Could this be the reason ferry lines are so insane lately? A host of cool new, or newly revamped, restaurants have cropped up at the other end of some of the state’s major (and very minor) ferry routes. Most of these places are small, their food runs the gamut from singular fine dining to the comforts of pasta—or just a tower of pristine shellfish that’s best with a beer. Each one serves food that reflects these scenic environs, but when dinner plans involve boarding a marine vessel, the magic begins long before the meal.

In This Feature:

Dinner at the End of the Land

Seattle’s roiling restaurant climate is driving ambitious chefs farther afield. Maybe that’s why some of the best meals in the state now happen way out of town at places like Ælder, Ursa Minor, and Finistère.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Willows Inn: The One That Started It All

Blaine Wetzel transformed a sleepy bed and breakfast into an international fine dining destination.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Brunch Means Bibimbap at Friday Harbor House

Come for the seasonal fare and Korean fusion, stay for the revamped patio.

08/14/2018 By Allison Williams

Finistère Celebrates Each Season with Pasta

From mussels to oyster mushrooms, Canlis alum Deborah Taylor puts the Olympic Peninsula on full display.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Locavore Goes Hardcore at Ursa Minor

Nick Coffey hews to strict limitations in the kitchen, but his dishes look like art—and taste just as inspired.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

A Food Scene Rises in Manette

Craft beer, flaky croissants, and seasonal fare—these three restaurants are worth the hour-long journey.

08/14/2018 By Rosin Saez

The Accessible Magic of Hitchcock and Bruciato

Whether it's sublime charcuterie or Neapolitan pizza, chef Brendan McGill puts comfort first.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Diametric Dinners at Hogstone and Ælder

From alfresco pizza to lengthy tasting menus, Jay Blackinton finds balance in two unlikely companion restaurants.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Bramble House Makes Comfort Exciting

Lia Lira's seasonal fare is at once homey and surprising—and only a 20-minute ferry ride away.

08/14/2018 By Allecia Vermillion

Saltwater Is All About Seafood

Towers of shrimp, crab, and oysters await at Prima Bistro's new sibling restaurant.

08/14/2018 By James Ross Gardner