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A TASTE OF

BELLEVUE 2026-2027 CULINARY GUIDE

VISITBELLEVUE.COM

El Gaucho

here is something special happening around the table in Bellevue and often, not exactly what you expect. Set within a modern urban oasis, Bellevue is shaped by global perspectives, natural abundance, innovation and a sense of refinement. Nowhere is that convergence more deliciously apparent than in our culinary community. Here, cultures and traditions come together with Pacific Northwest ingredients and creative ambition, shaping a dining scene that is worldly and distinctively Bellevue. You’ll find that spirit throughout this guide. It might mean watching a chef transform dinner into an unforgettable performance, gathering around a tabletop grill with friends, discovering a remarkable family-owned restaurant, lingering over coffee in a neighborhood café or tasting Dungeness crab pulled from Pacific Northwest waters. We believe some of the best travel experiences begin with curiosity, and Bellevue rewards that philosophy. Behind every meal is another story, another culture, another craft and another reason to stay a little longer. Whether this is your first visit or Bellevue is already a favorite destination, I hope A Taste of Bellevue inspires you to follow your curiosity, venture beyond the familiar and experience the remarkable people, flavors and places shaping our city’s culinary story. On behalf of Visit Bellevue, welcome to Bellevue and to our table.

Brad Jones Executive Director Visit Bellevue

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INSIDE 2

NEW TASTES ON THE BLOCK

WHERE SHOTA GOES TO SNACK

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED

HOW TO KOREAN BBQ

ART OF THE THIRD SPACE

WORTH DRESSING UP FOR

STRAIGHT FROM THE SEA

LOW KEY, HIGH REWARD

OFF THE CLOCK, ON THE ROCKS

A TASTE OF BELLEVUE 2026-2027 CULINARY GUIDE

New kitchens are firing up across Bellevue, and there’s a lot to be hungry for.

Iron Chef alum Shota Nakajima shares his Bellevue picks for delicious bites.

Taste global flavors from around the world through Bellevue’s dining scene.

Duke’s

Here’s to a grill at your table, meat in your tongs, and a few rules Nelson Yong lives by.

Bellevue’s cafes offer something rarer than a perfect pour: a place to simply be.

From skyline views to tableside theatrics, Bellevue knows how to make a great night feel exceptional.

Fresh from Pacific Northwest waters, exceptional seafood lands on tables across Bellevue.

No reservation, no dress code, no problem. Bellevue’s casual bites are bursting with flavor.

Here’s where Bellevue’s top bartenders go when someone else is pouring.

FOUR WEEKS, FOUR FLAVORS

HANDS-ON BELLEVUE

Follow Bellevue’s culinary calendar through noodles, dumplings, berries and Dungeness crab.

Learning the craft behind the plate: Where to cook, taste and forage in Bellevue.

LeTao

THE SIP LIST

SUGAR RUSH

GETTING AROUND

Seven standout drinks, from hand-pulled Thai tea to affogatos and black sesame lattes.

Meet the bakeries, cafes and dessert shops making Bellevue’s sweet scene impossible to resist.

Getting around Bellevue is easy, with light rail, shuttles and connections that keep the city within reach. Visit Bellevue Washington 11100 NE 6th Street Bellevue, WA 98004 (877) 425-2075 | visitbellevue.com Groom Lake Media groomlakemedia.com info@groomlakemedia.com

A Taste of Bellevue Culinary Guide 2026-2027 is provided as a service by Visit Bellevue. Every effort has been made to ensure the information presented is accurate at the time of printing. This publication includes businesses in operation as of July 2026. Visit Bellevue assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or changes. A Taste of Bellevue Culinary Guide 2026-2027 © 2026. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

ON THE COVER: ASCEND PRIME STEAK & SUSHI taste of bellevue | 1

Mama Xita BBQ

NEW TASTES ON THE BLOCK Bellevue’s freshest arrivals are rewriting what a great meal looks like in the Pacific Northwest. BY HEIDE BRANDES

he smoothie arrives without ice, syrup, unpronounceable additives or an apology. At Sano in downtown Bellevue, the woman behind the counter slides it across with the quiet confidence of someone who knows every ingredient by name. Organic fruit, house-made plant milk, nothing synthetic, nothing requiring a chemistry degree to decode. Light pours through the windows at 453 106th Ave. NE, and the space feels less like a fast-casual counter and more like a bright, well-stocked kitchen where the food is genuinely good for you and still manages to taste like a treat. Nearly 80% of the menu is 2 | taste of bellevue

Sano

prepared in-house, founder Lisa Nordstrom says, and the warm wood interior makes a convincing argument that nourishment and pleasure were never rivals to begin with. Sano, which translates to “healthy mind and body” in Italian, launched on Mercer Island in 2015 before opening its Bellevue location in 2025 with backing from Seattle’s Conscious Hospitality Group. It is one of a wave of new arrivals reshaping a dining scene that already had plenty going for it. Each newcomer brings something distinct, and together they make a persuasive case that Bellevue’s culinary moment is as strong as it has ever been.

