Things to Eat in Washington Before You Die (or Leave)

Of course it’s funny. The phallic mollusk that populates Puget Sound inspires a million dirty jokes, but that’s not the only reason to love it. Sliced thin into ceviche, the clam has a briny, crisp flavor that basically puts the Salish Sea on a plate; Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bars reliably serve geoduck sashimi and crudo. 

For all the salmon specials and oyster platters, the state’s sneaky seafood star is the ephemeral spot prawn, fresh only for a short window in late spring and incredibly difficult to properly freeze (it has to do with how quickly they must be beheaded). The recreational window to legally catch the little critters in Elliott Bay was only four hours long in 2025, but the Shrimp Shack in Anacortes knows how to find, gather, and prepare the pinkish prawns. 

With 21 different specific wine-growing regions recognized across the state (the latest American Viticultural Area, Beverly, named just last year), Washington has developed the kind of specificity usually associated with heavyweight states like California. True wine nerd status comes when you have a favorite, or at least can ponder the white wine dominance in the Yakima Valley or extoll the cabernets of Red Mountain. Finding a go-to means drinking a lot of Washington wine, so enjoy the process.

With only one handful it’s easy to appreciate how a wild strain of the blueberry became so important that the Yakama Nation has been securing rightful access to its bushes for decades; some areas are restricted to tribal members, with families returning for generations to gather the tart treat. The Pole Patch fields near Mount St. Helens, located down some gnarly dirt roads, are open to all noncommercial pickers. No one has ever successfully domesticated the western huckleberry; it remains stubbornly wild.

Toshi’s, the famed joint that launched a craze over Japanese-style marinated and grilled chicken in 1970s Seattle, moved to Mill Creek in 2013. Today some version of the unpretentious but satisfyingly sweet and sticky dish is available across Western Washington. You’ll know it by its takeout clamshell packaging, its mound of perfectly white rice, and its simple salad.