appetit picks are from chef/owners who are not white males? YES. Stay tuned for the final 10 announcement—we’re guessing JuneBaby is a sure thing, but hopefully there’s room for another Seattle pick on their list.

Follow Us

Kitchen Conversations With J. Kenji López-Alt

Kitchen Conversations With J. Kenji López-Alt

The Seattle chef discusses online feedback, appropriation, and his goals as a noted food writer

Currently, he's juggling projects for his YouTube channel, working on a new cookbook aimed at everyday cooking, writing another children's book, and launching a podcast with Deb Perlman of Smitten Kitchen.

A Delicious Start to Women Making History Month 

A Delicious Start to Women Making History Month 

Start by supporting these women-owned restaurants, wineries, and breweries

Join us in raising a glass to some of the women chefs, winemakers, brewers, and business owners who make Seattle and Washington’s culinary and imbibe scene so dynamic.   

A Slice Above the Rest

A Slice Above the Rest

With grace and grit, Niles Peacock has worked his way to the top of the pizza world

“This has to be a joke.” That’s the first thing that passed through Niles Peacock’s head as he stood reading the results of the 2022 International Pizza Challenge in Las Vegas... Photo by Steve Parent Photography

Edible Art

Edible Art

Check out these elegant practitioners of pastry just in time for Valentine's Day

Whether you like Valentine’s Day because you enjoy celebrating all the ways love exists in your life, or you want an excuse to eat delicious dessert with your girlfriends for Galentine’s, plenty of Seattle pastry shops and chocolatiers will keep you well fed.