Overview:

A recent survey by TouchBistro, encompassing over 1,500 diners, reveals that 67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. frequent new restaurants at least once a month. Younger generations predominantly depend on social media and online reviews when selecting new dining spots. Yelp's compilation of top-rated restaurants in Seattle highlights both new and long-standing establishments.

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Written by Stacker

Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we’ve seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven’t been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.

But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generationsโ€”67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.

New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.

To help you determine which spotsโ€”both new and long-standingโ€”to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Seattle, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.

Overcast Coffee Company

#30. Overcast Coffee Company

– Rating: 4.8/5 (68 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 312 15th Ave. East Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
Read more on Yelp

Konvene Coffee

#29. Konvene Coffee

– Rating: 4.8/5 (178 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 500 Mercer St. Floor 2 Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Sandwiches
Read more on Yelp

El Taco Loco

#28. El Taco Loco

– Rating: 4.8/5 (91 reviews)
– Address: 2840 Northwest Market St. Ballard Liquor Store Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Mexican
Read more on Yelp

Minato

#27. Minato

– Rating: 4.8/5 (76 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 1616 North 45th St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Japanese, Poke
Read more on Yelp

Kanom Sai Cafe

#26. Kanom Sai Cafe

– Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
– Address: 1101 23rd Ave. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Asian Fusion, Cafes, Thai
Read more on Yelp

Gyro Sababa

#25. Gyro Sababa

– Rating: 4.8/5 (169 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 2100 North Northgate Way Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Mediterranean, Desserts, Salad
Read more on Yelp

Bangkok99 Food Truck

#24. Bangkok99 Food Truck

– Rating: 4.8/5 (67 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 13001 Lake City Way Northeast Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Thai, Coffee & Tea, Noodles
Read more on Yelp

Ka Pow Thai On Wheels

#23. Ka Pow Thai On Wheels

– Rating: 4.8/5 (62 reviews)
– Address: 5604 Delridge Way Southwest Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Caterers, fast food, Thai
Read more on Yelp

Shawarma Buzz

#22. Shawarma Buzz

– Rating: 4.8/5 (62 reviews)
– Address: 2236 32nd Ave. West Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Mediterranean, Greek, Sandwiches
Read more on Yelp

Barrel & Bacon

#21. Barrel & Bacon

– Rating: 4.8/5 (38 reviews)
– Address: 945 Elliott Ave. West Ste 201 Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Cocktail Bars, Chicken Wings, Burgers
Read more on Yelp

Highland Park Corner Store

#20. Highland Park Corner Store

– Rating: 4.8/5 (26 reviews)
– Address: 7789 Highland Park Way Southwest Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Sandwiches
Read more on Yelp

Copper Tree Coffee House

#19. Copper Tree Coffee House

– Rating: 4.8/5 (33 reviews)
– Address: 2406 10th Ave. East Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Breakfast & Brunch
Read more on Yelp

Seatango Foods

#18. Seatango Foods

– Rating: 4.9/5 (74 reviews)
– Address: 12728 Lake City Way Northeast Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Empanadas, Bakeries, Argentine
Read more on Yelp

Creamy Cone Cafe

#17. Creamy Cone Cafe

– Rating: 4.9/5 (53 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 9433 Rainier Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Coffee & Tea, Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Cafes
Read more on Yelp

SAI Sushi & Sake

#16. SAI Sushi & Sake

– Rating: 4.9/5 (76 reviews)
– Price level: $$$$
– Address: 25 West Mercer St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
Read more on Yelp

Jollof Hub West African Cuisines

#15. Jollof Hub West African Cuisines

– Rating: 4.9/5 (23 reviews)
– Address: 14314 Greenwood Ave. North Seattle, Washington
– Categories: African
Read more on Yelp

The Counter At Old Ballard Catering

#14. The Counter At Old Ballard Catering

– Rating: 4.9/5 (71 reviews)
– Address: 1505 Northeast 65th St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: New American, Greek, Tacos
Read more on Yelp

Fusion Bistro Indian Cuisine

#13. Fusion Bistro Indian Cuisine

– Rating: 4.9/5 (27 reviews)
– Address: 601 2nd Ave. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Indian
Read more on Yelp

Nirvana

#12. Nirvana

– Rating: 4.9/5 (28 reviews)
– Address: 5401 17th Ave. Northwest Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Pizza, Mediterranean, Food Trucks
Read more on Yelp

Sap Sap Lao Deli & Cafe

#11. Sap Sap Lao Deli & Cafe

– Rating: 4.9/5 (75 reviews)
– Address: 9641 15th Ave. Southwest Ste B Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Laotian
Read more on Yelp

Yusra & Sabah Restaurant

#10. Yusra & Sabah Restaurant

– Rating: 4.9/5 (29 reviews)
– Address: 7729 Rainier Ave. South Ste A Seattle, Washington
– Categories: African, Halal, Somali
Read more on Yelp

Taneda Sushi in Kaiseki

#9. Taneda Sushi in Kaiseki

– Rating: 4.9/5 (265 reviews)
– Price level: $$$$
– Address: 219 Broadway East Ste 14 Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
Read more on Yelp

Kuma Kitchen

#8. Kuma Kitchen

– Rating: 4.9/5 (32 reviews)
– Address: 6003 12th Ave. South Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Pan Asian, Cocktail Bars
Read more on Yelp

Aroy Mak Thai Food

#7. Aroy Mak Thai Food

– Rating: 4.9/5 (194 reviews)
– Price level: $$
– Address: 14419 Greenwood Ave. North Ste C Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Thai
Read more on Yelp

Yaygit

#6. Yaygit

– Rating: 4.9/5 (30 reviews)
– Address: 5309 22nd Ave. Northwest Ste D Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Vegan
Read more on Yelp

Central Cafe And Juice Bar

#5. Central Cafe And Juice Bar

– Rating: 4.9/5 (88 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2509 East Cherry St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Cafes, Sandwiches
Read more on Yelp

Three Sacks Full

#4. Three Sacks Full

– Rating: 5.0/5 (22 reviews)
– Address: 918 Northeast 64th St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Desserts, Beer, Wine & Spirits, Seafood
Read more on Yelp

El Taco Loco

#3. El Taco Loco

– Rating: 5.0/5 (23 reviews)
– Price level: $
– Address: 2840 Northwest Market St. Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
Read more on Yelp

Coby's Cafe

#2. Coby’s Cafe

– Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
– Address: 101 Nickerson St. Bldg B Ste 200 Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Themed Cafes, Coffee & Tea
Read more on Yelp

Dada's Plant Based Burgers & Breakfast

#1. Dada’s Plant Based Burgers & Breakfast

– Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
– Address: 4611 36th Ave. Southwest Seattle, Washington
– Categories: Vegan, Burgers, Breakfast & Brunch
Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.

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