OMO Thai Tea

A few blocks away at 550 106th Ave. NE, Suite 101, the grills run hot at Mama Xita BBQ, the first U.S. outpost of a Chinese-Korean barbecue brand with more than 20 years of heritage and 450-plus locations across Asia. The dining room glows gold, wagyu arrives in glossy ribbons, and a near-perfect Google rating across more than 1,300 reviews confirms the hype. Expect a wait, and plan for it. For something quieter and more deliberate, Fujiwara Omakase offers Chef Seiji “Fuji” Fujiwara’s sixseat counter, relocated from Renton to Bellevue and centered on Edomaestyle sushi served on handcrafted

OTHER SPOTS WORTH A LOOK

Bizen-yaki ceramics from the couple’s hometown of Kurashiki, Japan. Reservations go fast. The newcomers keep arriving. Shri Krishna Bhavan opened in early 2026 at 12 Bellevue Way SE, serving strong filter coffee and a wider-than-usual range of dosas. Valentina’s Wine Bar has settled in on Main Street with a rotating wine list and delicious flatbreads, while OMO Thai Tea, woman- and LGBTQ+-owned, has brought a downtown tea destination to the neighborhood. Primo’s Bellevue adds live music nightly alongside a menu that covers serious ground, from Mekong River Rotisserie Chicken and Truffle Edamame to Tres Amigo Tacos and a French-inspired ribeye draped in mushroom sauce. Bellevue’s dining scene has never been more crowded, and that’s precisely what makes it worth paying attention to.

Tendon Kohaku

Tendon Kohaku A Singapore-born tempura donburi specialist serving crisp, golden tempura over rice in a small, much-loved room. Reservations are recommended. BA Artisan Bakehouse The bakery’s first U.S. location, built around a living sourdough starter and the slow craft of good bread. Expect loaves with real character and a proper crust. Nobu Bellevue The first Nobu in the Pacific Northwest, a 10,000-square-foot restaurant slated to open in 2027 as part of the Avenue Bellevue towers’ rebranding as Nobu Residences, bringing the brand’s signature blend of Japanese precision and Peruvian influence to the Eastside. Sabine Cafe A new café opened in Bellevue in summer 2026, the latest sign that the neighborhood’s appetite for fresh ideas is not slowing down.

taste of bellevue | 3

Iron Chef alum and Bellevue-bred restaurateur Shota Nakajima shares the unpretentious spots where he refuels, five or six small meals at a time. BY CRAI S. BOWER

hota Nakajima grew up split between Redmond, Washington, and Japan, in a household where food was the only constant topic of conversation. His parents were always BELLEVUE EATS talking about their last meal, their current meal or their next one. So when Nakajima came home from middle school in Japan and announced he was skipping high school to work in restaurants, his parents didn’t fight him on it. They gave him their cautious blessing. “I dove right into the kitchen at Kiku Sushi in Bellevue,” he says. “I started washing dishes and slicing onions. I moved through every prep station to reach the sushi bar.” Nakajima finished his culinary education at Bellevue’s I Love Sushi, then spent five years in what he calls “graduate school”: Michelin-starred Sakamoto in Osaka, Japan. He returned to Seattle in 2015 and opened Naka, a restaurant built around a 15-course, prix fixe Japanese menu. “I’d set a goal to open my own restaurant by 25,” he says. “I achieved that goal.” More projects followed: a more approachable 3-5-7 course menu at Adana, then a 2017 turn on Iron Chef Gauntlet. After 10 intensive years, Nakajima is finally taking a break, one that includes a lot of snacking around Bellevue. “I am a five-to-six meals a day type of person,” he says. “But I keep my portions small.” 4 | taste of bellevue

AUSTIN QUACH

WHERE SHOTA GOES TO SNACK

SHOTA NAKAJIMA’S GO-TO SPOTS IN BELLEVUE Toshi’s Teriyaki “When I go to teriyaki joints, it is not about the chicken; it’s the rice. If the rice is good, the chicken will work, but if you have good chicken with bad rice, it just doesn’t hit. Both are solid at Toshi’s.” TRES Sandwich Shop “Sando shops are standard fare in Japan, where you can choose twenty-plus combinations of fillings and sauces. I pick the mango crème if I’m going for sweet, the miso katsu for savory. The milk bread is excellent and, if the bread is good, the sando will be good.” Uwajimaya Hot Bar “I started grabbing Spam Musubi and Japanese canned coffee to eat in the parking lot when I was 16 years old. I’m also always on the hunt for pork scraps and barbecue when I shop here.” Amulya Indian Cuisine “I grew up eating Indian buffet here. The spices hit and their naan is solid. If they have a good rice pudding, I’m there all day.” Burgermaster “Burgermaster is so solid. I’ve been going there my whole life, and I still love the old-school feeling of driving up, flashing my lights, and being served in my car. Their secret item is the Dungeness crab melt, which comes on good old toasted white bread.”

taste of bellevue | 5

Enjoy international eats without ever leaving our ZIP codes. BY ALEENAH ANSARI

ellevue’s food scene has been leveling up, with international heavy hitters choosing the city for their U.S. and Pacific Northwest debuts alongside homegrown eateries serving global flavors. Why Bellevue? Locals and visitors here have a global palate, and the city is home to offices of tech companies including Amazon, Salesforce and T-Mobile. Sound Transit’s 2 Line, meanwhile, serves as a connective thread linking Bellevue, Redmond and Seattle.

YEZI (CHINA) The best Asian desserts aren’t too sweet, and Yezi fits the bill with its coconut puddings and drinks made with fruits and toppings like mango, taro, Oreo, red bean and mochi.

