Senior Writer

Seattle native Kathryn Robinson, award-winning restaurant critic and senior writer at Seattle Met, has been anonymously reviewing restaurants for over 30 years—first as editor of the Best Places guidebook series, then as staff critic at Seattle Weekly and contributing critic at The Seattle Times and Seattle magazine. 

Midcareer she spent a year-long sabbatical studying comparative religion as a Knight Fellow at Stanford University where she had been an undergrad 10 years earlier, gaining a knowledge base she now calls upon for her monthly “Back Fence” column on our collective urban existence and the meaning it holds for our personal lives. In her off hours she is a partner and a parent—which means she has no off hours.

Critic's Notebook

Seattle Restaurants with Lofts

Because there’s just something about dining upstairs.

04/27/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Review

Lark. Slab. Bitter. Raw.

John Sundstrom’s new location fits three eateries in one stunning space.

04/24/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Best Restaurants

35 Essential Seattle Dining Experiences

In no particular order: Seattle Met’s list of dining experiences so exquisite, so iconic, so quintessential to living here—you can’t call yourself a Seattleite and miss ’em.

04/24/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

By Far the Best Thing to Have with a Sandwich Is…

…running like a river through Mammoth on Eastlake.

04/23/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

What’s Your Food Fear?

C’mon, fess up. Everybody has one.

04/20/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

Where to Dine on Dining Out for Life Day…

…to best benefit Lifelong’s HIV/AIDS relief programs

04/16/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

Stateside’s Eric Johnson Talks About Fusion

What is it, anyway?

04/13/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Feature

Seattle's Best Brunches

It might be the only good decision you’ll make all weekend. Here’s where to eat.

04/09/2015 By Kathryn Robinson and Allecia Vermillion

Critic's Notebook

Critic’s Picks for Seattle Restaurant Week

There’s a lot of good eating on this list.

04/09/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

Seattle Restaurants with Outdoor Fire Pits

The great one at Manolin might be the newest, but check out these others.

04/06/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

Will Eliminating Tips Eliminate Good Service?

What we can expect from Ivar’s bold move.

04/01/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Back Fence

50 Years, 50 Fears

One woman’s quest to face her demons in one big scary year.

04/01/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Review

Manolin Lights Up in Fremont

The enchanting haunt channels lower latitudes, serving small portions of fish and copious amounts of spirits around outdoor fire pits.

04/01/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Review

Meat, Bread, and Beer at Mammoth

Here’s to untidy pleasures.

04/01/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Review

Stateside: Don’t Call It Fusion

At Stateside, Michelin-starred chef Eric Johnson offers an edible primer on Vietnam’s culinary convergences.

04/01/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

What Makes a Menu Great?

And which restaurant in Seattle hits it out of the park

03/30/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

Dine Around Seattle 2015: You’ve Got Four More Days, Folks

Where I would spend them if I were a civilian

03/26/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

What’s Seattle’s Hottest Sandwich Zone?

Another 'hood is giving Pioneer Square a run for its money.

03/23/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

You Know Those CSA Boxes with 80 Pounds of Rutabagas? Yeah, London Plane’s Isn’t That.

And you have 12 more days to get the best deal on it.

03/19/2015 By Kathryn Robinson

Critic's Notebook

5 Seattle Restaurants You Should You Never Drive To

Walk, bus, Uber, bike…just trust us, leave the car at home.

03/16/2015 By Kathryn Robinson