Restaurants with beautiful views; near notable places

Seattle is known for its amazing mountain and water views, and it’s not hard to find a local eatery with a pretty view. Here are some locales with truly special views, and also a few that are just near some interesting fun sights.

Views...

Canlis is one of Seattle’s most established and unique restaurants, and I would be remiss to not mention it, though it is certainly a “special occasion” type of place and one of the few (the only?) restaurants in Seattle with a dress code (sport coat for men, no t-shirts or shorts). That one aspect – the dress code – is very unusual for Seattle…normally any attire (hiking attire, t-shirts, hoodies, etc.) is fine at any restaurant. Everything about Canlis is special, including the lovely midcentury modern architecture, the exceptional service, views of South Lake Union, the food… It’s a prix fixe menu and it’s expensive, but if you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion, it’s a wonderful option.

The Mountaineering Club is a fun restaurant and bar at the top of the Graduate Hotel in the University district that has expansive views of Seattle in all directions, and if you’re lucky and the weather is clear, a great view of Mt. Rainier. Also near the University district, Westward is a seafood/oyster bar restaurant with lovely views of Lake Union, especially if the weather is nice enough to sit outside. Westward is part of Sea Creatures, a family of restaurants owned by another well-known James Beard award-winning Seattle chef, Renee Erikson. I mention some of her other restaurants in other blog posts.. they are all excellent. Duke’s Seafood has several waterfront locations, including close by in South Lake Union.

Sights...

My favorite of Renee Erikson’s places is Willmott’s Ghost, which is located near the Convention Center in the Amazon Spheres (the edge of one the spheres, technically), which are definitely a fun sight to see. Wilmott’s Ghost serves elegant pastas and pizza – and don’t miss their excellent focaccia.

The Freemont Troll is a fun thing to see in a fun part of town. Freemont is near the top of Lake Union, and is a fun area for vintage shopping and interesting stores and eateries, including: 

• The Whale Wins, another excellent Renee Erikson restaurant with a nice little specialty food market inside

• Pablo y Pablo, famous for their nachos

• and the super excellent Sea Wolf Bakery.

Not too far way is Gas Works Park, which is a great spot for a picnic if it’s nice out. You could pick up a bite at Saint Bread or Agua Verde Café (lots of vegetarian and vegan options) and bring it to the park to dine while enjoying the views of the lake and the Seattle skyline.

If you really enjoy water views, a fun thing to do is rent an electric boat and tool around Lake Union. It’s easy – like driving a golf cart. You can get near to and imagine living in the cute house boat communities, admire the big yachts up close, and see great views of the skyline and the Space Needle. You can have a group of up to 10-12 people to split the cost, and you’re allowed to bring your own food and drink (there are limited beverage options to purchase at the rental place). If you’re really adventurous, you can even rent a floating hot tub, and of course there are many places where you can rent paddle boards and kayaks to explore Lake Union too.