Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAFÉ FLORA
VEGETARIAN
$$
( 206-325-9100;
www.cafeflora.com
;
2901 E Madison St; starters & sandwiches $4-12, mains
$13-18; 9am-10pm, to 9pm Sun; ; 11)
A longtime favorite for vegan and vegetari-
an food, Flora has a gardenlike feel and a creative menu, with dinner treats like seitan
spring rolls and breaded coconut tofu dipped in chili sauce, a portobello French dip,
caprese pizza and black-bean burgers. Or go for the hoppin' John fritters or tomato as-
paragus scrambles at brunch.
CACTUS
TAPAS, MEXICAN
$$
( 206-324-4140;
www.cactusrestaurants.com
; 4220 E Madison St; dinner $10-18;
11am-10pm, to 11pm Fri & Sat; 11)
Instantly cheery, this Mexican-Southwest restaurant -
with branches in Kirkland and Alki Beach - is a fun place to go and pretend you're on a
sunny vacation even if it's pouring with rain. A margarita and a king-salmon torta or
butternut squash enchilada will scare off the grayest clouds, and the jaunty staff and fun
music do the rest.
ROVER'S
FRENCH
$$$
( 206-325-7442;
www.thechefinthehat.com
;
2808 E Madison St; set menus $55-135; lunch
Fri, dinner daily; ; 11)
Many locals consider this Seattle's best restaurant. Chef Thi-
erry Rautureau ('the Chef in the Hat') offers three prix-fixe menus a day (one vegetari-
an), as well as á la carte items. The food is upscale French with a Northwest twist -
Oregon quail, for example, or Copper River salmon with morels.
The cozy space is one of the few in Seattle where you'll want to dress up, and reser-
vations are definitely advised.
MADISON PARK CONSERVATORY
NORTHWEST
$$$
( 206-324-9701;
www.madisonparkconservatory.com
; 1927 43rd Ave E; mains $19-27;
5:30-10pm Tue-Sat, 5-9pm Mon; 11)
S
The Conservatory opened in 2010 and caused
an instant buzz (including being name-checked in the
New York Times
), thanks to loc-
avore chef Cormac Mahoney who has worked at Sitka & Spruce and cemented his
reputation with a pop-up taco truck.
