"You’ll have one of the best meals all year at Beast & Cleaver, a tiny butcher shop in Ballard. This isn’t in reference to the porterhouse you could pick up and grill at home, but rather to their tasting menu known as The Peasant. With a preset lineup of expertly cooked meats, snacks, and surprises, this after-hours operation makes for one of the most unique dining experiences in Seattle. The menu changes each time, but the constant is the surplus of red meat that shapes your meal, be it steak tartare on top of a beef tallow scone, or a roulade of lamb that's slow-roasted until it falls apart. But the excellence here stretches beyond that stuff, with refreshing salads and a phenomenal sunchoke truffle ice cream that gives Salt & Straw an absolute run for their money. You can't get much better than eating outstanding food and drinking great wine while sitting catty-corner to a display case of raw links, patties, and chops. We'll be honest—it's really hard to secure a spot for The Peasant. Sometimes you can find a table for two on a random night of the month because somebody cancelled, and if you really want to get technical, the cancellation policy is three days without penalty, so check in 72 hours in advance for your best odds. And since some tables seat more folks, you could get even luckier if you're trying to book a large party. If you sign up for Beast & Cleaver’s newsletter, you’ll get an email when the next batch of dates open up to book online." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley