Less than 30 minutes east from Seattle, Redmond’s restaurant scene is bustling these days. There are so many great spots to check out, and here are two that you definitely need to visit.

Spark Pizza

Spark Pizza is a casual, cozy restaurant with a covered patio that specializes in wood-fired pizzas. They also have an excellent selection of small bites, beer, wine, cocktails, and desserts. Excitingly, Spark Pizza was just named (for the second year in a row!) on the Top 50 Pizza in the U.S. list by 50TopPizza.it, an online guide to the best pizzerias in the world that is updated annually.

Spark Pizza was opened by Redmond locals Tony and Carolyn Scott, after the two noticed the need for a high-quality, wood-fired pizza option in their city. The restaurant is run by Chef Andy Ehrenberger and is known for its delicious in-house dough and Neapolitan inspired pies. The absolute must-try here is the Honey & Spice & Everything Nice with a tomato sauce base, crispy pepperoni cups, basil, mozzarella, and spicy honey drizzled on top. We also loved the Everyday I’m Trufflin’ with black truffle puree, Yukon gold potatoes, black truffles, and grana. For those with an adventurous palate, Spark Pizza also offers pies with unique toppings like corn puree, shishito peppers, and shrimp.

Other menu offerings include a kale Caesar salad, roasted beets with goat cheese and hazelnuts, white cheddar mac & cheese, and creamy burrata with mint and pea pesto. Desserts include Italian classics like tiramisu and panna cotta, as well as bread pudding, root beer floats, and lemon cake. We love washing everything down with a negroni or old fashioned, or one of the many local beers and wines. Make sure to check out Spark Pizza’s “Hella Happy Hour” for some great food and drink deals, which takes place Tuesday to Sunday from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.

Spark Pizza has outdoor dining only, which is open year-round thanks to the covered and heated patio. This spot is very popular, so expect to wait a bit when you arrive. But trust us, the pizza is worth it! Spark Pizza is located at 8110 16th Ave NE in Redmond. For more information, visit sparkpizzaredmond.com.

Woodblock

Woodblock is a trendy craft cocktail bar and restaurant located in downtown Redmond. Woodblock is owned and operated by Tony and Carolyn Scott, the same owners of Spark Pizza! Back in 2015, Tony and Carolyn decided to pursue their long-held dream of creating a neighborhood spot with exceptional food and cocktails, plus a friendly staff, which is how Woodblock was born.

Woodblock is open daily and offers a wide variety of menus, including an excellent happy hour and weekend brunch. Happy hour at Woodblock is every day from 3:00 – 5:00 pm, and features $8 wine, $10 cocktails, and delicious bites like the spicy chicken sandwich, Woodblock burger, parmesan truffle fries, and garlic honey chicken wings. This is truly one of the best happy hours in the city!

The weekend brunch is also not-to-be-missed, with offerings like the Woodblock breakfast tacos, banana foster french toast, croque madame, and biscuits and gravy. Woodblock has four(!) different kinds of eggs benedict, including the “cali-veg” benny with guacamole and tomato, the house-smoked pork belly benny, the smoked salmon benny, and a delectable crab cake benedict. Whatever you decide to order, make sure to get a scotch egg (if you eat meat, that is). Woodblock is famous for these pork sausage wrapped soft-cooked eggs, panko breaded and fried to perfection, served on a bed of caramelized onion, arugula, and currant-grain mustard aioli.

Woodblock also offers daily dinner, weekday lunch, a late night menu, and a substantial drink menu full of beer, wine, cocktails, as well as an impressive whiskey selection. They are located at 16175 Cleveland Street in downtown Redmond. For more information, visit woodblockredmond.com.