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THE DOLAR SHOP

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED

THE DOLAR SHOP (CHINA) The Dolar Shop offers hot pot you can customize to your liking by picking your broth, proteins, vegetables, starches and sides. Create your own sauce for dipping your meat and vegetables, and enjoy unlimited soft serve after your meal.

LETAO (JAPAN) LeTAO takes a few simple ingredients—milk, cheese and chocolate—and elevates them in its two-layered cheesecakes, cookies and soft serve.

OMO THAI TEA (THAILAND) Omo Thai Tea starts with hand-pulled Thai tea made from house-blended tea leaves and turns it into soft serve and drinks, best enjoyed alongside one of its loaded toasts.

Nobu

NOBU (JAPAN AND PERU)

TENDON KOHAKU (JAPAN VIA SINGAPORE)

Tendon Kohaku

FARZI CAFE

Tendon Kohaku is known for tempura including seared salmon, grilled steak, eel, prawns and vegetables—or a combination.

Nobu will serve Japanese dishes with Peruvian flavors, including sushi, shrimp and wagyu dishes, soup, tacos and the option of a multi-course tasting menu.

FARZI CAFE (INDIA) WILLIE BURTON’S FOOD HALL (GLOBAL)

SUSHI TEI (JAPAN)

The brainchild of Lil Woody’s founder Marcus Lalario in partnership with James Beard Awardwinning chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, Willie Burton’s offers fast-casual dining and a full-service bar, complete with indoor and outdoor seating.

Sushi Tei offers authentic Japanese food with fresh ingredients in its sushi, nigiri, temaki, sashimi, noodle dishes and salads.

Farzi Cafe offers pan-Indian dishes with a side of table theatrics, molecular gastronomy and a little bit of dry ice. Crowd favorites on the all-day menu include the avocado and mango chaat, grilled lamb chops and dal makhani. taste of bellevue | 7

FLIGHT

HOTEL

BELLEVUE FOODIE GETAWAY

Sweepstakes

Ascend Prime Steak and Sushi

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Mama Xita

HOW TO KOREAN BBQ

Here’s to a grill at your table, meat in your tongs, and a few rules I live by.

BY NELSON YONG (@NELSON_YONG)

cross Bellevue, some of the best meals are the ones you cook yourself. At tabletop grill spots like Mama Xita, Janggogi, Woobling and Gyu-Kaku, the grill comes to you. And with Korean powerhouse Goban, which counts more than 120 locations worldwide, bringing its first U.S. outpost here, the scene is only heating up. Korean, Japanese and Chinese traditions each bring their own spin, but the joy is universal: fire, meat and good company. Hereʼs how I do it:

Choose your path. All-you-can-eat rewards a big appetite; a la carte rewards a discerning one. Quality over quantity, always. Someone at the table usually gets assigned full-time cook duty, though some Korean spots will grill for you.

Skip the filler. Rice and noodles are delicious, but they're a trap if you came to eat meat. Save room.

Donʼt be the chicken person. No judgment. Okay, a little. This is beef and pork belly country.

Order the good stuff. My go-tos: marinated short rib, beef belly, thick-cut pork belly and pork jowl.

Grill in order. Start with unmarinated cuts and finish with the sweeter marinated ones. Itʼs tradition, itʼs better for your palate and it keeps the grill from smoking up.

taste of bellevue | 9

Third Culture Coffee

ART OF THE THIRD SPACE BY HEIDE BRANDES

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Bellden Cafe

Bellevue’s cafes offer something rarer than a perfect pour: a place to simply be.

carved wooden swing hangs inside Third Culture Coffee, the kind once found in historic homes in Kerala, India. On summer afternoons, kids fresh from the ice cream shop next door rock on it while their parents linger over Indian filter coffee or a Japanese pour-over. Book clubs claim the long communal table while regulars sink into the sofa chairs in back and stay for hours. Sociologist Ray Oldenburg called spots like this “third places,” welcoming social spaces beyond home and work where community actually happens. Bellevue, a city better known for glass towers and tech campuses, has become one of the Pacific Northwest’s richest collections of them. “The world is a lonely and scary place at times, and it’s nice to just hang out,” says Archana Verma, who bought Third Culture Coffee in 2024 from founder Radhika Kapur, whose Indian, Australian and American identities inspired both the shop’s name and a menu that roams from Vietnamese coffee to matcha. Verma now hosts free monthly open mic nights, drop-in meditation and trivia evenings. “It has been sheer joy.” On Main Street, Bellden Cafe was born from a moment of need. When founder Claire Sumadiwirya’s young son was hospitalized in Shanghai, she searched in vain for a warm place to catch her breath, until a janitor walked 40 minutes to bring her food and coffee. “A cafe isn’t just about the coffee,” Sumadiwirya says. “The warmth isn’t a feature. It is the whole point.” Today, Bellden hires refugees and young adults with special needs, gives 20% of retail product proceeds to more

Farine Bakery & Cafe

than 30 local nonprofits through the Bellden Community Fund and pours an unhurried afternoon tea on weekends. At Cépaé L’Expérience Paris, founder Julien Hervert began by importing the French wines he missed, then discovered his neighbors wanted the whole French way of living, with table service, music and all. Cépaé L’Expérience Paris

