Imagine yourself drinking a delicious cocktail with the sound of live jazz floating in from your right. You take an exhale and look to your left to see a bird’s eye view of the city as the sun glistens off Elliott Bay.
The floor-to-ceiling windows at Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge make your worries feel as small as the seemingly LEGO-sized people walking on the streets below while you dine in the sky. The space has New York high-rise energy, allowing me to gladly drink in the views and my old-fashioned, simultaneously.
Entering through the luxurious Lotte Hotel Seattle, Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge is just a quick elevator ride to the 16th floor. Before or after your meal, you can grab a cozy seat and relax at the lounge, where the contemporary yet classy vibes set the perfect tone for a post-work happy hour or sexy date night celebration.
Charlotte’s décor is elevated but inviting, with beautiful large bouquets of flowers on display, wood tables, and soft lighting.
As for the menu, the more adventurous your taste buds are, the more fun you’ll have. As the waiter placed full-blown octopus legs in front of us, it became obvious their take on Pacific Northwest cuisine was anything but ordinary.
However, the winner for me had to be the scallops—hands down. The way they melted in my mouth, paired with a sunchoke purée, was perfection.
After the entrées and second cocktails were enjoyed, enter the real star of the show – the desserts! These were some of the most colorful, expertly crafted desserts I’ve ever seen. The Red Velvet Cake had white chocolate pieces shooting out of the top, like delicious flames.
The Araguani Chocolate Flourless Cake included tapioca cherry caviar, which honestly, I didn’t even know was a thing! But it is. And it was lovely.
Being tucked away against the massive windows, watching birds soar between skyscrapers and the city lights chase away the day, served as an unforgettable experience.
If you’re looking for someplace to impress your out-of-town guests, or just looking for a solid craft cocktail, Charlotte has you covered from brunch to late night. In the wise words of R&B icon Brandy (really showing my age here), it’ll feel like you’re “sitting on top of the world.”
Check out Charlotte Restaurant & Lounge here!
Susan George is a freelance writer for Seattle Refined. Follow her adventures here.
While some products, services and/or accommodations in this story were provided without charge, the opinions within are those of the author and the Seattle Refined editorial board.