Restaurant Roundup: Classy Tailgating and a Champagne Cave
Here’s what was served up recently in the Emerald City.
By Ben McBee January 23, 2026
Look, we know the weather lately is a huge bummer for anyone looking to shred the slopes, but it has also been an all-time sunny run for early-in-the-year outdoor dining. We know we don’t need to tell you to enjoy it while you can, but seriously, bundle up and go grab a bite or beer at one of these patios.
Who made the cut?
That’s been a tense question in Seattle lately, with regards to the James Beard Awards (and the city’s absence on the winner’s podium over the past six years). For now, we breathe a sigh of relief, as 15 local restaurants and chefs have been named semifinalists, including The Wayland Mill, Janet Becerra of Pancita, and Le Caviste for its wine and beverages program. Cross your fingers when the next round is announced at the end of March.
Tailgating, but make it classy
For 12s on the way to a big Seahawks playoff game who want to enjoy some elevated food and drink, Marin at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco Seattle is serving up something special. Before you watch the Seahawks take on the Rams, you can enjoy First Quarter Favorites like chicken wings in Hermanaki sauce, lamb sliders loaded with goat cheese and pickled shallots, and feta and lemon aioli fries. Brunch cocktails like the Hawk Tail Fizz and Truffled Bloody Marin will help build the buzz leading up to kickoff.
You don’t need a special occasion for Champagne
If the dry in “Dry January” brings to mind the sugar content in the bubbly that you’re sipping rather than a month of sobriety, perhaps a visit to fatcork should be on the cards. The Champagne club partners with small, independent growers in the renowned, namesake region of France to bring you some of the world’s best bottles. Tasting events are also held at the company’s subterranean Champagne Cave in Uptown. Here’s an easy tip to remember from owner Bryan Maletis—the longer you wait with sparkling wine, the worse it will be, so seize the day and celebrate.
Two dimes will do ya
Dick’s Drive-In has been a staple in Seattle since 1954, and as you can imagine, prices have gone up a bit since then. But to celebrate its 72nd anniversary (because, why not), the chain will be offering customers a burger at the original price—19 cents. The special runs Jan. 26-29, on different days at various locations, and some will even have merch booths set up where you can buy beanies, shirts, and other items.
Crispy chicken is coming
Staying in the fast food lane, it appears that Sunnyvale, California-based chicken restaurant Starbird has its sights set on West Seattle’s Whittaker building to be its first Pacific Northwest location. It’s set to open by the end of this year, leading the charge for an additional 17 stores to open across Washington. The menu is made with all-natural, never-frozen chicken raised without antibiotics, ranging in flavors from classic to Nashville hot, sweet Thai glazed, and Japanese BBQ.
V-Day in the Emerald City
Do other people’s Valentine’s Day plans tend to leave you green with envy? Change that this year. In SoDo, Westland Distillery is opening up tour bookings for the holiday weekend alongside two rare releases: The Cask Exchange and The Exclusive Hand Fill. Love is also in the air at Dockside at Duke’s in South Lake Union, which will host a food and wine pairing event featuring Dossier Wine Collective and Passing Time Winery on Friday, Feb. 13.
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