“People need a place that isn’t work and isn’t home, where they can simply be,” Hervert says. “In Bellevue, where so much of life moves quickly, we wanted to offer a corner of Paris where you’re invited to linger.” The invitation repeats across downtown. Farine Bakery & Cafe, whose name means flour in French, pairs Belgianinspired pastries and house-baked breads with brasseriestyle fare. Cafe Hagen wraps guests in Copenhagen-style hygge, where morning lattes and Scandinavian pastries give way to Nordic-inspired cocktails as the day winds down. BA Artisan Bakehouse, an international bakery’s first U.S. location, builds everything on naturally fermented sourdough starter, and its open kitchen lets visitors watch bakers shape each loaf by hand. None of these cafes asks anything hard of you. Come as you are. Order slowly. Stay a while. In a city that moves fast, Bellevue’s cafes hold the door open to something older and warmer: a seat at the neighborhood table. taste of bellevue | 11

WORTH DRESSING UP FOR

Ascend’s signature Magic Mushroom dessert

Bellevue’s culinary scene is resetting the bar for elegant dining in a city designed to deliver quality experiences for every occasion. BY EUGENIA LAZARIS

city that trades in modern technology deserves an epic culinary scene to meet the highest expectations, and Bellevue doesn’t disappoint. Unforgettable menus, one-of-a-kind experiences and a seamless blend of international influences and the bounty of the Pacific Northwest make the city’s dining scene something truly special.

ASCEND PRIME STEAK & SUSHI

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SUZI PRATT

Not many restaurants can lay claim to decadence the way Ascend Prime can. From its perch 31 stories above the city, it’s a lesson in dining done right. Panoramic views of the city and the stunning Pacific Northwest sunsets are the perfect backdrop for making a good impression, whether it’s entertaining clients, a first date or a special occasion. From the custom-built wood-fired grill to the tree-root lighting sculpture hanging in the main dining room, every aspect of the ambience connects with the native landscape of the region. The unmatched quality of a delicate wagyu beef tartare and the creative artistry of dishes like the Magic Mushroom, the restaurant’s signature multi-faceted dessert served in a glass terrarium, are proof that nothing at Ascend is anything less than superb.

Alder Wood Grilled Salmon

CARMINE’S Magic happens when classic Italian cuisine meets the Pacific Northwest at Carmine’s. Traditional dishes like risotto and pennette take on a whole new meaning when crafted with local ingredients like king salmon and Dungeness crab.

BIS ON MAIN This French American bistro in Old Bellevue is a neighborhood institution that pairs the charm of satiny wallpaper and white tablecloths with a family vibe that makes a night out as comfortable Tiraditos and piqueos at La Mar Bellevue

as it is elegant.

JOHN HOWIE STEAK Serving wagyu is one thing, but

LA MAR BELLEVUE La Mar brings Peruvian cuisine to life for the Pacific Northwest by focusing on the Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Italian and Andean cultures that shaped Peru’s diverse culinary identity. The menu features creative takes on dishes like Peru’s national dish, cebiche, pairing octopus, squid, salmon or calamari with ingredients like capers, seaweed and artichoke, along with traditional pisco cocktails crafted with passion fruit, strawberry or espresso. La Mar’s menu is an homage to flavor and creativity as much as it is to the Indigenous ingredients of Peru.

having an entire wagyu menu on top of a regular menu that perfectly balances fresh seafood and USDA Prime meat selections with an award-winning wine list is next level for a night out.

Ikura and Uni appetizer at Takai by Kashiba

TAKAI BY KASHIBA Filet mignon with sauce bearnaise at El Gaucho Bellevue

EL GAUCHO BELLEVUE El Gaucho brings the old-school glamour of fine dining to life in a city that bleeds modern elegance. As a live pianist tickles the ivories, meat and seafood plates are prepared in the exhibition-style kitchen. But for a truly noteworthy night out, nothing compares to a meal of Caesar salad, a flaming sword brochette of tenderloin and flambéed cherries jubilee, all prepared tableside while you enjoy the show.

Led by 2025 James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Jun Takai, the traditional Edomae omakase dining experience at Takai by Kashiba is where sushi transcends mere food and becomes art. Chef Jun cut his teeth working at the fish markets of Kyoto and the sushi restaurants of Tokyo and Yokohama before refining his skills under the tutelage of Chef Shiro Kashiba. The result is nothing short of culinary brilliance. Reserve a table or grab a walk-in spot at the whiskey bar, but to see masters in action, reserve one of the coveted seats at the sushi counter. Just don’t be late—after 15 minutes, you’ll lose your spot and miss out on the mesmerizing artistry and exceptional taste. taste of bellevue | 13

STRAIGHT FROM THE SEA Around here, the catch is always fresh and the city’s restaurants know exactly what to do. BY ADAM H. CALLAGHAN

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

alling seafood a big deal in Bellevue is an understatement. From Puget Sound to the Columbia River, the Pacific Northwest delivers what John Howie calls seafood that is “plentiful in variety, quantity and quality.” Howie knows the territory. He is chef and owner of John Howie Restaurants, including Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, long acclaimed for its commitment to responsible sourcing. Washington state shellfish purveyors like Taylor Shellfish Farms, the largest producer of farmed shellfish in the U.S., supply Seastar with the bounty that stars in its coveted Dungeness crab cakes and California roll, alongside Native Americansourced crab that doesn’t travel far before it hits the plate. Fresh seafood makes its presence known the moment you step inside Water Grill Bellevue, where tanks of live lobster and crab greet diners before they settle into leather-backed booths. The Lincoln Square outpost of the Los Angeles-born

