"London native Kevin Smith has built a cult following over the last few years for Beast and Cleaver, turning the Ballard spot into one of the city’s top destinations for carnivores. During the day, the business is simply an excellent whole-animal butcher shop serving house-made sausages and pates alongside local and imported steaks,. On Thursdays and Fridays, the celebration of meat kicks up another gear, when it turns into an exclusive tasting menu restaurant under the moniker the Peasant, which serves dishes like koji-aged beef and duck confit with Yorkshire pudding waffles. The menu changes based on the season and Smith’s whims; just expect a lot of meat, and probably some pate en croute. An a la carte menu is also available at the Beastro, which is open for dinner on the weekends. Follow it on Instagram for specials and pop-ups — on top of everything else, the Beast sometimes makes incredible dry-aged burgers. Know before you go: It’s a tiny space and reservations are pretty much required, whether you’re going to Beastro or the Peasant." - Harry Cheadle