Best Seafood in Seattle: Oysters, Salmon and Chowder

The best seafood in Seattle comes from a city that faces the water on two sides. Puget Sound, the Pacific coast and the rivers behind them supply oysters, Dungeness crab, salmon, halibut and clams, and a waterfront oyster house on the pier is the classic first stop. Order what the kitchen says is in season.

Where do you find the best seafood in Seattle?

Start with the kinds of place Seattle does best. Waterfront oyster houses pour a broad list of Northwest oysters, Ballard's oyster bars are a local habit, and long-running fish-and-chip counters sit on the waterfront and by Lake Union. Chowder counters, and the restaurants around Fishermen's Terminal, round out the list. Pick a window with a view and order what is in season.

Which spots serve the best Seattle oysters?

Seattle oysters are the reason the oyster bar became a local habit. The Sound is home to a long list of shellfish growers, and menus often name the bay or the farm. Briny and sweet, buttery and mineral, small and deep cupped: each farm offers a slightly different bite. Ask your server to pour you a flight of three so you can taste the difference side by side.

Eat them with a little lemon or the mignonette on the side, and leave the horseradish for the end. Raw oysters are best in a cool, busy room where the turnover is high. Cooked versions, such as broiled oysters, are a gentle introduction for anyone who is nervous about eating them raw.

How should you order Seattle salmon?

Seattle salmon is a menu staple, and the best preparations are simple. Look for wild fish in season, cooked on a cedar plank, grilled over a flame or roasted with a light glaze. Sockeye, coho, king and chum each have a different texture and fat content. King is rich, sockeye is deep red and firm, and coho is milder.

Ask what is running. A server who knows the fish will tell you what came in that morning, and a short menu with one or two salmon dishes is a better sign than a long one. Smoked salmon is another local pleasure, sold at Pike Place and on menus as a chowder topping or a toast.

What makes Seattle waterfront seafood worth a visit?

Seattle waterfront seafood is as much about the view as the plate. Piers extend into Elliott Bay, and dining rooms with large windows look over the ferries, gulls and the Olympic Mountains on a clear day. Prices on the waterfront tend to reflect the location, but the settings can make a first visit special.

Go at the edges of the day. Late lunch has the best light, and an early dinner avoids the evening crowds. If the weather is bad, a window table still gives you the drama of rain across the water.

Where is the best Seattle fish and chips?

Seattle fish and chips is a casual, hands-on meal, and the waterfront walk-up windows are the classic setting. A good plate has cod or halibut in a light, crisp batter, hot fries and a sharp tartar sauce. Eating by the water with a few gulls watching is part of the tradition.

Ask for the fish to come out fresh from the fryer and eat it quickly. Batter loses its crunch in minutes. A squeeze of lemon and a splash of malt vinegar finish the plate.

What about chowder at Pike Place Market?

A chowder counter inside Pike Place Market is one of the most famous seafood stops in the city. Chowder is a Northwest comfort: creamy, full of clams or salmon, often with potatoes and smoked flavor. A small cup and a piece of bread is a good lunch on a cold day, and the market around you offers more to taste.

Pike Place Market is also the place to watch fishmongers at work, to see Dungeness crab and wild salmon on ice and to ask questions about the catch. Visit on a weekday if you can, since weekends are busy.

How do you eat seafood responsibly in Seattle?

Ask where the fish came from and how it was caught. Many Seattle restaurants publish their sourcing, and several follow seafood guidelines that favor sustainable fisheries. Seasonal choices, such as wild salmon in summer and Dungeness crab in the cooler months, tend to taste better and support local fishers.

If you are cooking at home, a fishmonger at the market can fillet and pack your purchase. Keep it cold and eat it within a day or two.

What else should you eat in Seattle?

After seafood, try the best ramen in Seattle for a rainy day, or read about the Washington State food worth a drive beyond the city. In winter, the Seattle holiday markets guide covers the seasonal stalls. The US guides page lists more cities.

How do you remember which Seattle oyster was the best?

A good seafood meal is hard to remember in detail, and six oysters from six bays blur fast. In the Mosey app you rate each oyster, salmon dish and cup of chowder by the dish, with a note on the farm or the cut, so the briny one you loved is easy to find again.

Add the Fresh Seafood tag, start a Seattle seafood list and share the invite link with the friends who are visiting next month. Follow your friends and see what they rate. Rate tonight's dish in the Mosey app before the next plate arrives.