MIRA FLORES

Duke’s Seafood

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The Crab Pot

group updates its menu daily, putting wild Alaskan king crab (processed at the company’s own seafood plant) front and center, served simply with melted butter and house coleslaw. Sometimes the best preparation is no preparation at all. La Mar Bellevue takes the local catch in a different direction entirely, channeling Peru through a cebiche bar where the day’s fish is on full display. The Cebiche Los Andes—king salmon and artichoke dressed in a creamy rocoto leche de tigre—is a standout worth ordering. For something more casual and decidedly hands-on, Crawfish Chef delivers garlicky Cajun boils straight in the bag, while The Crab Pot arms diners with a mallet and piles freshly steamed shellfish on butcher paper for an old-fashioned Seafeast. There’s no pretension here, just great seafood. Duke’s Seafood makes the case that sustainability and great food are not mutually exclusive. The local restaurant group backs that claim with award-winning chowders and a conservation model that includes a partnership with rock band Train and Woodinville winery Damsel Cellars through the nonprofit Duke’s Damsel on a Train Foundation. The foundation funds wild salmon restoration through events and two exclusive wines, Up River Red and Up River White, both sold only at Duke’s locations. “Fresh seafood is available straight out of the sea many times within hours of harvesting,” Howie says. In Bellevue, that’s not a boast. It’s simply the standard.

Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi

SEAFOOD TOWERS Fogo de Chão Bellevue Gather at least three friends to tackle a Seafood Tower ($112) brimming with snow crab legs, lobster, jumbo shrimp and green-lipped mussels. Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar The Raw Bar Tower ($63) stacks four diners’ worth of the restaurant’s most popular raw bar items: Halibut Ceviche, Ahi Poke and Dungeness Crab California Roll. Water Grill Bellevue Up to seven people can share the largest version of the Iced Shellfish Platters ($65–$225), which offer impressive variety, from East Coast clams to the Pacific Northwest’s rare native Olympia oyster. Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi Private parties can order a three-tiered Seafood Tower ($450) full of prawns, scallop crudo and more for eight to 10 guests—it’s extra appealing in front of sweeping views from the 31st floor. Daniel’s Broiler Bellevue Jumbo gulf prawns, Dungeness crab legs and oysters galore await private parties who order the Grand Chilled Shellfish Tower ($425).

taste of bellevue | 15

Thai Kitchen Bird Pepper

LOW KEY, HIGH REWARD No reservation, no dress code, no problem. Bellevue’s casual side delivers.

BY JENNIFER BLALOCK nagging a hard-to-get reservation at the latest Bellevue hot spot has its own kind of thrill. But not every great meal in this city needs a dress code or a skyline view. Some of Bellevue’s most satisfying bites happen between the big nights out, at come-as-you-are spots where the food does the dressing up. Consider this your cheat sheet: local favorites that won’t break the bank, whether you’re walking over with friends, grabbing takeout after a workout or feeding the whole crew after work.

BIG ON BRUNCH? Gilbert’s on Main has anchored Old Bellevue for more than 30 years, and locals treat it as the default gathering spot for creative comfort food. The menu runs to more than 25 New York-style sandwiches plus a lineup of omelets, scrambles and breakfast bagels, served in the cozy dining room, on the sidewalk or via curbside pickup. The legendary mile-high Reuben alone is worth the trip. 16 | taste of bellevue

BOLD, BUDGET-FRIENDLY BURGERS Broiler Bay Hamburgers is a no-frills, family-owned burger joint on Main Street. The draw is classic charbroiled fare at prices that feel like a different decade. Round out a high-quality burger with a handmade shake, crispy onion rings and fried zucchini, and soak in the oldschool vibe.

Gilbert’s on Main

SALAD 2.0

Tavern Hall

Tavern Hall at Bellevue Square is where you catch the game with friends or book the big-group celebration. Cracker-thin tavern pizza, some of the best burgers in Bellevue and icy local beers on tap can cap off any work week, and the shareable appetizers earn their menu space. But the sleeper hit is the salad list. The tavern chopped salad piles fresh romaine with pistachio pesto smoked chicken breast, feta, soppressata, Mediterranean olives, pepperoncini, garbanzo beans, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, oil-cured cucumbers and croutons. It’s not your everyday salad, though you could happily eat it daily.

WHEN THE GROUP CAN’T DECIDE Feeding a crowd means pleasing every palate. Bellevue has two spots built for exactly that. Lincoln South Food Hall, on the second floor of Lincoln Square South at The Bellevue Collection, is the polished take on the genre. Billed as a clever mix of local, bold and fresh, its options range from West Coast Tacos to boba tea and treats. Crossroads Bellevue is a singular destination: international, nostalgic, lively and still one of the city’s best casual food ecosystems. The public market-style hall serves Colombian cuisine at Monserrate as well as dumplings and Indian fare, while Banaras gives authentic Indian food full-on food-court street cred. There’s even live music on the Market Stage every weekend.

