The Best New Restaurants in the Seattle Area, March 2025

"The owners of the legendary Shiro’s — namely executive chef Masaki Nishioka but not namesake Shiro Kashiba, who sold the restaurant a decade ago — opened ShoMon Kappo Sushi in early September in Belltown, somehow leveling up on their already-flawless omakase game in the process. The tiny 14-seat sushi-ya features an L-shaped counter and a hyper-intimate dining experience (“kappo” is when they prepare everything out in the open), with plenty of variety in the thoughtful courses. Recent plates included grilled miso butterfish, skipjack tuna sashimi with Walla Walla onions, and a 26-day dry-aged bluefin tuna nigiri. Go on a cold day and take advantage of the heated seats on the cool Japanese robot toilets." - Harry Cheadle