The Best Dishes Eater's Seattle Editor Ate in July 2025
Esquites at De La Soil
Esquites at De La Soil. Harry Cheadle
If De La Soil was on Capitol Hill, it would probably be a hot new Seattle restaurant. Instead it's tucked away inside Copperworks Distilling in Kenmore — and it should be a hot new Seattle restaurant anyway. It focuses on seasonal produce, and I know a lot of places say that, but De La sources nearly everything from a single farm up the road. The standout on my visit was this special special, a riff on Mexican street corn salad that uses charred corn as a base, a corn nut crumble for a bit of crunch, and popcorn for extra texture. It's smokey (from chipotle mayo) and sweet and cheesy, a must-order if it's still on the menu.
Matcha Strawberry Cheesecake at Marjorie
Matcha cheesecake at Marjorie. Harry Cheadle
Marjorie reopened last year at a new Central District location and it's still a Seattle classic with some classic menu items, including a bread pudding for dessert. But on my last visit I decided to be trendy and opted for this matcha number instead. The cheesecake was creamy and thick — you really had to push your fork through it — and the matcha gave it an earthy, grassy flavor. The peak-season strawberry topping might have been too sweet and jammy on its own, but it was a terrific contrast to the decidedly not-too-sweet cake. It may be off the menu soon, if it isn't already, but pastry chef Manda Mangrai is killing it and will surely have another idea just as good.
Wagyu Bavette at the Shambles
Wagyu bavette at the Shambles. Harry Cheadle
I'm trying to update our woefully out-of-date steak map this fall, and I can tell you right now that the Shambles is staying on it. This low-key Maple Leaf restaurant have a great selection of cuts on its chalkboard, including some good options if you're dining solo like I was. I got 5 ounces of wagyu bavette for under $40, and it was perfectly cooked, with a thick char and a bloody interior. It was served with a sage and red pepper butter that added to the richness, but I would have gladly eaten the piece of meat unadorned.
Fried rice at Paju
Steak and fried rice at Paju. Harry Cheadle
The steak at Paju was also great, but arguably overshadowed by the dish the upscale South Lake Union restaurant has become known for: the fried rice. With bacon, squid ink, kimchi, and a smoked quail egg it's sticky, smokey, and more than a bit umami (you don't get a lot of pickly kimchi flavor). Recommending it feels a little like saying, 'You know what's a great show? The Sopranos,' since the fried rice is already one of Paju's most popular dishes (that quali egg yolk sure looks good in photos). If you're coming here, you're already getting the fried rice. But maybe you should get two?
Lamb Korma Meat Pie at Little Beast Ballard
The lamb korma pie at Little Beast. Harry Cheadle
When I talked to Beast and Cleaver owner Kevin Smith this spring about his new meat-focused English-style pub, he said that no one in the whole state of Washington is doing English food like he wants to do it. And you might think, Really? No one is doing, like, a meat pie? Well, no one has meat pies like this. The shredded, slow-cooked lamb neck inside is beautifully tender and fatty, the pastry shell (made with beef fat) is sturdy enough to somehow contain that lamb yet still light and with traces of fat-kissed sweetness. The korma gravy adds another layer of creaminess plus a welcome dose of cumin-y spice (if you get the fries, try dipping them in it). Make yourself a meat appointment here, Little Beast is going to be a hot ticket for the rest of the year.
Barbecue plate at Outsider BBQ
Sides at Outsider BBQ. Paolo Biccheiri
Onur Gulbay's Texas-style barbecue with Turkish-stye sides has settled into its new permanent Frelard beer garden space. The sumac-topped potato salad is a refreshing treat in the summer sun. The corn casserole is an ideal not-too-sweet carby backbone to a pound of prime brisket or pulled pork. Spicy pickled vegetables provide a bit of heat, a pleasant and needed textural balance to the soft give of the bread and meat. Even the bread pudding is an inventive riff on the timeless dessert, an ice cream scoop-looking orb of Nilla Wafers and cream sitting pretty in a to-go brown tray. Consider this is a reminder to spend an afternoon with a cool drink in hand and a heap of smoked loveliness in front of you before the sun's all gone. –Paolo Bicchieri
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Los Angeles Times
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- Los Angeles Times
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