Sitting in the Fairmont Olympic Hotel, the Georgian Room (411 University St., 206/621-7889, www.fairmont.com/seattle, 6 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and 5:30–10 p.m. Tues.–Sat., $40) is an elegant dining room with a Renaissance look and Northwest cuisine. The food is very expensive but much lighter than what you might expect in a luxury hotel. The salmon, sturgeon, rabbit, lamb, veal, and steaks are cooked to a creative perfection, and the menu also includes a five-course vegetarian dinner that has garnered national praise. Expect to pay at least $150 for a dinner for two with wine and dessert.

Sleek and sexy, Union (400 1st Ave., 206/838-8000, www.unionseattle.com, 5–10 p.m. daily, $50) still manages to maintain its hip vibe even now that it’s well past the two-to-three-year shelf life of “hot” Seattle restaurants. You see, this one is a keeper. The kitchen keeps it fresh but simple with a daily changing menu that highlights the Northwest’s best ingredients, using everything from chanterelle mushrooms to fresh geoduck. Best of all, the wait staff here are some of the most professional, kind, and attentive among Seattle’s best restaurants. Ask for their wine and food recommendation and run with it; they won’t steer you wrong.