Seattle Center is aptly named. When you find yourself visiting this cultural hub, there are plenty of dining options worthy of exploration. Here’s my top ten picks for great local eats.

1. SkyCity Restaurant
Located at the top of the iconic Space Needle, SkyCity Restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a special occasion in Seattle Center. Although it is open daily for lunch and dinner, a sunset or evening meal is most magical.

2. Prelude at McCaw Hill
Open in conjunction with the Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet at McCaw Hall, Prelude is the perfect way to enjoy a bite before or after you hit the cultural scene. The
fresh northwest cuisine changes seasonally.

3. Pop Kitchen Bar
Pop Kitchen Bar, located inside the EMP Museum, features a hip, casual vibe, amazing culinary creations, and a very fun daily happy hour at their full bar.

4. Collections Cafe
Located inside the gorgeous Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit, the Collections Cafe serves up artisan food in one of the most inspiring art exhibits in the US. Admission to the museum is not required for reservations.

5. Bean Sprouts Cafe and Cooking School
Finally a restaurant that caters specifically to young kids, but also offers great food for adults. Bean Sprouts Cafe serves up a visually fun kids menu, plenty of great choices for adults, and a wide variety of options for those suffering with food allergies of all types.

6. MOD Pizza
Freshly made-on-demand thin crust pizzas are the specialty at MOD Pizza. With a hand-made dough, and signature red sauce, made daily on site, you can select from more than 28 toppings. The unique high temperature oven coupled with the thin crust gets every pizza out of the oven in just about 2 minutes. Oh, and they are really tasty.

7. Skillet : Counter
Based on one of the first street food vendors in Seattle, Skillet : Counter serves up the famous food truck taste in a permanent setting. Comfort food at its best, you must try the skillet burger with bacon jam.

8. Plum
If you are seeking out vegan fare, be sure to head to Plum. They feature a 100% vegan and organic food offerings (with over 90% locally sourced). With a baseline of traditional American food, Plum springboards into unique flavors and tastes that you won’t find elsewhere.

9. Bigfood BBQ
With local, sustainable, and environmentally responsible resources at the forefront of their minds, Bigfood BBQ offers a unique fusion of Caribbean and East Indian flavors. The Thai coconut
red curry and unique shellfish offerings are local favorites.

10. Quincy’s
A Seattle Center staple since 1981, Quincy’s serves up  burgers, seafood, and salads in a casual, fun environment. A large assortment of local microbrews and Washington wines are available.

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Photo credit: DoNotLick