Thirty years in, Mashiko remains on the leading edge of sushi culture and an absolute joy to dine at. As one of the first sushi restaurants in the country to commit to using only sustainable seafood, Mashiko holds itself to high standards, but it puts no such pressure on the customer, whether nigiri newbie or omakase expert. The parameters of sustainability mean even knowledgeable diners might find unfamiliar fish on the menu, and one of the ways the restaurant makes ordering easier is a slate of tasting menus, two of which fit the bill for this list, the seven-course vegetarian Midori and izakaya-inspired Tomodachi. The former might include items like housemade tofu and pickled beet rolls, and the latter the restaurant’s notable miso soup, made each day with a specific fish.

$70/$100 for seven courses

Ethan Stowell first opened a restaurant in this former industrial building in 2010, naming it both for a previous building tenant and for its dual menu of basic Italian-Northwest staples paired the four-course, chef’s-choice “fancy” option. Since then, Stowell has expanded his empire, but Staple & Fancy has held steady, virtually unchanged, the charming vintage feel of the bare brick and wooden floors still warmed up by the live fire in the open kitchen. The same types of dishes that once felt exciting and cutting-edge now feel comforting and classic—heirloom tomato soup, ribbons of Fresno chiles strewn over tuna crudo, and roasted chicken with corn and chanterelles. On Mondays, the meal becomes an even better deal, at just $60.

$85 for four courses, wine pairings $50

Pursuit of perfection takes the back seat to creativity and freedom at Hummingbird, in a genre of sushi best described as Texas-style—everything’s bigger, especially the flavors. The seven-course Modern Omakase walks diners through the innovative menu, with chef Ji Hun Hong’s maximalism showing off in texture-focused dishes, like the uni shooter—a river of bright, thin sake floating a trio of eggs (quail yolk, Hokkaido uni, and yuzu tobiko)—or the brilliantly flavored toro zuke (cured tuna) with fresh chopped wasabi.

$95 for seven courses, sake pairings $35

Carrello’s “Feast for the Table” family-style parade of dishes shares an appreciation for Italian tradition and Northwest ingredients with its sibling special occasion restaurant across the street, Altura. But Altura is the haute couture dress you only have reason to wear once every three years, and Carrello is the little black dress you can put on for any event. Ideally in an elastic fabric, as the five-course meal feels like twice that with the extras and large portions. Servers inquire about diners’ preferences along with any restrictions, customizing each meal, starting with a platter of elegant small bites and, hopefully, ending with the cannoli, because we all deserve more bites like that.

$95 for five courses, wine pairings $50

Chef Johnny Sullivan does justice to the Nonnakase concept—omakase meets Italian grandmother—pioneered by his predecessor, while also adding a little more accessibility with a pared-down Piccolo Nonnakase. Ambitious and exciting, the meal kicks off with a small plate, such as halved langoustines dressed in garlic chile oil, then segues right into heavier dishes like pork belly over cranberry beans with salsa verde and salsa tonnato. The restaurant’s silky pasta strands and pillowy gnocchi follow quickly after. Courses are elegant, portions are reasonable, and service is snappy and attentive. The only downside to the meal is an odd and almost complete absence of any vegetables.

$90 for six courses, wine pairings $30

Affordable tasting menus often lack the excitement and creativity of their more intense, complex, and expensive brethren, but the tapas format at Maripili makes it easy for the kitchen to have a little fun. A dozenish dishes come split into courses, three rounds of tapas, one slightly larger dish, and desserts. The uni flan, with mushrooms in brown butter and a fino sherry caramel, come in a tiny sea urchin–shaped bowl, setting the tone for the entire meal: impressive, adorable, and intensely good. Chef Grayson Pilar’s pastry background shines in the dessert, where the tiny toast exemplifies great use of trompe l’oeil, hiding wheat germ dacquoise with bread mousse and dark chocolate ganache.

$65 for five courses, wine pairings $35

The murals in basement of the Loveless Building depicting a Pushkin story, painted for an earlier tenant, feel incongruous with dishes like the Korean ssam-inspired slice of pork loin, sauced in smoked scallop, and served on a perfect circle of purple cabbage. But the art is captivating and lovely in way that begs for contemplation, much like the quirky and creative dishes. They also feel surprisingly natural in a restaurant where all the customers look like they have read a lot of Russian literature. Cook Weaver describes its food as “inauthentic Eurasian,” which offers little insight to the eccentric jumble of flavors on the four-course bar tasting menu (which is really more like six courses, thanks to the extras thrown in—like an intermezzo of honeydew and corn soup with shiso).

$75 for four courses

The chef’s choice tasting menu is a staple of Brian Clevenger’s General Harvest Restaurants, and like its siblings (Raccolto, Vendemmia, Autumn), Haerfest’s gives diners an easy way to avoid decisions, even if it doesn’t make a huge departure from the à la carte menu of slightly Italian, mostly New American, very Northwest cuisine. It’s also an ideal place for someone who might be nervous about giving up control—little here will push most people out of their comfort zone. Whipped feta with wild mushrooms, agnolotti with braised pork, and a grilled half chicken keep things hearty and comforting, while smaller extras add a little fun, like brown butter grilled oysters, grilled endive, and an elderflower non-alcoholic mini-cocktail with dessert.

$86 for four courses, wine pairings $35