by Stranger EverOut Staff
Vacations are relaxing, but getting on a plane right now is not, so we don’t blame you if you canceled your flight to Italy or wherever. Lucky for you, these restaurants and bars open for limited-capacity dining will make you feel transported—minus the hassle and cost of airfare. Read on for details on local spots that should be on your bucket list if they’re not already, and find even more options on our complete indoor and outdoor dining directory.
Agua Verde Cafe and Paddle Club
At this combination cafe and kayak rental spot, you can take a leisurely paddle through the waters of Portage Bay and refuel with Mexican food and fresh margaritas and aguas frescas upon your return. The Stranger‘s Min Liao once wrote, “There is something distinctly soothing about Agua Verde, and when I’m here I feel like I’m on vacation. The place’s resort-town sensibilities feel thousands of miles away from my First Hill studio: brightly painted tropical colors; scrubbed floorboards; hand-scrawled signs; a modest kitchen where busy, laughing cooks work in shorts; photos posted in the hallway of friends, babies, grinning staff members. Being here makes me wistful for places I have not yet discovered, but that are somehow familiar thanks to postcards or Travel and Leisure.”
University District