ASIAN FLAIR, ANYTIME I Love Sushi on Lake Bellevue offers more than water views. Superior sushi and noodle options and a contemporary room make this casual catch-up spot a fit for friends, food and fun.

Thai Kitchen Bird Pepper

Thai Kitchen Bird Pepper, a family-owned restaurant with deep Seattle-area roots, builds its menu for repeat visits: seasonal cocktails, rotating featured entrees and a relaxing patio that’s just the recipe for a post-work catch-up. TRES Sandwich sits a little off the beaten path, but its Japanese-style sandos will upgrade any park day, picnic or afternoon on the lake. Order ahead to secure the miso katsu, egg salad, okonomiyaki and fruit cream sandos, or risk watching them sell out. Xi’an Noodles turns up the heat with hand-pulled biang biang noodles, cumin lamb skewers and spicy lamb noodle soup. Big portions and small prices make this hidden gem worth the trip. taste of bellevue | 17

Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi

OFF THE CLOCK, ON THE ROCKS Here’s where Bellevue’s top bartenders go when someone else is pouring. BY CRAI S. BOWER

sk any veteran bartender and they’ll tell you the job demands three skills: making great cocktails, listening to patrons and offering concierge-level intel on local dining, culture and, above all, other excellent bars. That last one comes from years of field research. Nearly everyone who mixes drinks for a living has a personal haunt, a port of call where they unwind with peers after a busy shift. Bellevue, with its steady stream of leisure and business travelers, has always been a good bar town. So we went straight to the source and asked some of the city’s top mixologists where they drink when the shift ends. 18 | taste of bellevue

NELSON YONG

W Bellevue

Water Grill Bellevue

NELSON YONG

Chaz, lead mixologist at Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi, has called Bellevue home since 2018. The local talent pool, he says, is a dynamic mix of tenured professionals and impressive newcomers. Not surprisingly, after a night of pouring high-end drinks, he keeps it simple on his own time. “I enjoy shooting pool at The Goose Pub with a beer and a shot,” he says. “I also love a vermouth on ice with an orange peel. It’s herbaceous, has low ABV [alcohol by volume] and helps me to wind down.” Jorell has tended bar at The Lakehouse for four years. Bellevue’s blend of classic cocktail bars and innovative mixology drew him in, and nothing captures that spirit quite like the Civility & Unrest Tipsy Tiki Club at Civility & Unrest. “It doesn’t sound like it should work, butterscotch-infused gin, two rums, vanilla, citrus, pineapple and bitters,” he says. “But it tastes like summer vacation in the heart of Bellevue.” Sallin, a bartender at the W Bellevue, is all in on the spritz trend, specifically the Hugo Spritz. He keeps things just as sprightly off the clock. “I love the Lychee Martini at Fern Thai on Main,” Sallin says. “It’s refreshing, balanced and always hits the mark.” Kaitlin has bartended at Civility & Unrest for two years. When she’s ready to relax, she pulls up a seat at Water Grill. “I love the mix of ginger beer, vodka and lime in a Moscow mule,” she says. “Especially when I pair it with raw oysters in that great ambiance.” When Kella’s shift ends at Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi, she prefers her whiskey or tequila neat. “I’ll always have a sweet spot for La Mar,” she says. “If I’m looking for something more casual after work, I head to Paddy Coyne’s, my go-to for a late-night bite, a shot and a pickleback [pickle brine].” Take it from the pros: Bellevue’s bar scene is a shot worth taking.

Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi

taste of bellevue | 19

FOUR WEEKS, FOUR FLAVORS

PRO TIP Download the VueFinder App, hit at least three locations during any single Culinary Week, and you’ll earn a reward. Make it through all four weeks and there’s a

From hand-pulled noodles to fresh-caught Dungeness crab, Washington’s most dynamic dining city marks the seasons one themed week at a time.

limited-edition tote with your name on it.

Duke’s Seafood Dungeness Crabby Deviled Egg

BY HARRIET BASKAS

WHAT TO EXPECT Each Culinary Week opens with an event, such as a scavenger hunt, a cook-off, a cooking class, a picnic or a party, before fanning out across the city’s restaurants, cafes, bars and bakeries. Participating venues respond with special dishes, chef collaborations, tasting menus, prix fixe offerings and oneweek-only creations you won’t find on any regular menu. Chef John Howie, whose Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar has anchored Bellevue’s fine dining scene for years, sees these weeks as a showcase for what the city’s culinary community does best. The themed format, he says, highlights “the creativity, diversity and hospitality that make Bellevue such a vibrant dining destination.” His Crab John Howie Week lineup includes zucchini linguini and Dungeness crab cakes designed to draw out the season, not just check a box. At Bis on Main, chef and owner Bobby Moore approaches Culinary Weeks the same way. He says the excitement builds as regulars “look forward to the items we bring on to celebrate the seasons.” This year, his Crab Week contribution is a pickled peaches and crab salad, which is the kind of combination that sounds unexpected until you Bobby Moore taste it. RODRIGO DEMEDEIROS

ellevue has become one of the Pacific Northwest’s most compelling food cities. The chefs are serious. The ingredients are pulled from the region’s farms, waters and forests, and are exceptional. And the dining venues reflect a cultural range that few cities its size can match. You can explore it all at your own pace through the city’s self-guided Acclaimed Culinary Trail, which funnels diners toward acclaimed restaurants and signature cuisines yearround. But if you want to go deep into what Bellevue’s kitchen community does best, the city’s four themed Culinary Weeks are the beating heart of the action. The concept is straightforward: each season, Bellevue zeroes in on a single ingredient or dish category and lets its chefs loose. Noodles own November. Dumplings take February. Berries headline July. And in August, it’s all about crab.

