UPDATE: Check out our new 2023 Best Cities to Live in the U.S. list.

#7. Bellevue

When it comes to savvy diners who prefer independent and locally owned restaurants over fast food and chains, residents of Bellevue, Wash., rise to the top in the Northwest. A growing batch of restaurants in Bellevue satisfies those sophisticated palates, and if the foodies here ever run out of options, Seattle’s enormous restaurant scene is just a short drive across Lake Washington. In fact, Bellevue’s proximity to Seattle played a factor in the city making our Top 10 Foodie Cities list.

See where Bellevue ranks on Livability.com’s list of the Top 100 Best Places to Live 2015. 

But Bellevue certainly holds its own, delivering an assortment of restaurants that continue to garner attention from food critics and the people who live here. You may not find a place to toss fish, but you’ll find a surprising amount of ethnic restaurants that even lure hipsters from Seattle. Facing East, a Taiwanese restaurant, holds one of the highest ratings on Yelp. Also popular among local diners are Yeh Yeh’s, a Vietnamese sandwich shop, Mediterranean Kitchen Inc. and Bombay House, which serves vegetarian Indian food.

Residents from across the Seattle area plan their evenings around John Howie Steak, which is located in downtown Bellevue. More than 40 restaurants in Bellevue feature outdoor seating on dry days, with many locations offering fantastic views of the lake.

Don’t Miss: Xiao long bao (pork buns) at Dough Zone, Wildflour Gluten-Free Baking Co., El Maestro del Taco (a taco truck).

Find out where Bellevue ranked on our lists of the Best Places to Retire 2014 and the Best Cities for New College Grads

 

Photo Credit: Kate Baldwin courtesy of Seastar Restaurant and Raw Bar 
 

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