Bennett's Pure Food Bistro

Sitting outside on a sunny day is a treat in this lovely location. The quality of their butternut squash ravioli in sage cream sauce merited the $19 lunch menu price. more

I've eaten at Bennett's twice and both times I was stunned at the food served. First time I had the crab salad and it was a never ending awesome dish! The quantity was excellent too. The second time I went for lunch and had the eggs bennett, and that was excellent too! The atmosphere is casual which is nice, and the service is OK. Also, try the cola (they don't serve coke) ... it's how Coke probably was before they engineered it for profit. Pros: great food, ambiance Cons: service is a little slow more

Over food quality is excellent and fresh, but staff at Bennetts not very friendly. I ordered to go and after I paid, they never said thank you. They just gave me the receipt back and walked away. I had to say thank you, and they did not even acknowledge it. Great food, bad service. more

I have been here twice... Loved the food and the service. Our server both times was very attentive and freindly, but did not rush us. Very knowledgeble about the menu and food, and passionate about her favorite dishes when we asked what they were. Pros: Quality Food, Great Service, Free Parking, Beautiful place. Cons: Not closer to my house... (Bothell) more

Eastside dinning is not the same, thanks to Bennett's pure food bistro! I have two kids, 8 and 12 years old. It's been difficult to find a causal fine dinning that fits the whole family. We tried a couple supposedly the best restaurants in downtown and the old Bellevue but the food and services were just mediocre. We decided to try Bennett's Pure Food Bistro because my coworker told me about it. The restaurant is located on the north end of Mercer Island, right off the island crest way exit on I-90. Our first impression was warm and cozy, the mural on the back wall of restaurant was beautifully done. It was a Thursday night, the wait wasn't too bad and we were seated almost right away. For appetizer we had the salmon poke and appetizer trio (crab cake, prosciutto prawns, and beef skewer). Entree, I had pan seared halibut. Since I've been on the low-carb diet, I have not been able to finish the whole plate of food in most restaurants because it always comes with some sort of pastas or potatoes, but with this dish, I can! The grilled fennel and red onion was not boring and the dill-parsley pesto halibut was nicely cooked to medium. It was heavenly! My husband had the Beef Tenderloin. The beef was again cooked perfectly medium rare and the smokey blue smashed potatoes was so good. My kids had Beecher's Mac and Cheese with added grilled chicken and the older boy had a burger. They both loved the food, the gooey Mac and Cheese and the burger was nice and juicy. To finish off, we shared the hazelnut bread pudding. I only had a bit because of my diet, but it was the most incredible bread pudding I've ever had in my life! We also got to meet the chef at the end of the dinner. He was telling us that they only use the freshest ingredients from local farms, very nice guy! Overall, it was an awesome dinning experience we haven't had for a very long time. We will definitely go back and perhaps check out their brunches on the weekend. more

Creative fare, healthy options, great ambience, reasonably priced, superb wine choices, delicious food! That about sums it up! This is a long awaited and much anticipated addition to the restaurant scene. (and not just on Mercer Island). A restaurant that cares about the horrors of additives and preservatives and does it while creating delicious food. Thank you Bennett's! Favs after a couple of visits - The iceberg salad, salmon entree with blueberry sauce, Pork tenderloin, and the pasta with prawns. For apps, try the crab cakes and the beet and mozzarella salad (I think they call it the Beetrese. It's delicious!) Pros: Food!! Cons: It could be a little bigger. more

I used to be a fast food junkie but recently I?ve taken up the whole foods banner. In doing so, I admit I?ve become just a little cynical about terms like ?all natural? and ?organic? because too often the label doesn?t live up to the standard. Not so with Bennett?s. Their menu not only calls out that they source local, additive-free foods but they stand by that claim ? and you can taste the difference. Now, I?ve only eaten there 3 or 4 times since they opened but what I've tried has been fresh and delicious. For one - LOVE the cobb salad. There?s no skimping on the crab or avocado in this dish. Another favorite is the poached prawns pasta. It?s just loaded with fresh herbs. I must admit I?m a little thrown by the previous review. Butter, pork and salt in everything? Very unhealthy? Over priced? I completely disagree. In fact, I don?t even remember a pork dish and frankly, I think there?s a reason why some foods are less expensive than others and I?ll pay for quality any day of the week. Finally ? just want to mention brunch. I had the Crab Eggs Bennett and I thought it was my birthday. It was awesome. Pros: Community Table, Deli, Wine List Cons: Parking is a little confusing more

