I stopped by Lady Yum last night and had such a great experience. The girl helping me was…read moreincredibly kind, welcoming, and patient while I picked out flavors. Everything looked beautiful and tasted just as good as it looked. I tried the toffee, salted caramel, honey lavender, oatmeal snickerdoodle, and strawberry rhubarb macarons. The honey lavender was light and floral without being overpowering, and the strawberry rhubarb had the perfect balance of sweet and tart. The salted caramel and toffee flavors were rich and indulgent, and the oatmeal snickerdoodle tasted warm and cozy with a cinnamon sugar flavor that stood out from the others. The macarons were fresh, flavorful, and perfectly textured. Definitely one of the best macaron spots locally!

Lady Yum in Totem Lake is such a fun little treat-yourself spot. The shop is bright and beautifully…read morestyled, and the rows of colorful macarons are almost too pretty to eat. One of my absolute favorites is Ding Dong (a chocolate-forward flavor that's rich and nostalgic, like an elevated version of a childhood treat). I also love the chocolate mint for something refreshing, and the oatmeal flavor has this cozy, comforting vibe that pairs perfectly with tea or coffee. They consistently nail the texture: lightly crisp on the outside with a soft, chewy center. I also really appreciate that there's indoor seating. The last time I went, my parents were visiting, and we sat inside sipping tea and chatting. It felt warm, cozy, and just really sweet. It's not just a grab-and-go dessert spot, it's somewhere you can linger. And every time I've gone, the women working there have been genuinely friendly and welcoming. That consistency makes such a difference. Such a cute little gem in Totem Lake. Perfect for gifting or a small afternoon treat!

We visited LizzyKate as we were interested in taking one of their tea classes. We had seen several…read morepop up in the past, but hadn't seen anything interesting in the past few months, so we dropped in to ask about them. Apparently rather than being prescheduled most of the time, they are held on demand. We asked for an Oolong tasting session and was able to get one penciled in a couple of weeks later. The store itself is appropriately decorated for a modern and trendy tea shop. There's a bit of an overpowering perfume that lingers throughout the store. It's not the best setting for a tea tasting, especially when trying to differentiate tasting notes when the olfactory glands are already completely saturated with perfume. LizzyKate has a decent selection of true tea, nothing super unique or rare, but I think they lean towards the more accessible blends and tisanes in the first place. Oolong Tasting Class ($35/per person) - Tasting sessions are held in the bar area, brewed mostly using gaiwan with carefully measured water temperature and volume. The class provides some educational material including laminated papers describing the tea production process, growing regions, anatomy, etc. More importantly, unlike some other tasting sessions I've attended, they actually provide pencil and paper, along with brewing instructions, to write down cupping and tasting notes. It certainly beats taking notes on my phone as I usually do. For this course, we tasted a white tea and four different oolongs. My personal tasting notes as follows (for future reference for myself): Bai Mu Dan - Mild, mellow, sweet and slightly astringent flavor with notes of honey and hay. Light golden liquid that's very easy to drink. Tie Guan Yin - Caramelized sweetness, vegetal leafy with a tiny earthy element. Darker golden color with more astringency and round lingering taste. The leaves smell smoky and roasted. Baihao - The smell is distinctively roasty and earthy, approaching the fermented smell of puerh. It has a brownish color and tastes smoky and earthy like peat. Formosa Oolong - It tastes of malt and molasses, with a certain oxidized toastiness. The color is more dark brown although it's not very astringent given the color. Osmanthus Oolong - This smells more malty and surprisingly not that flowery in aroma. The mouthfeel is extremely creamy and silky, almost like milk with the balanced taste of barley and hops with only a slight osmanthus flowery taste in the background. I think the base used is Jin Xuan given the milkiness. With the tasting also comes some treats including mini muffins and some tea infused bars from a chocolatier in Singapore, Fossa Chocolate. I think LizzyKate is more geared towards people who don't have much experience with tea and want a place that's extremely welcoming and modern. They have lattes and plenty of herbal and fruity infusions to help beginners ease into the complexities of tea, While this shop isn't for me, more tea shops are always welcome in the area. I'd definitely recommend it to my friends who want to dip their toes into the world of tea. Bathrooms - Single unisex room.

This is a very accessible and friendly place if you're a tea beginner to expert levels. They sell…read moreteas and tea accessories, as well as loose leaf teas and ready to drink hot/cold teas, lattes, etc. I attended one of the tea classes and I think it was a good experience for beginners. We got to sample five teas and several pieces of chocolate, as well as snacks to clear the palate between teas. We learned about tea and how its harvested, as well as the processing of tea. We also learned about the tea flavor wheel and identified tea tasting notes in the sampled teas. I do wish there was more of a compare and contrast between the teas - it would have been cool to try the same teas but early vs late season, or tea processed similarly but from different regions. If you're new to tea though, the classes are perfect for you!

