If you’re looking to pair tasty dishes with jaw-dropping views in the Northwest, there is no shortage of options. From dramatic mountain vistas to mesmerizing seascapes, these restaurants offer some of the very best scenery to soak up while dining on delicious fare.
Ray’s Boathouse: Seattle, Washington
It’s hard to beat a fresh seafood feast with views of the glistening Puget Sound and the opportunity to watch the sun set behind the Olympic Mountains. This quintessential Seattle experience near Golden Gardens is the ideal spot to dine after a day on the beach. You’ll find everything at Ray’s Boathouse, from simple dishes like grilled wild salmon and oysters on the half-shell to meals with an Asian flair like pan-seared scallops in green curry.
SkyCity at the Needle: Seattle, Washington
While it may be Seattle’s best-known dining with a view restaurant, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth going. If you want to feel as if you’re on top of the world, this rotating eatery offers slowly, ever-changing views that reveal jagged mountain peaks and glistening waters in nearly every direction, panning the entire Emerald City from 500 feet up. The food doesn’t disappoint either, with lots of Pacific Northwest offerings like ahi tuna, Alaskan halibut and Bering Sea king crab.
Summit House: Enumclaw, Washington
Between the mouthwatering seafood and incredible view of some of the region’s most famous mountain peaks, including Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams and Mount Baker, this restaurant is a fantasy come true. The menu is focused on Northwest fare, and views can be had from the outdoor patio, or from inside, with spectacular mountain views from every window.
Salish Lodge: Snoqualmie, Washington
The Dining Room at Salish Lodge offers views of one of the state’s most popular attractions, Snoqualmie Falls. Grab a window seat and enjoy a meal to remember while soaking up the iconic beauty of the 268-foot-high waterfall. While the waterfall is stunning year-round, after heavy rains or snowmelt in the spring, it’s so powerful it creates a nearly blinding spray. In addition to award-winning northwest wine and cuisine, the lodge features a hotel and spa to complete an especially romantic escape.
Pickled Fish: Long Beach, Washington
This eatery situated at the top of the Adrift Hotel in Long Beach, is the only restaurant on the peninsula with ocean views. That impressive scenic vista is topped only by delicious entrees that include 80 percent locally sourced ingredients, paired with craft cocktails.
Everybody’s Brewing: White Salmon, Washington
Set along the main street of this small town along the Columbia Gorge, the star attraction at this casual eatery is the sun-drenched back deck and breathtaking view of Mount Hood. Of course, with a name like Everybody’s Brewing, you can also expect to find a wide variety of beers, including German-, English- and American-style beers that are all brewed on site. Enjoy one with seasonal pub fare based on locally-sourced, organic ingredients.
Clinkerdagger: Spokane, Washington
Clinkerdagger has been a Spokane staple for over four decades, and it still sets the standard for fine dining in the city. While it may be an old-school steakhouse, it sits within a rather unique structure that was built for milling flour back in 1895, designed to utilize the power of the Spokane River. Its location may have initially been chosen for practical reasons, but now it offers visitors the chance to soak up magnificent views of the skyline and the rushing river while feasting on classics like prime rib and filet mignon, lobster tail, BBQ ribs, a variety of pastas, salmon, halibut and prawns.
Salty’s on the Columbia River: Portland, Oregon
Located on the northern edge of Portland along the Columbia River, for waterfront sunsets and seafood, Salty’s is hard to beat. You’ll get glimpses of Mount Hood and a front row seat for watching the sun dip below the horizon over the river while dining on dishes like Cioppino loaded with rockfish, clams and salmon.
The Riverside: Hood River, Oregon
Overlooking the Columbia River in the town of Hood River, whether you choose to dine in the lounge or dining room, or on the patio or deck, you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the water and the gorge. Especially popular for breakfast, patrons indulge in delights like homemade cinnamon rolls, corned beef hash and omelets, as well as blueberry-apple porridge and sinfully delicious stuffed French toast.
The Wayfarer Lounge & Restaurant: Cannon Beach, Oregon
One of the northern Oregon coast’s most time-honored dining traditions, The Wayfarer is popular with locals and visitors alike. Not only are there views of iconic Haystack Rock and the Pacific, but northwest favorites like Dungeness crab, pan-seared salmon and calamari, as we as traditional beer-battered halibut and fish.
Edgewaters: Bandon, Oregon
Chef Bob and his staff serve up fabulous steaks, fresh seafood, sushi and fantastic pasta creations, along with some of the best views around. Edgewaters boasts amazing views of the ocean, the Coquille River and picturesque Bandon Lighthouse.
Beverly’s: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Often rated among the very best restaurants in America, Beverly’s offers unforgettable views from the seventh floor of The Couer d’Alene Resort. Bask in the sunset glows over the lake while dining on 5-star cuisine paired with wines from the largest wine cellar in the Northwest. Lots of fresh seafood is on offer, including Alaskan halibut, along with chef specialties like roasted chicken and New Zealand rack of lamb.
Elevation 486, Twin Falls, Idaho
Perched at the edge of one of Southern Idaho’s most photographed river canyons, Elevation 486 offers picture-perfect views of the famous Snake River and the rugged canyon from towering windows, and cuisine that can rival the delight of those vistas, like specially aged northwest-grown Double R Ranch signature beef and fire-grilled Oregon quail.
The Roundhouse, Ketchum, Idaho
A year-round mountaintop bar and grill sitting about mid-way up Bald Mountain, Roundhouse is accessible by gondola ski lift and provides gorgeous panoramic views of Sun Valley and the mountain along with a menu of eclectic American and European dishes
DISH at Dover Bay, Sandpoint, Idaho
Located on Dover Bay at Lake Pend Oreille, DISH is a collaboration by local celebrated foodies and is renowned for its creative cuisine and stunning setting. With both indoor and outdoor seating, on a pleasant day you can enjoy dining outside while listening to the calls of the ospreys that nest nearby. Favorites include entrees like Sweet Chili Grilled Prawns, Mahi-Mahi Tacos and Buffalo Meatloaf.