John Howie Steak Strawberry Cheesecake

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Noodle Week – November 2026 Bellevue’s noodle culture is as global as the city itself. During Noodle Week, local chefs bring limited-edition dishes to the table: hand-pulled ramen, yakisoba, pho and inventive takes on Italian pasta, all under one citywide spotlight. Shrimp and Scallop Spaghetti at Earl’s

Dumpling Week – February 2027 Timed to the Lunar New Year and the Year of the Fire Goat, Dumpling Week invites Bellevue’s chefs to push past tradition. Expect non-conventional interpretations: steamed, pan-fried, soup-filled and folded into forms that surprise even the most seasoned dumpling devotee. Pan-fried Dumplings at North All You Can Eat Dumplingds

BELLEVUE CULINARY WEEK CALENDAR BA Artisan Bakehouse Berry Basque Cheesecake

Visit the Visit Bellevue website at visitbellevue.com for confirmed dates, participating venues, special menus and a full lineup of free and ticketed events.

Berry Week – July 2027 Peak summer in the Pacific Northwest means peak berry season. During Berry Week, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and their locally grown counterparts show up in cocktails, entrées and desserts that are picked fresh and turned around fast by kitchens that know how to honor the season.

Dungeness Crab at Water Grill

Crab Week – August 2027 Washington Dungeness crab is one of the great ingredients of the Pacific Northwest, and Crab Week is its annual celebration. The range runs from Burgermaster’s legendary crab melt (a menu fixture since the 1970s) to La Mar Bellevue’s Arroz con Cangrejo, a dish that brings South American technique to a Northwest staple. Bellevue’s top chefs treat this week as a competition to see what fresh-caught crab can truly become. taste of bellevue | 21

Browne Family Vineyards

HANDS-ON BELLEVUE Learning the craft behind the plate: Where to cook, taste and forage in Bellevue. BY ALEENAH ANSARI

ellevue’s food scene rewards the curious. Rather than simply eating, locals and visitors can learn where their meals come from by stepping into kitchens, vineyards and forests across the region.

Browne Family Vineyards maintains a tasting room in Bellevue where guests sample wine and spirits alongside light fare. The winery’s Browne U sessions pair curated selections with food while explaining how oak aging and time shape flavor profiles. The approach treats wine not as product but as object of study.

For those drawn to pastry, HoneyMe Bakery and Cafe in downtown Bellevue offers hands-on cake decoration sessions. Participants select their own design, receive guidance from staff, use professional supplies and leave with a finished product to take home. HoneyMe Bakery and Cafe

Whisk

Whisk, located in Old Bellevue and founded by former Eddie Bauer executives Ann and Don Perinchief, offers handson cooking instruction across a wide range of techniques. Classes cover breakfast pastries, dumplings, crepes and sushi, with separate offerings for children and teenagers. The structure allows students to move beyond observation and into actual technique. 22 | taste of bellevue

La Mar Bellevue operates parallel workshops focused on Peruvian cuisine. A chef and bar lead teach ceviche preparation and pisco sour mixing, grounding each technique in the coastal traditions from which it emerged. The workshops combine instruction with the geography and culture that inform the food.

THE SIP LIST Matcha smoothies are just the start. Thai tea, boba, affogato and black sesame lattes round out the drinks worth ordering right now. BY KIMBERLY FERRANTE

ellevue built its reputation on code, but lately the city runs on something more analog: the perfectly crafted drink. Within a few walkable blocks downtown, you can watch Thai tea pulled by hand between metal vessels, sip espresso poured over house-made chocolate ganache and order oolong brewed to order from leaves grown on the shopʼs own Taiwanese plantation. Consider this your drinking itinerary. No proof required. Start at Matcha Magic, the pink-walled Old Bellevue cafe that launched here and now counts six locations nationwide. The move is the Cloudy Coconut, a smoothie that blends banana, pineapple, avocado, coconut cream, almond butter and blue spirulina into something that tastes like a beach day and photographs like one, too. Nearby, UG Tea has turned seasonal experimentation into an art form. UG stands for "Unique Green," and the shop rotates creative flavors like its rice floral green milk tea, layered with toasted rice, pandan and taro notes. The chewy boba draws its own devoted following, pearls with a softer, mochi-like chew for anyone particular about texture. Precision AI baristas handle the pour, dialing in the perfect amount at the perfect temperature every time, not to replace the staff, but to make their shift a little easier. Order the Signature Rice Floral Green Milk Tea and taste the difference. At DOTE Coffee Bar in Lincoln Square South,

