Vashon Island Restaurants All Food Lovers Must Try

Visiting Vashon Island restaurants is one of my favorite things to do on a day trip to this quaint island right across the water from Seattle. It has a community full of food lovers, with a dedication to island-grown ingredients that puts even the characters of Portlandia to shame.

The best part about all the restaurants on Vashon Island? Most are in walking distance from each other in downtown Vashon. This means you can easily go on a food crawl to try a bunch back to back.

If you want to make sure you eat the best of the best when visiting the island, here’s the list of my favorite Vashon Island restaurants anyone who loves seriously good food should visit.

Best Vashon Island Restaurants

Vashon Island is a short 30-minute ferry ride from West Seattle’s Fauntleroy ferry terminal. This makes it perfect for spending the day going on a self-guided food tour of the best restaurants Vashon has to offer.

May Kitchen + Bar

website | 17614 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: Thai | open for: dinner

One of my favorite Vashon Island restaurants is May Kitchen and Bar. It looks unassuming from the outside, but it’s quite trendy once you’re inside. They have a bar in the middle of the restaurant where you’ll often see a posh bartender shaking or muddling a drink. They intentionally black out the restaurant windows with silk curtains to help you feel transported, and I’d say they are successful in helping you feel like you’re in a cool lounge in Thailand.

Make sure to get a reservation because this place gets crowded. Even during the pandemic, their takeout order slots filled up. I learned this the hard way when we went to order takeout on one visit and were shut out!

What to get: Pad Thai. They complete it table side and let you choose the heat and sugar level (I prefer less sugar). They also let you try the banana blossom they put in it, which is bitter and not tasty at all when eaten by itself. However, in the dish, it adds this “hmmm” that you don’t get in most pad Thai dishes. It’s this dish that put May on my list of the best Thai food restaurants in Seattle.

Iyad’s Syrian Grill

website | 17205 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: Syrian | open for: lunch

This is one of my newest Vashon Island restaurant discoveries. It’s owned by Iyad and his wife Safa, who serve authentic food from Aleppo right out of the back of his SUV. You’ll find Iyad moving quickly over a flat top grill cooking meats, onions, and peppers to order, all while warmly greeting guests as he deftly works.

They’re only open a few hours each day and closed Sundays, but their food is worth seeking out if you’re on the island when they’re open.

What to get: The chef’s lamb meal. It’s a plate of hummus, salad, and thinly sliced lamb gyro meat mixed with peppers and onions, served over rice. It comes with an addictive spicy red sauce that cuts perfectly into the juicy, flavorful meat. On our last trip to Vashon this was our favorite meal of the day, so don’t skip this dish!

Pro tip: Want more Syrian food? Mustafa Syrian Kitchen is another food truck down the road. Their hours can be inconsistent, so stay updated via their social media.

The Ruby Brink

website | 17526 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: meat | open for: lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch

The Ruby Brink is arguably the best dining experience on the island. It’s a butcher shop and restaurant owned by 3 friends with a deep commitment to local ingredients and preservation techniques. Co-owner Lauren Garaventa and head chef Rustle Biehn’s used to have a popular soup pop-up called Meat & Noodle, which had a flare for Asian flavors and techniques. You’ll find some of their popular dishes and those Asian influences at their permanent restaurant.

What to get: The Meat & Noodle dish. There are usually a few different options for meat, but all of them have the same core concept: noodles, meat, and aromatics in a deeply-flavorful bone broth.

If the chicken option is on the menu, get it. They smoke the chicken, which gives it this sweet, “what-the-heck-is-that” flavor that keeps you coming back for more.

There’s also a vegetarian “Hold the Meat” version that uses roasted shiitake mushrooms if you’re someone who prefers finding the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Seattle.

Snapdragon

website | 17817 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: vegetarian | open for: breakfast and lunch

I’m obsessed with Snapdragon. Located next to the late Mica’s Kitchen, it looks like your typical bakery and cafe overflowing with people trying to place their order at the front counter. But after you order and go to find a seat, you’ll see a door to your right that opens into the cutest 2-room den.

The first room is filled with tables and artwork from local artists. You walk through that to get to the 21-and-over den that looks like you’ve entered some kind of old secret society’s lounge. It’s moody with dark wallpaper, a salvaged wood bar, vintage lighting, and cozy chairs and couches. I could have spent hours in here taking photos if there weren’t people staring at me!

I’m going on and on about the space, but Snapdragon is an excellent Vashon Island restaurant. It’s all vegetarian, but you won’t miss the meat. They serve homemade baked goods like cinnamon rolls, cookies, and more alongside yummy pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and soups.

