Carnivore, By Tae, and Skal Beer Hall, now on the Resy Hit List

Because if you’re eating Paleo, you can eat here with no effort. At Carnivore, no grains, legumes, processed sugar, white potatoes, dairy, fructose or vegetable oils are on the menu. After closing for a facelift, the restaurant reopened in September with new menu items like housemade gluten-free pasta and foccacia bread. 

Because the handroll tasting menus will make you feel like a VIP. With just 8 counter seats and three lunchtime seatings on weekdays, claiming a spot is no easy feat, but the effort is well worth it, thanks to the casual vibe and chef Sun Hong’s hospitality. For $25, expect three good-sized handrolls served omakase style, featuring what’s fresh that day. Sometimes Hong will add a little extra, making you feel like you’re eating in a friend’s kitchen.

Walk-ins only.

Because a viking-influenced beer hall. Need we say more? Beyond local and Scandinavian craft beer, this beer hall also features regional wines, mead, ciders, and aquavit cocktails. To soak up all that you imbibe in, check out the full kitchen, which is inspired by a viking butcher shop. On the substantial menu are staples like pretzels and pickled eggs, and lesser-seen options like a mustard sampler and juustoleipa (Finnish goat cheese).

Because charcoal-roasted meats and seafood. Owned by the same owners of Blueacre Seafood and Steelhead Diner, Orfeo touts a custom, charcoal-burning Wood Stone Josper oven. On the menu is everything from octopus and oysters to pizza and burgers.

Because local, seasonal and organic dishes can still be done in an interesting way. The younger sibling to Deru, another well-loved Kirkland restaurant, Little Brother serves up simple yet refined dishes that focus on local produce and seafood. Try the “Chef Boards,” creative platters that come in vegetarian or omnivorous versions. The latter, which features items like local cheeses, seasonal vegetables and salumi, is a stunner when set against the sleek white backdrop of the restaurant.

Because Morimoto is trying his hand at ramen. Opened this summer with lines down the block, Morimoto’s first Seattle restaurant serves up ramen, alongside dishes that take inspiration from Chinese and Korean cuisine, like soft shell crab bao and deep fried pig ears.

Walk-ins only.

Because pasta happy hour. Festive and inviting, Rione XIII is an Ethan Stowell restaurant that highlights simple Italian cooking with housemade mozzarella and pasta. Less is more here, with standouts like the tonnarelli cacio e pepe and the housemade mozz served with grilled bread. Head there for happy hour when pizza and pasta dishes are $12.

For reservations, contact the restaurant at (206) 838-2878.

Because Szechuan food alongside cocktails is hard to come by. Dark and sleek yet airy at the same time, Plenty of Clouds is perfect for a date night or a casual solo meal (large corner windows are perfect for people watching out on the street). Order the Not Your Ma-po’s Tofu and the Sichuan pork dumplings served with chili oil. Be sure to check out the inspired cocktail menu, too, where all drinks are $11.

Because firepits and craft beer are just what the holiday season calls for. This brewery features more than a dozen beers on tap, with a menu full of comfort food. Located right off the Beacon Hill Light Rail station, locals come here to meet friends and family here for cozy vibes and a variety of brews. Expect food options ranging from fried brussels sprouts to a blue cheese truffle burger.

Walk-ins only.

Because warm Italian food served at a longstanding quaint neighborhood staple is just how you want to spend an evening out. The menu highlights quality produce in classics like Grandma’s Greens, which is pan-braised kale, anchovy and garlic broth, and squid ink spaghetti vongole, featuring clams, saffron and spicy tomatoes.

For reservations, contact the restaurant at (206) 723-2192.