Where to Eat in November: Off Alley, Noi Thai Cuisine, Lupo and More

Be sure to book a table at this always-busy downtown spot. The menu is extensive, with plenty of Thai staples and innovative twists. If you like spice, the papaya salad with sticky rice doesn’t hold back on the heat. Cool down with a seasonal Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule, which works surprisingly well with the five primary flavors of Thai cuisine. The yellow curry crab is succulent and not overly spicy. Pro tip: The restaurant is located at Harbor Steps, so park on 1st Avenue unless you want to trek up many stairs.

The sidewalk outside this postage-stamp sized restaurant has been packed since The New York Times named it one of the 50 places in America they’re most excited about right now. Until now, chef Evan Leichtling’s nose-to-tail dishes have been one of Seattle’s best-kept secrets. The rotating menu shines on under-appreciated cuts of animal. Think beautiful arrangements of snail toast with bone marrow butter, lamb tongue with lobster mushrooms, and a blood sausage, onion, and egg Dutch baby.

Text 206-488-6170 for reservations. Find more info here.

Pizza is bound to come to mind when it comes to comfort food. What is more comforting than a piping-hot, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza? If you’ve been to Lupo, you know and love “that crust” customers rave about. With chef Cam Hanin at the helm, formerly of Guerrilla Pizza Kitchen pop-up (RIP), you can expect everything from a basic margherita to a cacio e pepe pie (add prosciutto) to shine. To stay current on specials and takeout options, follow Lupo on Instagram.

After a series of highly successful pop-ups, chef Berk Güldal (formerly the sous chef at the three Michelin-starred Single Thread Farms in Healdsburg, California and Eleven Madison Park in NYC) and partner/general manager Katrina Schult are filling a much-needed void in the Seattle dining scene with their Turkish and Anatolian cuisine. As they ready to open their brick-and-mortar this month in the former Tarsan i Jane space, diners crave Güldal’s traditional recipes, like kokorec (lamb sweetbreads stuffed in lamb intestine) and hand-minced lamb kebabs cooked on an open coal fire — Hamdi’s signature dish — along with freshly baked lavash. Expect cocktails that play with Turkish ingredients — Turkish coffee, for example. Also, look for raki. Otherwise known as Lion’s Milk, it’s the national drink of Turkey, made of twice-distilled grapes and aniseed.

Find more info here.

When you need a hit of Vitamin D, head to this hip Broadway East haunt. The service is as sunny as its beautiful, light-filled atrium dining room. Industry veterans and owners Lisa Tomlinson and Jesse Elliot have created a warm, welcoming space that serves delicious, belly-filling dishes. For a real taste of Philly, try the Italian pork dip, a glorious mess of roasted pork, garlicky braised greens, and provolone. The Adult Coke is another nostalgic winner, made boozy with bourbon, sour cherry gin, and amaretto. Of course, the pistachio pudding shot is also a must.

Call 206-557-4201 for reservations. Find more info here.

Katy Knauff and Marceil Van Camp, along with executive chef Bridgett Lewis (formerly with Poppy, Altura, and Reckless Noodle), have been wowing diners since they opened their doors at Madison Valley darling Kamp Social House. Right now, unboozy cocktails (try the NAmaretto Whiskey Sour), weekly rotating soft serve, and drag brunch are in hot demand. So whether you book tickets for brunch (they sell out fast, so hop on it) or swing by for happy hour (the spicy boudin egg rolls may be Seattle’s best bar snack right now), Kamp likes to remind, “It’s okay to be social.” Follow @kampseattle for updates.

The beloved Alki Beach spot hasn’t skipped a beat since chef Mike Easton sold it to the restaurant’s longtime manager Cameron Williams and executive chef Katie Gallego. Although the menu still shines on stellar pasta dishes, don’t overlook everything else. Start with marinated beets served with horseradish crème, crisp apple, and taggiasca olives or burrata rolled in pangrattato, alongside roasted brassica. A marbled, melt-in-your-mouth cut of Pacific Rogue wagyu from Oregon works well with the earthy flavors of spiced futsu pumpkin, black garlic, and tomato powder. Walk-ins are always welcome at the bar if you can’t snag a reservation.

Saikyo-Yaki foie gras risotto is back on the menu at this beloved neighborhood hang. The delicate rice-based dish is made with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and topped with Hudson Valley foie gras and sauce bordelaise. The Oregon rib eye with wasabi herbal butter and sweet soy red wine sauce beautifully marries French techniques with Japanese ingredients. The crispy Spanish octopus dish served with seafood meatballs and tomato cannellini bean stew cannot be missed. Save room for the peach melba with raspberry coulis as similarly hued streaks paint the sunset views from the Mount Baker ridge.

Sure, Von’s is renowned for having the largest selection of spirits in the city. But their 65-year-old sourdough starter, which goes into breads, pizzas, and pasta, sets this downtown destination apart. The spiced fig, arugula, and prosciutto pizza is the perfect balance of sweet and salty. Craving comfort? Please don’t skip the smoked Gouda and 12-hour braised pork mac ‘n’ cheese. Also, save some room for the salted caramel apple strudel with bourbon crème anglaise, a tasty version of the seasonal winter sweet treat.

It’s no secret that Seattleites love brunch. The same goes for comfort food. Harry’s Fine Foods strikes a mighty fine balance, serving a Croque Mx with Comte, Gouda, fancy ham, a sunny side up egg, and crispy potatoes at brunch. Harry’s Hamburger is also a legit pick, with American cheese and Mel’s secret sauce. Then, relax with a refreshing Wendy Peppercorn with pink pepper gin, green Chartreuse, lemon juice, and pink peppercorn syrup, or pick up a bottle of natural wine from the bottle shop. Or, hole up for happy hour, 4 to 6 p.m. daily.