coffee veteran Sarah Doud teamed up with master chocolatier Ewald Notter, and the partnership shows in every cup. The OG Affogato, espresso poured over ice cream, is the purist's play. Try any of their ganache mochas, built on Notter's handmade chocolate, and indulge. There are no wrong answers here. Boba loyalists have a decision to make. Don't Yell at Me, the playfully named Taipei-born chain along the Grand Connection in downtown Bellevue, pours craft teas layered with sea salt cheese foam and rose petal boba. CHICHA San Chen at Bellevue Square takes the ceremonial route, brewing each order fresh from estate-grown leaves. The Bubble Volcano, a silky brown sugar boba milk tea, is the crowd favorite; the Osmanthus Oolong is the connoisseur's pick. Save room for dessert in a cup. SemiColon Cafe, whose name is an invitation to pause, folds mascarpone into its Tiramisu Latte for a drink that splits the difference between afternoon coffee and after-dinner treat. And at Cafe Aloe, the family-run Hong Kong-style cafe near downtown, the Iced Black Sesame Latte arrives in dramatic grayscale, nutty, toasty and made for the camera. Seven stops, seven very different cups. The only thing they have in common is the line out the door. Get in it.

Matcha Magic

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SUGAR RUSH Stop along Bellevue's artisan dessert revolution, from Hokkaido cheesecake to macarons with Champagne. BY ADAM PITLUK

LeTAO

essert used to be an afterthought in this town, the thing you ordered to keep the conversation going. Not anymore. Pastry chefs trained in Paris, Tokyo, Seoul and Hokkaido have planted their flags within a few square miles of downtown Bellevue, and they didn't come to garnish anybodyʼs entree. They came to headline. Here's the hit list:

BELLE PASTRY

LETAO

SOMISOMI

This Old Bellevue mainstay on Main Street brings French technique to everything in the case, from glossy fruit tarts to lemon croissants. Don't Miss: The fresh fruit tart, a neighborhood legend.

The famed Hokkaido cheesecake house holds court at The Shops at The Bravern, where samples flow and the cakes barely whisper their sweetness. Don't Miss: The Double Fromage, two layers of cloud.

The Korean soft-serve chain fills warm, fish-shaped taiyaki cones with custard, Nutella or red bean, then crowns them with swirls of ube and matcha. Don't Miss: The ah-boong, ube soft serve in a taiyaki cone.

NANA'S GREEN TEA

R+M DESSERT BAR

YEZI COCONUT DESSERT

The Tokyo-born matcha cafe builds parfaits like architecture: layers of soft serve, mochi, red bean and jelly in tall glasses worth the wait. Don't Miss: The hojicha parfait, roasty and just sweet enough.

One of Bellevue's only sit-down dessert salons, R&M is open evenings with a chef-driven menu of contemporary creations and dessert wines. Don't Miss: The goat cheese cheesecake, a savory-sweet mic drop.

Bellevue's first coconut dessert shop builds every treat on fresh young coconut water with no preservatives, from snowy drinks to purple rice cups. Don't Miss: The Double Coconut, tropical vacation in a cup.

LADY YUM

MOLLY MOON'S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM

Macarons and merriment at Bellevue Square, with naturally gluten-free shells in rotating seasonal flavors and a glass of bubbly if you're celebrating. Which you are. Don't Miss: The macaron-andChampagne pairing.

Seattle's beloved scoop shop keeps an Old Bellevue outpost slinging honey lavender and seasonal flavors until 11 p.m. Don't Miss: Salted caramel in a fresh waffle cone.

THE FRENCH BAKERY A working boulangerie on 112th Avenue Northeast where the eclairs, tartlets and mille-feuille come out of the oven all day long. Don't Miss: The chocolate eclair, filled-to-order perfection.

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Molly Moon's Homemde Ice Cream

GETTING AROUND

Bellevue is built for movement: thoughtful, connected and effortlessly accessible. Whether you are heading across town or across the lake, getting there is part of the experience. BY RAIL: THE 2 LINE CROSSLAKE CONNECTION Now open, Sound Transit’s 2 Line Crosslake Connection links Bellevue directly to Seattle—no car required. Glide across Lake Washington on one of the region’s most scenic routes, with easy access to iconic attractions like Pike Place Market, the Seattle Waterfront and the Stadium District, home to Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park. Fast, frequent and remarkably seamless, it’s the smartest way to experience both cities in one trip.

PUBLIC TRANSIT & LOCAL CONNECTIONS

AIRPORT ACCESS

Bellevue is served by King County Metro and Sound Transit bus lines, with convenient connections throughout the region. The Bellevue Transit Center acts as a central hub, linking downtown to surrounding neighborhoods and regional destinations. For real-time routes, trip planning and service updates, transit apps and regional tools make navigating simple.

Getting to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is simple and stress-free. The Bellevue Airport Shuttle offers reliable, direct service between the airport and Bellevue hotels, making it one of the most convenient and costeffective ways to travel. Advance reservations are recommended for a seamless arrival and departure experience. Rideshare, taxi and light rail connections are also available for flexible transit options.

PLAN YOUR RIDE From rail and rideshare to Bellhop and beyond, Bellevue makes it easy to choose the best way to get around. Scan to access the Transportation Toolkit, your all-in-one guide to routes, services and real-time options across the city and region.

BELLHOP: BELLEVUE’S FREE ELECTRIC SHUTTLE Downtown travel is even easier with Bellhop—Bellevue’s complimentary, all-electric, on-demand shuttle. Request a ride through the Ride Circuit app and enjoy point-to-point service to dining, shopping, hotels and more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GETTING AROUND, SCAN HERE.

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