Chef Ajay Panicker makes destination-worthy South Indian food, from ample dosas to a whole fish with spices wrapped in a banana leaf to even the rice noodles known as idiyappam, or strong hoppers. Pay special attention to menu items highlighted with stars, and the entire “Dosas and Kerala Specials” section. The best meals finish with an order of housemade jackfruit ice cream.

A Kirkland staple, this pastoral white cafe excels at brunch, pizza, layer cakes, and the general ability to comfort you with seasonal food. The menu looks fairly straightforward, but smoked turkey sandwiches, pistachio meatloaf, pancakes—even just an order of fries—display a ton of care. The unassuming location has limited seating, but honed its curbside takeout skills during the depths of the pandemic. Seriously, order a slice of cake.

On sunny days, diners lounge on couches mere feet from the edge of Lake Washington. The interior is nearly as spectacular. When restaurateur Trevor Greenwood (Como, Cantinetta) gave longtime chef Gabriel Chavez his own restaurant, he went big. Chavez, for the most part, holds up his end of things in the kitchen. Guacamole comes with nutty totopos in place of chips and the chile en nogada, made with help from Chavez’s mom, is just as exciting as the view.

All but hidden in a nondescript strip mall is a Persian bakery that balances sangak flatbread and baklava with a takeaway menu of flatbread sandwiches and pizza, finished off in one of the two house ovens. Toppings skew Persian and Mediterranean, including a pie topped with the Iran’s herb-packed ghormeh sabzi stew.

Kirkland has changed dramatically in the years since Holly Smith took over the fine dining landmark in 2000. While the Northwest-Italian ethos doesn’t waver, Cafe Juanita has evolved, too. A renovation made the dining room more comfortable; the current tasting menu setup offers versions for omnivores, vegans, vegetarians, and pescatarians. Special occasions are in capable hands here.

Theo Martin of Island Soul in Columbia City brought those bright Caribbean flavors to his new spot across from Peter Kirk Park. Arleana’s, a tribute to Martin’s mom, has a dramatic bar and a slightly fancier lineup of lamb lollipops, bouillabaisse, and mussels in curry. Not to mention a memorable pork chop crusted with dungeness crab.

Carillon Point is a long way from Lake Como, but this restaurant from the Cantinetta founder offers a surprisingly decent substitute: whitewashed walls, waves of Italian wine, and a glittering stretch of Lake Washington view. Antipasti (like flawless crispy artichokes), handmade pasta, and a few shareable pizzas find art in the classics.

Bad news for the Wing Dome location two doors down: This Korean fried chicken shop (from Yeon Lee, who runs the Third Place in Redmond) puts out crisp and crushable chicken wings. They’re great unadorned or in a sticky gochujang sauce that packs stealth heat. No need to choose; Yeon lets you place a half-and-half order.

The outdoor shopping center is essentially its own dining district. Tom Douglas’s Serious Pie pizzeria has an outlet here. So does the fast-casual pasta spot Dué Cucina and Kati Vegan Thai. Los Angeles–based Silverlake Ramen serves bowls of tonkotsu and shoyu broth. Ambitious sushi hides at Umigawa, a spot from the owner of Kisaku in Wallingford. Hanoon, the Eastside sibling to Seattle's Mamnoon, serves beautiful Levantine fare.