Downtown Bellevue plays home to a flurry of restaurants, but only one has a view from the sky. Daniel’s Broiler is the only restaurant in the area that’s elevated higher than the ground floor, giving it sweeping views of the Downtown area and looking out onto Lake Washington.
A few years ago Spazzo, an Italian restaurant on the top floor of the Key Bank Building, was another venue with spectacular views! Spazzo has since left, and the space is now occupied by the Bellevue Towers condominium showroom.
I encourage restaurant owners in the coming years to look into leasing space in buildings that have a view because there is a great opportunity waiting to be filled in the city.
Is there currently any space available that would allow for a restaurant with a view you ask? Tower 333, which looks over the Downtown Bellevue Park and Lake Washington, on the 20th floor has one of the most breath-taking views in the area, with half of the floor currently available. The available space is almost 9,000 square feet.
This is a call to all future restaurant owners, bring us Bellevuites tasty foods and magnificent views!
Bellevue could use more downtown view restaurants, but they shouldnt go into any building.
Long time ago, I worked in Benjamins (previous incarnation of Spazzo). It was a great place with good food and great views, but there was issues with the drainlines. They were too small for the vollume of waste we generated. They constantly clogged, giving a lot of business to Roto-Rooter.
Any building needs sufficent infrastructure to accommodate the needs of a restaurant before one is just placed there…..
There are other restaurants above the ground floor in Bellevue, just not at the top of buildings–except for the Harbor Club in the Symetra Building. Bell Square (and I believe in Bellevue Place) have then on the second floors as does the Galleria. Maybe others, too.
On a somewhat unrelated tangent: Palomino turns out to be great! Well worth giving up the burgers at Manzana. And on an even more unrelated note, I’m starting to think Luciano’s is a money laundering front for a mob operation because I can’t figure out how they’ve stayed in buinsess for so long.
It would definitely be nice to have more options with views. It may be a little difficult as nobody knows when a taller building with better views might be put up right in front of views that exist today.
The previously mentions Benjamins in what is now the Key Bank building was hands down THE place to go back in the day and still has great views, but I was told the property owners don’t want restaurants in that building any more – perhaps because of pipes and drainage or lack thereof causing problems.
I can understand that. A couple of times when the drains clogged, water leaked downt to the next floor and the restaurant had to buy some water logged copiers….
Skian
As another commenter said – The Harbor Club (members and their guests only) is nice. But also the Microsoft Caffeteria top floor @lincoln one office tower (employees and their guests only) has a similarly stunning view.
I'd like to just see more thriving restruants – hopefully with more people in downtown that will happen and the restruants will get a good business.
THe restruants that have all come in are in a moderate to high price range. At the same time bellevue has lost a lot of the lunch time fast food places (Matt's Famous, Dairy Queen, McDonalds's that isn't in the mall, Taco Bell/Pizza Hut, etc.)…
I guess I just feel like there is a need that isn't being filled in this lower end range… all Bellevue sewems to do is clone Subways to meet demand in the low end lunch category – I think there are 5 in downtown now! I assume that the other operations that require more grill space, etc. are just not economically feasible given the real estate cost per sq ft for commercial vsd. the traffic they woudl get… maybe that will change with more people living in downtown. Because I love the restruants we have gotten but I think there is more demand at lunch time in the core downtown for <$20/person lunch.
What I wish… and I know it's not likely – but I can always hope… is that Dick's would re-open in Bellevue. I wasn't around (or even born yet) back in the days there was one in Bellevue – but I'd sure like to be around to see that happen again – I know I'd go regularly. 🙂
Dick’s was in Bellevue??? This I did not know this…I’ll have to do some research!
Dave…I agree, there could be more low cost restaurants in Downtown Bellevue! To get my fix I usually go to Chipotle.
I like Chipotle but sometimes the line is so long it’s nuts.
I really wish the Panera had opened up in a more visible spot, it’s somewhat quick, not too expensive, and is tasty.
Yes children, once-upon-a-time, there was a Dick’s in Bellevue. It was on Bellevue Way near 10th
Bellevue drastically needs to look at its restaurant scene. Unfortunately, because rents are so high it is only the larger, bland chains that are able to afford prime locations that would get traffic. No one wants to come to Bellevue and eat at the same places they could anywhere else, with unimaginative food.
If you ask me, Bellevue needs a great lunch spot that offers really good sandwiches, and an array of good quality sides and deli items. Something like Porcella’s but without the high price tag and pretentious atmosphere.
I always find it tough to get a decent lunch in Bellevue. Facing East is filling that a bit, but we need variations! And I am certainly NOT talking about Subway or Panera.