Rimini Restaurant in Kirkland is truly a standout. This family-owned gem has become one of our…read moreabsolute favorites--not just for the exceptional cuisine inspired by family recipes, but for the entire experience they create from start to finish. From the moment you walk in, Fernando, Cindy, and their genuinely friendly staff make you feel welcome. The ambiance is sophisticated yet warm, with an attention to detail that elevates every visit. Having traveled throughout Italy, we can honestly say dining here feels like being back on vacation. The authenticity, care, and atmosphere all come together in a way that's rare to find. The secrets are in the sauce; the Bolognese and Marsala are remarkable. We live 2 hours away and make the drive because they are just that delicious! If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience with incredible food and impeccable service, Rimini is a must-visit.

Took my Mom and Dad there for my Dads 53rd birthday! Overall, a very welcoming and great…read moreatmosphere. The food mixed with the lively staff and the singer made the experience memorable! Will be coming back!

I have been to Bobae in Woodinville in the past, but this is my first time at the Kirkland…read morelocation. This store is a cute and small, order and go venue. They don't have seats tables to linger. Considering how expensive Kirkland is, it is perfectly understandable. In the past, I was visually lured by their IG friendly drinks such as the strawberry matcha latte. I hated it. They serve it in a non-shakable cup, and it is impossible to properly stir the thick strawberry jam into the beverage. On this cold February day with no lines, I spent the time to ask questions, and we landed on the Bobaejicha, which is roasted green tea hojicha milk tea. For the hard care tea drinkers, hojicha is often a fav. They did right by the hojicha with the smoky tea, soothed with milk, and a touch of sweetness at 25%. It tasted good at 0% also, but I had her add the sugar after a few sips, so I can try both variants. I realized I prefer a 0% by the second half of the cup. Their house made brown sugar syrup adds a caramel taste when mixed with the smoky hojicha. Both variants are good. It was a fun chat to figure out my drink away from photo influences.

Finally got to try bobae and it lived up to the hype! The service was super friendly and I liked…read morethe interior as well. I got their strawberry matcha latte and it was a nice balance! I got it less sweet because the strawberry already makes it pretty sweet. It was about $8 which is sadly the standard for matcha these days. Next time I'll have to try their pink boba

I don't know who needs to hear this but honestly if you are in the mood for American Mexican…read morecuisine, you cannot go wrong here, but not only that, their drinks and their desserts are just as good (especially that caramel cake with pepitas when its around). I ordered my fav which is the chimichanga in chicken (please be aware shrinkflation is real and this little guy has definitely shrunk lol) still tasty and plenty for one person. We also ordered the Burrito Lanera, which is ginormous and I believe a seasonal Shrimp Tamale as well, both were very flavorful, but between the two I think the Burrito won. As always the Hibiscus Mango Sour is a clear winner and favorite with the fam so make sure you try it out if you haven't already Shout out to the wait staff, you guys are awesome and just to note for whatever reason it's quieter at the bar than the family section so if your wanting less noise that's the place to be

Went for happy hour with some girls. I guess they only have happy hour at the bar now, which was a…read morebummer. The bar was indoor only and it was a lovely day, so we sacrificed the discount for the sun. They have a fabulous mocktail selection at reasonable prices! I got a ginger mint fizz and it was so good- not overly sweet and just as cute as my friends' cocktails. Loved all the options. The queso was good too. I am vegetarian and they were able to have the meat on the side for us, which was lovely. I usually get the seafood enchiladas, which are amazing, but wanted something cold on a hot day. The waitress recommended the poke bowl, which I had never even heard of, and it was phenomenal! Refreshing, ample protein, great seasoning. Loved it and would get it again. I love that they have a whole gluten free menu online, makes it so easy for me. I will say, service is a bit on the slow side if you sit outside. Just much harder to waive down your server. We waited about 20+ min between her coming to our table, so we ended up being there about 2 hours when we could have been done in one otherwise.

My boyfriend and I dropped by here on a weekend afternoon for a reading date and loved the bustling…read morelocal coffee shop atmosphere. The open concept really creates a sense of community and makes for really fun people watching, though I didn't get a lot of reading done. I ordered an iced oat milk caramel macchiato which tasted phenomenal with a perfect juxtaposition between the sweet caramel and bold espresso. I loved my coffee and my boyfriend enjoyed his tea. We had such a cosy time reading our books together here and will definitely have to come back the next time we're in town.

