The August Hit List: Communion, Samara, Crabtree, Pho Bac, and More

After a month-long hiatus, highly coveted tables are available once again at the popular “Seattle soul” restaurant from chef Kristi Brown and son Damon Bomar. Don’t miss the mac ‘n’ cheese, cornmeal-crusted catfish po’mi — a perfect mashup of a banh mi and po’boy — and wings drenched in housemade watermelon hot sauce. The Big Lit, a mango lychee rum punch, goes with all of it. If there’s room, you need the peach cobbler.

The unforgettable views of Elliott Bay from the 16th floor of The Charter Hotel never get old. Cocktails, like the gin-and-grapefruit Star Dust, and the citrusy and floral Squeeze Me, evoke summer vibes. Seasonal snacks are simple but not an afterthought, like asparagus fries with green tomato ketchup, heirloom tomatoes with whipped feta and mint, and a mighty fine Dungeness crab roll.

After the past year, everyone is itching to make up for lost vacation days. A jaunt to Inside Passage, the new speakeasy-esque sibling bar to Rumba, can be that perfect tropical fix. First, there’s the giant tentacled sea creature hanging from the ceiling. But it’s also the thatched booths, Spam sliders and coconut shrimp, and cocktails served in elaborate mugs that make it feel like a total escape. Case in point: the I See A Light, made with Japanese rum, yuzu, mango, and kelp, is served in a ceramic angler fish, complete with a little light above the fish’s head. Seats are tough to snag since they don’t take reservations. Hole up at Rumba with a daiquiri while you wait for doors to open at 5 p.m.

Outstanding views from the fifth-floor deck and outstanding cocktails are the best reasons to head to this hotel bar. It’s kind of always cocktail hour at Frolik — although happy hour (Tuesday through Thursday, 4-6 p.m.) is a good time to go — which means sipping fun creations like a bramble-berry gin and tonic. But it’s summer and you’re outside so go with something frozen like a prosecco pop. For sustenance, cioppino, steak frites, or a classic burger are hard to beat.

Neighborhood locals live for the wood-fired vegetables, meats, and seafood coming from the brick oven at this much-loved Sunset Hill eatery. That kiss of fire elevates everything from sunchokes with roasted grapefruit, to buttered Dungeness crab with charred rice cakes. Even the olives for tapenade come from the oven to the table. The wine list is succinct and straightforward. A glass of Roots Wine Co. sparkling sauvignon blanc from Amity Hills, Oregon, pairs well with pretty much everything.

Pizza fueled the pandemic, and thankfully the Ballard mainstay could accommodate takeout orders while the dining room remained closed. But it’s back with in-person dining, walk-ins only, with limited takeout if the kitchen can handle it (Friday and Saturday nights are probably a bad idea). The roasted cauliflower, green beans, and those charred billowy crusts topped with things like bacon and onion are always fantastic, but they taste so much better right out of the wood-burning oven.

While summer weather lasts, grab a few friends and slip away to the sweet garden oasis tucked behind the beloved Spanish restaurant for the vast inventory of tapas. Share plates of heirloom cherry tomato salad with piquillo-mint vinaigrette, perfectly seared foie gras with apple purée and grape must, and pan-roasted sea bass. Exploring the vast wine list, with selections spanning the Basque country to Galicia, can feel like its own getaway.

This local Vietnamese darling is now luring diners with noodles and more in new downtown digs. In addition to soul-affirming pho, there are various banh mi served on crusty bread that’s baked in-house stuffed with things like banana leaf-roasted pork to marinated tofu with mushroom pâté. Pro tip: order a side of pho broth for banh mi dipping, sort of like a Vietnamese French dip. Also, be sure to sneak away to the speakeasy bar upstairs.

There’s so much to love about this revived Belltown spot, but especially its happy hour. Look for things like crispy pork belly, Southern chicken sliders, and mussels in white wine broth for around five bucks. Cocktails are always solid, like the well-crafted Old Mischievous that hits all the boozy high notes with rye, maple syrup, and orange bitters.

This open and airy space is part of The Centennial, a collective of businesses that sort of flow into each other, including a coworking company, a spirits shop, and a chocolatier. Think of Crabtree as the living room-slash-kitchen where the entire Pouslbo community can meet (including families: there’s a good kids’ menu) for things like burgers topped with poblanos and pepper havarti cheese, stout beef mac ‘n’ cheese, and panko-crusted cod bites and chips. Yes, there are plenty of cocktails and even some zero-proof concoctions.