What to get: The breakfast egg sandwich or lentil shawarma sandwich if available. The egg sandwich has brie, caramelized onion, arugula, and mustard. You don’t miss the meat because it’s one hell of a belly bomb and super flavorful. It kind of reminds me of a Croque Madame. The lentil shawarma is sweet and nutty, with an irresistibly soft homemade pita.

Both of these dishes are excellent for brunch. Just make sure you have some time to visit the popular-with-the-locals Vashon Island restaurant. Service can be slow on the weekends.

Pro tip: Feeling thirsty? Camp Colvos Brewing is across the street.

Gravy

website | 17629 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: Southern | open for: lunch and dinner

Gravy is one of the Black-owned restaurants in the Seattle area. It’s owned by chef Dre and queen-of-everything-else Pepa, who together are bringing a seasonally-driven southern restaurant to the Pacific Northwest.

What to get: The Trifecta Meatloaf Sandwich. It’s made with pork and duck, served sorta Rueben style with Russian dressing, caramelized onions, and arugula. the meatloaf is so juicy, not dense or dry like some meatloafs can be. Get it pressed for an over-the-top flavor bomb.

I also heard their smash burger rivals some of the best burgers in Seattle.

Sugar Shack

website | 17632 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: American | open for: dinner

Sugar Shack is one of the best Vashon Island restaurants because no other spot is quite like it. The menu changes daily and offers a variety of home cooked meals and baked goods for mostly takeout. However, they also host concerts in the cute back patio area behind their restaurant and on those nights you can take your food to dine on their property. Sugar Shack is very much a locals only joint, so it’ll give you a taste of the island life!

What to get: The menu changes regularly so I can’t tell you exactly what to get, but if they’re serving risotto or cake, definitely get those!

Glass Bottle Creamery

website | 17632 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: ice cream | open for: lunch and dinner

I’m always on the hunt for the best ice cream in Seattle, so when I saw this tiny ice cream shop in downtown Vashon I had to try it. They make all of their own ice cream using Smith Brothers Farm dairy out of Kent, WA or fruit from the island. Their standalone scoop shop is located a few stores down from Gravy, but they make their creamy goodness out of Vashon Island Baking Company a bit further down the street.

What to get: Coffee ice cream. It’s super creamy and flavorful, not bland like some coffee ice creams can be. They also have dairy free and vegan options if coffee ice cream doesn’t jive with your diet.

Zamorana

website | 17722 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: Mexican | open for: lunch and dinner

Casa Bonita may be known as Vashon’s quintessential family Mexican restaurant, but Zamorana rivals some of the best street tacos in Seattle. It was opened as a food truck first by Jorge Garnica, a chef who worked at Kurtwood Farms and The Hardware Store Restaurant on Vashon. At the time he was working at both of these places while launching his truck, but it’s now his full-time gig and has grown to have a permanent location.

The restaurant is named after Garnica’s hometown in Mexico and the focus is on authentic Mexican cuisine. You won’t find Tex-Mex style food here, but rather simple, double-tortilla tacos, burritos, and classic dishes.

What to get: Tacos. I love the flavorful char they’re able to get on their carne asada tacos. I’ve also heard great things about their fish tacos.

Perry’s Vashon Burgers

website | 17804 Vashon Hwy SW | cuisine: American | open for: lunch and dinner

There’s nothing I love more than a tavern-style burger, and Perry’s makes a mean version that’s only available on weekdays. The cheese is served gooey and there’s the perfect bun-to-meat ratio. The best part? Each burger is about $5!

More restaurants on Vashon to try

Here are restaurants on Vashon Island I heard were great, but still need to try.

• Sporty’s – A sports bar I heard has great pancakes
• Burton Coffee Stand – A cute coffee shop stand selling baked goods
• O Sole Mio – Pizzeria from Big Mario’s, one of the best pizza spots in Seattle
• Vashon Pizza – Another pizza joint on the island
• Green Butterfly – Healthy walk-up cafe and juice bar

Map of restaurants on Vashon Island

Here’s my map of things to do on Vashon Island, including Vashon Island restaurants. You’ll find a mix of places I’ve visit, plus the ones I still need to try.

Let me plan your Vashon itinerary

Overwhelmed by all the options? Let me plan a custom trip for you! I’ll create an hour-by-hour itinerary for as many days as you’d like so all you need to do is show up.

More things to do near Vashon Island

• Discover Things to Do on Vashon Island Off the Beaten Path
• Visit the Best Coffee Roasters in Seattle (2 are on Vashon!)
• Eat at the Best Restaurants in West Seattle Before Taking the Ferry