An earlier reviewer suggests that the bad reviews for Bennett's are a result of the fact that the reviewers don't appreciate European cuisine. My family has lived in Euope, I have eaten at more than 1000 restaurants all over Europe and I have dined at hundreds of restaurants on every continent, except Antarctica. We have enjoyed evey major cuisine in Europe. Bennett's has nothing in common with any ot them, except possibly for pasta tourist traps in Italy. The major problem with Bennett's is that its ""pure"" food is very unhealthy and its menu is stuck in the 1980s when it was common to bathe food in butter, pork and salt. It's the cuisine of (now deceased) Julia Child. Her reputation was built on the very unhealthy content (e.g., butter, pork fat and pasta cholesterol) of her meals in the 1980s. Why emphasize such an unhealthy cuisine decades after the world learned of its dangers? The only reason I can think of is that the owners of Bennett's hope it will drive additional sales at two other busineses they own ([Pasta & Company and Beecher's cheeses). Apparently, the owners don't realize that Mercer Islanders are conscious of what they eat and they are not going to dine on food that has the same fat content as fast food restaurants. Eurpopeans would fall down laughing if they saw what Bennett's charges for most of its appetizers and main courses. The only positve thing my family can say about Bennett's is that it is convenient for Islanders. But Islanders know that you can get much better bistro food by venturing just 15 minutes from the Island. As for Bennett's very limited and expensive wine menu, unless you have a craving to try something from a mediocre winery that you have never heard of, take your own bottle and pay the corkage charge. Even with the corkage fee, you will save money and you will probably have a much better wine. Pros: Convenient for Islanders Cons: Food that is very unhealthy; servers don't know the source of their fish, but claim it is ""pure"" more

Mercer Island dining has never been much to rave about, but Bennett's is a welcome surprise, even for those of us from Downtown. Owned by the same group as Beecher's and Pasta & Co., there's obviously an emphasis on those products, but then this is a group that has been instrumental in bringing high quality artisanal products to Seattle. The restaurant has a decidedly European feel. The ingredients are local, fresh, and high quality, the dishes are simple and elegantly prepared, the service is friendly and efficient. As is true in the European tradition, there are no separate kids menus. Kids are expected to grow up eating what adults eat, they are expected to develop a palate and not gorge themselves on over-processed, tasteless, high-fructose corn syrup, ""kid-friendly"" garbage. If your kid only eats Kraft Mac & Cheese, this is probably not a good restaurant for them. Also, this restaurant aptly demonstrates the difference between ""pure"" and ""health"" food. Much like the European tradition, the food is hormone and additive free, but not meant to be low-cal or low-fat. Think Julia Child. Think butter. But I digress. The wine menu is very interesting, they've limited themselves to only Northwest wines, which can be difficult to pull off. However, someone's obviously done their homework and you can find an interesting array of small producers and limited production local wines that are well priced for the restaurant world. This is an excellent restaurant for a nice, not outrageously expensive, night out. Pros: Great food, wine, and service Cons: Mercer Island more

As a business traveler from San Francisco to Seattle, on my most recent trip, I wanted to have a least one dining experience in an eatery featuring new American/Northwest regional cuisine. Bennett's Pure Food Bistro really satisfied me! I started with the wild mushroom tart, progressed to the line-caught Columbia River sturgeon and finished with the chocolate mousse tower. I'm not particularly fond of cheese-in-bread, so the crust of the tart was not my thing, reminding me a bit of Cheetos, but that's just my taste. I wouldn't downgrade its quality; it was flaky, crisp and everything you'd expect from a crust. The mushroom filling was outstanding and boldly flavored. I've never eaten sturgeon before, so I just had to do it. Again, excellently cooked, tender, and flaky over a bed of deliciously sauteed mixed veggies. The chocolate mousse tower was a fine finish, but somehow I wanted creme fraiche and not whipped cream, although it wouldn't have fit the visual presentation. Only regular coffee here, no espresso. I wonder if that's a philosophical statement from the chef in a city that takes its coffee drinks so seriously. By the way, I drank a red wine with the meal that was the recommendation of the evening and loved it. Except for dessert, the meal was filled with lovely surprises including the wine! The service was friendly and excellent. The hostess/manager, who didn't seat me initially, even managed to figure out somehow that I was the person who had called the night before inquiring about a reservation that I ultimately didn't make. She made a trip to my table to greet me and inquire. That was pretty impressive! Overall, a wonderful dining experience! Pros: Food, service, ambience Cons: None that I can think of more

