Are you fascinated by food? Do locally sourced, artisanal, seasonal ingredients perk up your palate? If you’re constantly hunting for inspired chefs unveiling exciting creations, there’s a good chance you are a true foodie. And, the plethora of industry-lauded restaurants throughout the Pacific Northwest makes this land your paradise. In addition, Visit Bellevue’s Culinary Tourism Program provides two ways to immerse yourself in a flavorful sojourn with Culinary Weeks and the Acclaimed Culinary Trail.
Explore Tastes with Bellevue Culinary Weeks
Explore diverse dining options during Bellevue Culinary Weeks, a year-round series of citywide celebrations spotlighting themed menus, exclusive dishes, and bespoke experiences.
In mid-July 2025, Berry Week kicked off its inaugural year with chefs, bartenders, and bakers showcasing farm-fresh, berry-infused fare. From decadent desserts to fresh U-pick romps through bountiful berry fields, the region’s juiciest sweets are a treat for any age. Crab Week arrives in mid-August, when some of Bellevue’s most talented chefs present classics like Dungeness crab along with bold new twists on old favorites.
(Photo Credit: Duke's Seafood Bellevue)
Noodle Week, November 10–16, 2025, tempts us to savor the ultimate in mm-mm-good comfort food. From Italian pasta to wok-tossed stir-fries and hand-pulled ramen, your foodie heart will beat ecstatic. Capping off these seasonal celebrations, Dumpling Week coincides with the Lunar New Year, February 17–24, 2026. Soothe your foodie soul with perfect little pastry pillows filled and folded, steamed or fried, with meat or without.
Enhance each Culinary Week by accessing the Culinary Passport through Vibemap app’s Challenges & Passports. Check in with the app at participating venues and earn themed rewards when you visit three (or more) featured locations in a week. Complete all four weeks and receive a limited-edition Bellevue foodie tote bag.
(Photo Credit: Baron's Sino Kitchen & Bar)
Follow the Trail
Build your own tasting itinerary by tapping into Bellevue’s self-guided Acclaimed Culinary Trail. Whether you yearn for a classic steakhouse or a trendy rooftop omakase (chef-curated menus), you’ll discover award-winning destinations and beautiful views across the city from the shores of Lake Washington to the outskirts of Lake Sammamish.
During Berry Week, select from more than 25 participating restaurants spotlighting strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, huckleberries, and even cherries. Along the Culinary Trail — just a six-minute drive from Meydenbauer Bay Park — visit John Howie Steak, where Spinach and Strawberry Salad is served with Beecher’s cheddar and strawberry cheesecake. After a row through Mercer Slough, stop by the Larsen Lake Blueberry Farm where you can fill a bucket with berries of your own picking. Thirsty? Sip Strawberry Matcha at Third Culture Coffee or head over to W Bellevue for a Sparkling Strawberry Paloma with grapefruit juice, Veuve Clicquot, Belvedere Vodka, and St. Germain (a French liqueur made with elderflower blossoms).
(Photo: Takai by Kashiba, on the Acclaimed Culinary Trail)
When summer reaches its peak, Crab Week crawls into town with buttery, briny, and bougie delights like those served at La Mar Bellevue in the heart of Downtown. Their Peruvian-inspired Causa de Congrejo, featuring Dungeness crab, reaches new heights, elevated by ikura (red caviar) and creamy palta (avocado). For a classic twist, try Crab Rockefeller at Daniel’s Broiler in the Bellevue Place complex. Here, Dungeness crab legs, spinach, Pernod liqueur, Gruyère, and hollandaise grace your plate. Want something a little more casual? Moto Pizza offers a crab pizza and Wild Wasabi Signature has tasty crab soup.
Noodle Week warms up the chill of fall with comfort-food stand-outs at Dough Zone Dumpling House in Downtown Bellevue. Vegetarian Dan Dan noodles and hearty Beef-Stew Noodle Soup beckons from steaming bowls, reminding us to slow down and let our inner-foodies revel in the moment. Looking for a little more zest? Indulge in Italian pasta made from recipes hailing from Naples at Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria where 10 dishes await, including Rigatoni with Roasted Garlic Cream, Neapolitan Lasagna, and Wild Mushroom Gnocchi.
(Photo: Crab Lollipops at Ascend Prime Steak & Seafood)
When winter calls, celebrate the Lunar New Year with Dumpling Week at one of Seattle Met’s Best Restaurants in Bellevue: Supreme Dumplings, where reservations are essential. Located in the Bellevue Marketplace plaza, their menu boasts seven versions of Taiwanese-style xiao long bao (soup dumplings). The spicy Szechuan is sure to please, as is the black truffle and chicken. Heading west to Lincoln Square, you’ll find Din Tai Fung — a global brand with more than 165 locations around the world that continues to be a family-owned treasure. The delicately hand-folded dumplings found here pair high-quality Kurobuta pork with fresh-peeled shrimp or Korean kimchi. Other varieties include chicken, cod, and vegan options. And any foodie will confess, if The New York Times says it’s one of the “Top Ten Gourmet Restaurants” in the world, it’s worth a visit.
For serious noodle and dumpling enthusiasts, Bellevue Marketplace features 24 restaurants to satiate your cravings! The food tour here travels from the province of Shandong (Mr. Huang Claypot Braised Chicken) to Jiangnan (Master Bing), Yunnan (Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle), Hunan (Shaoshan Impression) and more. Have a hankering for Shanghai boiled pot stickers or Cantonese dim sum? Look no further. This unassuming “food mall” is feeding and fueling the city’s rise to becoming a PNW culinary destination. Truly adventurous foodies can even find wok-fried bullfrog, goat clay pot, and whole roasted pigs at Bellevue Marketplace.
(Photo Credit: Din Tai Fung Bellevue)
In addition to eating great food, many foodies also enjoy learning how to prepare their favorite dishes. La Mar Bellevue fills this niche with a Cebiche & Pisco Masterclass Series. Expert chefs and bartenders guide attendees through a one-hour hands-on workshop, revealing the secrets of bright and zesty Peruvian cebiche, plus a lesson on mixing a flawless Pisco Sour. Known as grape brandy, Pisco — Peru and Chile’s national spirit — is the star of this tangy and smooth cocktail that no Peruvian meal is complete without. Purchase tickets online.
Whether you’re a fortunate resident of Bellevue or a first-time visitor, turn to the Acclaimed Culinary Trail and Culinary Weeks when you’re ready to explore Bellevue like a foodie!
