Spinasse's Jason Stratton took over the old Thoa's space across from the Four Seasons Hotel to open a contemporary Spanish restaurant with a top-notch crew that includes Top Chef's Carrie Mashaney, Master Sommelier Chris Tanghe and bar manager David Nelson.

Wandering Goose alum Michael Law has opened a fried chicken and smoked meats (locally sourced, of course) oasis in what looks like an old smoke shack on Leary Way. Slaw, cheese grits, mac and cheese and gravy round out a nice selection of "you best not be on a diet" sides.

Former Revel chef Mike Whisenhunt has partnered with industry vet Jen Doak to transform the old Le Gourmand space into a neighborhood bistro-pub. The menu spans everything from pork shoulder with kimchi to creamed spinach with rice cakes, braised turnips, and a basket of fried lardo with pickled quince. The staff's family meal du jour is also available on the late-night menu.

The popular dumpling house that already resides in Bellevue now has a home in U-Village. The new DTF not only has a bar twice the size, it's about 1,000-square-feet larger than the 7,000-square-foot Eastside behemoth. The good news here is that when you're told there will be a (long) wait for a table, you'll be notified via text.

Greenwood Ave's Hecho occupies the former Carmelita space, but you'd never know it from the slick new buildout. Go for airy tortilla chips with fresh salsa, albacore ceviche, mole short ribs, and goat cooked for 17 hours. Wash it all down with mezcal mules, $8 house margaritas ($2 off during happy hour) and eight beers on tap.

The same family behind Ballard’s La Carta De Oaxaca and Queen Anne’s Mezcaleria Oaxaca launched a Capitol Hill Mezcaleria Oaxaca location in what was once an auto repair shop. A central kitchen in the knockout space pumps out piles of tortillas, mole, and salty tortilla chips served with fresh guacamole. This summer, the Mexican spot will open a rooftop seating area for al fresco dining.

Jason Wilson has taken a sharp detour from his fine-dining restaurant Crush to open this wood-fired grill concept in Hotel Max. The 3,200 square-foot restaurant in the old Red Fin space is punctuated by a 9-foot Inferno grill, which makes sitting at the counter a warm welcome from winter.

Ethan Stowell’s latest opened in Madrona last month in an 1,800-square-foot space most recently occupied by Restaurant Bea. The meat-centric menu features French brasserie classics like pate de campagne, moules frites, and (of course) steak frites: Red Cow serves its crispy fries with four different cuts of beef paired with any of four sauces, including red wine reduction and horseradish cream.

Taylor Shellfish opened its latest oyster bar in April in a part of town that needs more fresh seafood options—Lower Queen Anne. The bright, shiny bivalve spot near the Space Needle will almost double its capacity this summer when patio seating is introduced. Plus, shrimp cocktails and crab legs for the raw-phobic.