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
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
Seattle’s Pizza Just Keeps Getting Better
New openings across the city make a strong case that Seattle can finally stop apologizing for its pies.
Complaining about Seattle’s pizza scene is a well-worn civic ritual, on par with decrying the sad state of the city’s sports teams. But wake up: It’s 2026, the Seahawks are world champs, the Sonics are coming back, and Seattle is awash in great pizza. Granted, this town of transplants has no “style” to claim as…
Grounds for Success: Instant Coffee Brand Seoulli is Bringing Korean Café Culture to the Pacific Northwest
Liz Kang and her best friends aren’t strangers to the entrepreneurial journey. With roots in fashion, merchandising, tech, and business ownership, the local group of Korean American women grew up together dreaming about future success. Their newest venture is Seoulli, a Korean instant coffee brand that’s introducing the Pacific Northwest—and the world—to Korean café culture,…
Restaurant Roundup: Rooftop Bites and Pineapple Juice Coffee
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
If you thought getting a table for before- or after-noon pancakes and mimosas was difficult before, hold on to your orange juice—the great brunch crunch is coming. We kid, but Mother’s Day is just over a week out, and sometimes to make Mom feel special, putting in the time to wait in line is the…
Photo Essay: The Reefnetters of Legoe Bay
A photographer’s look at the small Lummi Island fleet taking part in a long-standing fishing tradition.
While driving across the country from Detroit to San Francisco in October 2024, I stopped on Lummi Island, about 10 miles west of Bellingham, to visit my friend Peter. I had met Peter while traveling with Bread & Puppet Theater, photographing its national tour. He thought I might be interested in documenting the fishing there,…