Carmelita

My husband and I chose Carmelita's as the place to celebrate our first Wedding Anniversary. It came highly recommended from friends of ours and we weren't disappointed. The ambiance is artistically rustic and tastefully done. The service was attentive and we never had to wait long between courses, yet nothing felt rushed. Every course delighted us, and we had fun trying each other's dish to compare flavors. The ingredients tasted fresh and the portion sizes were spot on for finer fare such as this. We were glad we took our friends advice for our special day - we'll definitely be back!! more

Carmelita continues to be my favorite restaurant in Seattle. Unless you are a die-hard carnivore who cannot imagine a meal without meat, you will love Carmelita. more

I just recently took a special someone out to Carmelita for her birthday because she's been wanting to check out Cafe Flora, but I wanted to find a new place. I've heard that Carmelita is excellent and it did not disappoint. Atmosphere: The outside of the restaurant has an inconspicuous neon sign and the minute we walked in we were met with a flurry of conversation. The place was packed and humming along. I liked some of the reclaimed decor like the doors at the entry that acted as dividers. The lighting was just right and enhanced by candlelight. Everything was really simple. Nothing outrageous which I appreciated. The Service: Prompt and extremely attentive. My water was never empty and our server was very knowledgeable about the menu. She was really patient with us while we made our decisions very slowly. When my girlfriend asked to get her food heated she was concerned they would just microwave it but the server said they don't have a microwave. Her food came back 5 minutes later and the night didn't miss a beat. The Food: As an avid beef eater (not the gin) I really enjoyed this vegetarian fare. I got the empanadas for starters, the crepes for the main course and a chocolate volcano type dessert with a generous portion of delicious whipping cream on the side. This alone was incredible. If you want a place just for a good dessert go here after the dinner rush, maybe 9:30 pm or so. Excellent desserts in my opinion and I LOVE dessert, especially chocolate. I didn't miss the meat on the menu and I felt really good after eating, not heavy and lethargic. I will never give up meat, but I will definitely add in more vegetarian options to my diet (sorry anti-meat activists, it's just not going to happen -- I was raised in Eastern Washington). The Bill: The bill wasn't too staggering considering we kind of went all out and had a glass of wine, starters, main courses, and one dessert. With tip and everything the bill totaled just under a bill. $50/person for really good food and a great change of pace was worth it in my opinion. The Crowd: This is a very romantic place for a dinner-for-two kind of a date, but I also saw a lot of groups there and a lot of late nighters enjoying a good dinner. There was one hippie table, but the rest of the people in the place looked pretty much like anyone else you'd run into around Seattle. Reservations: A definite must on a weekend night. The place was packed out at 8:30 when we arrived to sit down and even then we had to wait 5 minutes to have our table prepared (I didn't care about this). If you don't have your heart set on eating there one night then try your luck, but if it's a special occasion I would suggest making a reservation 1 week in advance. Overall: A great ambiance, with tasty food, and excellent service. more

I love Seattle for many reasons. Great veggie food is only one. I have, however, been consistently disappointed with Carmelita. The food is alright. I like a resatuarant that gets a little innovative. Carmelita fits that bill. Yet, the half-dozen times I've eaten there - service has been excruatiatinlgy slow and surly. Once - we waited 20 minutes for the hostess to get off the phone and seat us - acting as though the customers were bothersome. I prefer Cafe Flora. No doubt. more

This isn't the place for you if you're looking for boatloads of cheap food on your plate. It is, however, delightful dining for those who appreciate the freshest ingredients prepared and presented in an inventive manner. If you want bulk, I suggest Cafe Flora. If you're interested in something more refined, then I recommend the tantalizing treats at Carmelita's more

I'm surprised this one hasn't come up. Carmelita has a garden that is very pretty, the food is innovative, and the atmosphere is calm but trendy. It's a great date place, and if you're having a special celebration (anniversary, birthday, etc) they give you something special. more

My second cousin - a fine food connisour - reccomended that my grandmother take us to Carmelita's because we don't eat much meat. The portions were small, neither my wife or I much cared for our entrees and my grandmother's salad didn't look too promising either. I guess this could be one of those upscale dining experiences that I'm just not getting. more

My second cousin - a fine food connisour - reccomended that my grandmother take us to Carmelita's because we don't eat much meat. The portions were small, neither my wife or I much cared for our entrees and my grandmother's salad didn't look too promising either. I guess this could be one of those upscale dining experiences that I'm just not getting. more

They make a mean bowl of peas and carrots perfectly smashes into exactly what a 9 month old wants to eat. Sofia also enjoyed a small helping of pear sorbet. I also ate well and thought each dish was truly tasty and fantastic looking. more