It is high time MI had a wonderful neighborhood bistro and Bennett's fits the bill to a ""T"". Bennett's strikes a great balance--the food is consistently very good to excellent, they have a nice wine list, and the atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming even when the restaurant is bustling. The crab cakes, pork shoulder, salmon and the burger are particular standouts, as is the Sunday brunch. The staff is professional, knowledgeable and personably without being cloyingly familiar. I eat dinner out several times a week and find that Bennett's compares favorably with some of my other favorite neighborhood restaurants--definitely worth a try. Pros: food is always good, service is great, friendly atmosphere, a classy place for grownups Cons: so busy on weekend evenings you'll need to make reservations, not for families with young kids who can't behave in an adult enviroment more

We've visited Bennett's 3 times since it has opened. We're huge fans of Beecher's cheese and Pasta & Co products, so couldn't wait to visit a restaurant owned by the same guy. They are way too hot on the 'all natural' concept. They feature an extensive wine/cocktail list, but don't list any non-alcoholic options. This is tough when pregnant! We've asked the servers every time for their non-alc options and they never offer anything other than cranberry juice or water. The mac & cheese is good, its not the best (Icon Grill is better in flavor, quality, quantity). The tomato soup is awesome with the cheese chunks. But, the overall food selection is slim - especially at lunch. Had the Fish & 'Chips' today - DO NOT recommend. Fish was covered in grease, and everyone in our group agreed it was horrible. The 'chips' were a bad version of latke's and you don't get ketchup or any sides besides a Tbsp of dipping sauce for fish. Burger isn't bad, but a little plain with only grainy mustard as a condiment besides lettuce, pickled red onions and tomato. Pros: Great tomato soup Cons: Low on selections, no non-alc options, service more

I am completely addicted to Bennett's!!! I cannot get enough of the freshly made tomato basil soup with the flagship cheese. We eat out a lot and have eaten at many Seattle and Eastside restaurants, this is in my top 10 list. Being a Whole Food junkie I love the fact that the food is natural no hormones etc. and it tastes great! Finally a restaurant worth driving onto the island for. Great place for an evening away from the kids with the girls or with your husband. We tried eating there with kids and I would not reccomend it. Love the take out bistro for those days I don't want to go out and also don't feel like cooking. Pros: Soup is delicious!! Upscale dining on Mercer Island!!! Cons: Not kid friendly/ Service a little slow and impersonal more

Like other Islanders, we were very eager to try this new spot, but we were all very disappointed. One problem is that they have nothing for kids. Although they brag their mac 'n cheese is world famous, it is an adult mac 'n cheese that kids hate. We begged for them to cook something simple for a kid, such as noodles with butter or parmessan. We were very unpolitely informed that the chef would not stoop to such a thing. In a place as family friendly as Mercer Island, this was just plain rude. A second problem is that the restaurant's focus is entirely on what it calls ""pure"" food. We learned that ""pure"" does NOT mean healthy or even tasty. In what sense can a pork hamburger be ""pure""? We couldn't figure it out. Maybe the owners do not understand that a very large number of Islanders avoid eating pork, either for religious or health reasons. A third problem is the service. Maybe it is just a start-up problem, but our server spent more time cross-selling other businesses owned by the same family (Pasta & Co. and Beecher's) than she did explaining our dishes. She could not even answer basic questions, such as where the salmon was caught. Fourth, the wine list is very small and uninspired. Pros: Pleasant room, easy to get a seat on a Saturday night Cons: Unhealthy food, very unfriendly to families with kids, overpriced wine and limited selection more