Seattle Restaurant Week
It’s hard to beat a three-course meal for $33. It’s even harder to top when you have damn near every joint in the city offering the deal. Over 165 restaurants come together to show off their edible styles via fixed menu options that spotlight what they do best. (Many locales also offer two-course $18 lunches.) If you’ve been meaning to try that restaurant, now’s the time. Oct. 21–Nov 8, $33, srw.seattletimes.com
Tricks and Eats
Chef and restaurateur Ethan Stowell gets in the spooky spirit of the season at Woodland Park Zoo’s Trick and Eats. The food should be scary good, and diners also get to interact with some of the zoo’s more fear-enduing critters (snakes, cockroaches, etc.). Sun., Oct. 28, Woodland Park Zoo, $150, zoo.org
Eat Island Grown
Hop on a ferry and check out the best flavors the San Juan Islands have to offer (starting at $3 a bite). Eat Island Grown brings together the islands’ best farmers and chefs to offer everything from tasty fruit preserves to grilled cheese sandwiches packed with locally picked mushrooms. Sun., Oct. 28, Brickworks on Friday Harbor, Free, visitsanjuans.com
Snohomish BrewFest
It wouldn’t be fall without some choice local brews. Snohomish BrewFest brings upwards of 30 craft breweries from around the Pacific Northwest together to pour more than 75 liquid creations over two days of friendly drinking. Fri. & Sat., Nov. 2 & 3, Thomas Family Farm in Snohomish, $30–$35, snohobrewfest.com
Gobble Up brings local food crafters together to show off their wares. Photo by Lydia Brewer
America’s Test Kitchen: Seattle Eats
PBS’s long-running cooking program America’s Test Kitchen brings a pop-up food festival to Seattle for the culinarily curious. In addition to a main stage where you can watch expert cooking demonstrations, the event features unlimited food and drink sampling (at least until the food runs out). On Nov. 2, ATK also hosts a 25th Birthday Bash for Cook’s Illustrated highlighting local chefs at Block 41. Sat., Nov. 3, Bell Harbor Conference Center, $100–$150, seattle.atkeats.com
Oyster New Year
It’s startling the variety of flavors that different oysters in the waters around Seattle can possess. Elliott’s Oyster House’s annual Oyster New Year showcases the breadth of mollusks’ diversity by shucking more than 30 local varieties, plus an oyster luge, drinks from over 60 wineries, live music, and a “Most Beautiful Oyster” contest. Sat., Nov. 3, Elliott’s Oyster House, $175, elliottsoysterhouse.com
The Whisky Extravaganza
If you take your whisky a little too seriously, this is the place for you. Deepen your knowledge about fermented grain mash with a premium masterclass and tasting session (with food pairings) led by experts. Now if only the event wasn’t a little too snooty for its own good (really, a no-denim-permitted dress code?). Fri., Nov. 9, The Rainier Club, $150, thewhiskyextravaganza.com
Northwest Chocolate Festival
If you love chocolate, the Northwest Chocolate Festival is like dying and going to a sweet, sweet heaven. The world-renowned event is jam-packed with artisan tastings from vendors that span the globe (20-plus countries), plus educational seminars and workshops to help attendees further understand that cacao seed magic. Sat. & Sun., Nov. 10 & 11, Pier 91, $20–$125, nwchocolate.com
The Northwest Chocolate Festival is a feast for your tastebuds and Instagram feed. Photo by Megan Swann
The Best Chefs You’ve Never Heard Of: Female Powerhouse Edition
The world of top food creators too often skews male, even in beloved local restaurants. That will not be the case at this round of The Best Chefs You’ve Never Heard Of. Seattle Met’s Allecia Vermillion hosts an all-women celebration featuring food and drinks from eight up-and-coming female Seattle chefs (from prime spots like JuneBaby, Walrus and the Carpenter, and Goldfinch Tavern) plus two mixologists. Fri., Nov. 16, Four Seasons Hotel, $75, eventbrite.com
Gobble Up
From the folks behind the ever-popular Urban Craft Uprising, Gobble Up bring the same crafty spirit to the world of food. Find the perfect holiday gifts for the foodies in your life from the small scale artisans who pour their passion into making everything from vinegars and mustard to cheeses and preserves to food art and hand-crafted tablewares. Sat., Nov. 17, Bell Harbor Conference Center, Free, gobbleupseattle.com
Washington Distillers’ Festival
Spend an afternoon getting schooled on handcrafted spirits from a host regional distilleries. The modest $35 entry fee gets you 10 tasting tokens to maximize your imbibing variety, while the silent auction let you put a bit more cash toward exclusive distillery experiences. Sat., Nov. 17, Anderson School, $35, mcmenamins.com
There’s so much sweetness to sample at the Northwest Chocolate Festival. Photo by Megan Swann