Believe me, you'll never miss the carnage when you go here! I went there with my husband and his two friends from out of town - we were blown away - and they are big, hefty people who usually eat a lot of meat! This is definitely the best food in Seattle...you don't have to be vegetarian to enjoy. more

Carmelita is the best vegetarian restaurant in Seattle. Go to Cafe Flora for a casual lunch and Carmelita for a nice dinner. They are both great, but Carmelita is my favorite restaurant in Seattle. more

I had dinner last night at Carmelita and enjoyed the meal with great friends. The food was wonderful from the apps, salads, and main course. I frequently eat meals without meat so the vegetarian component was not an issue. My Friends who have dined at Carmelita have vocalized one complaint - the portion size is small and it's fairly expensive. Unfortunately, I agree with this one caveat - the price is more then justified by the presentation and taste of every dish. However, I wish that my entree was 15% larger. I do not agree with the HUGE portion size problem in the US and I watch what I eat, but I left after 2.5 courses hungry and I am a skinny guy. more

Not all of us like a good steak. Some of us like a good tofu. Or vegan chocolate cake. Or yummy pesto and garlic pizza, hold the cheese. I've loved this place since it started and I try only to go on nice occasions or with out of town folks so it doesn't spoil the specialness. I really like the waiters and they serve water with no ice! Imagine! I stopped taking dates there because they never appreciated Carmelita enough. I ate their alone once and it didn't even feel weird. The menu changes every so often which makes it nice to go back. But I do miss their pesto wraps, circa 1997-8. Great desserts. more

This neighborhood joint has incredible food and a really warm, artsy atmosphere. There is even a back deck for those warm nights (!?). It has totally vegetarian fare and sometimes the menu with its exotic ingredients is indecipherable to me, but the staff are always willing to explain and the food has always been spectacular. yum, yum. more

I haven't been here for a few months, but every time we go there, it has a great ambience, friendly servers and great all-around food. It's definitely a great date place. The menu has its changes, but if they ever have a gnocchi dish there, its always very good. I also like many of the simple appetizers they offer before the meal. Parking around there can be a little tight at times, but usually its not too far a walk. more

I once declared that I would never eat at another vegetarian restaurant after having some horrible meals at them, but Carmelita made me rethink that declaration. They serve lovely, thoughtful comfort food. There are such cute touches in the dishes there. I recently had a creamy tomato soup with a WAFFLE served with it. It was a bit whimsical yet very tasty. And the chocolate cake with raspberry sauce was amazing. Their food is great...even for us meat eaters! more

Probably half of their food is vegan, but don't let that fool you into thinking this is a granola bar: Carmelita's may well be one of Seattle's most upscale vegetarian restaurant. The wine flows freely, the portions are small and rich, and the staff and atmosphere is highly polished and laid back at the same time. In my experience, the food is hit-or-miss, but the Chocolate Muck Muck desert (basically a chocolate soufflet) is consistantly one of the best desserts in the greater Seattle region. more

As a vegetarian, it can be sometimes hard to find just the right special restaurant for me. Carmelita is definitely my favorite spot for a nice dinner. While the main courses are the stars, the inventive appetizers and salads are wonderful compliments to them. There are just so many nice options, like the refreshing homemade tamarind ginger lemonade, great teas, nice wines, and great bread that I feel pampered at the end of my meal. Try the gnocci, you won't forget it. The servers are just some of the loveliest people I've met and really enhance the calm and charming atmosphere. As far as being an appropriate place for non-vegetarians, both my midwestern, meat eating mother and sister rate Carmelita as their best Seattle dinning experience. more

The Phinney Ridge / Greenwood corridor offers an increasingly rich selection of excellent neighborhood restaurants. While Stumbling Goat is my personal favorite, I recently had an excellent meal at Carmelita.

Not being a vegetarian, I have a hard time giving this otherwise-great restaurant a 5-star review. I recognize that hewing to a vegetarian-only menu demands incredible creativity and innovation (both of which Carmelita exhibits in spades), but as an enthusiastic carnivore I appreciate the (to my palate) greater breadth of flavors offered by an unrestricted ingredient list.

My personal hangups aside, Carmelita delivers a superb dining experience. The physical space is well-designed - stylish without being trendy - and thoughtfully lit. The servers were uniformly professional, but with the extra quirkiness and warmth that you want in a neighborhood place. The menu included a solid variety of ingredients and preparations, and every dish we tried was well-executed. The pricing is fair - a little steep for a neighborhood place, but well within the range ($12-$15 entrees) of other restaurants of this caliber in town.

My only other notable vegetarian benchmark here in Seattle is Cafe Flora (located in the Madison Valley), and for my money Carmelita delivers an overall more satisfying experience: more handcrafted and creative food, better prices, and a very pleasant physical and service experience. If you like good food you'll like Carmelita, but if you love to eat *and* you're a vegetarian, it may well become your favorite spot in town. more