THRULINE COFFEE @ DOWNTOWN KIRKLAND…read more Parking is available along the street, and there are also multiple parking lots throughout downtown Kirkland. I ended up parking near the small plaza with the UPS Store and Nothing Bundt Cakes, and it was only about a 3-minute walk to get there. When I walked in around 9:30 AM on a Tuesday, it was already pretty packed. There were a lot of people on their laptops, grabbing coffee, and just hanging out, it felt super lively. I love the overall environment of downtown Kirkland, so I was really excited to finally try this spot since it's been on my radar for a while. I was also meeting a friend, which made the experience even better. I ordered their pizza scone, and it looked so good, and it definitely delivered. It was warm, crusty, and had such a unique flavor combination. I've honestly never had anything like it before, and it just felt perfect for a spring morning. I also got a hot chocolate, which wasn't my favorite. It leaned more on the watery side. The space itself is really nice and spacious. They have plenty of seating in both the front and back, which is great whether you're meeting friends or getting work done. Their menu is also pretty extensive, with options like sandwiches, pastries, drip coffee, matcha, vanilla lattes pretty much everything you'd expect from a café. One thing I appreciated was how fast the service was. Our order came out in less than two minutes, which was impressive, especially given how busy it was. The staff were also super friendly, which always makes a difference. Overall, I really enjoyed the vibe here. Even though the hot chocolate could've been better, I'd still definitely come back and try more items.

Food - Nice and fluffy gelato, not too heavy and not too sweet. Overall a pretty good selection of…read moreamerican gelato. Service - Friendly workers, you'll get your gelato quickly! Ambiance - Quaint shop with seating to sit and eat gelato with your friends.

Food Quality: 5/5 Service: 5/5…read moreCleanliness: 5/5 Value: 5/5 Sirena Gelato is a lovely little gelato shop in Kirkland and a great experience! This shop has a good number of flavors and some unique ones! I've never had chikoo, which was a flavor offered here. It was flavorful and a good sample to try! I ended up with the Ube and Pandan scoops - they were very generous too! The staff were super nice and did great with answering questions about the gelato and the shop was very well kept. Can't wait to go back and try more flavors!

I have come to the Melody Lynne on multiple occasions and I have the best experience every time…read more Yesterday I hosted a bridal shower at Melody Lynne and it exceeded my expectations. Melody & Bryan were beyond helpful in ensuring the event was perfect. She was incredibly responsive leading up to the event as well. Melody even made effort to get the bride a little gift and card which was incredibly thoughtful! Highly highly recommend spending some time here

Great place to get a decent glass of wine & cheese . If…read moreyou're strolling around Kirkland, pop in! -markm

One of our top go-to sit down restaurants, Feast is always reliable and we bring out of town guests…read morehere frequently. The ambiance is perfect for conversation and the dining room is modern, comfortable and stylish. Perfect for anything from date night to a family dinner. Everything on the menu we've had is delicious. One of our favorites is the Terrine Pate Au Foie Gras. The best clam linguine I've ever had, a seasonal item. Their pommes frites with smoked onion aioli is addictive. The burger is also top notch. Some of the best cocktails in town as well. Service is friendly and attentive. We love Feast!

We had made reservations for 9. Hadn't realized we'd be packed like sardines into their one space…read morefor 8. It's in a corner and is just a dead mood killer nook. You have to squeeze against the walls to get around. Or if you have window seating you have to ask 3 guests to get up before you can. They should have just said we can't seat 9. Food: I had the truffled escargot, smoked salmon salad, prawns provencal, cauliflower morney, baguette with pistachio butter. The salmon salad was good, the rest were just ok. The Squabble cocktail was good! Service: Impersonal, cold. At about $100/person a pretty crappy experience. Will we return: No

We had a marvelous experience last weekend for Valentine's Day! We were cutting it close upon our…read morereservation time but we made it! I saw that Hearth was having a Valentine's Day 3 course meal! I made a reservation a few weeks in advance and they messaged me a couple of days beforehand to let me know the menu offerings which I thought were really nice and showed quality impeccable preparation! We truly enjoyed the wild mushroom tartlet, both entrees (lobster saffron risotto and the chicken roulade) followed by the desserts of chocolate crème de pan and the basque cheesecake! We also loved the wine pairings with all the courses! My favorite was one of the dessert wines. Our server was fantastic and the team is so friendly! The ambiance is dim lit but very pretty inside. It was a full house by the time we were eating! It's my second time at Hearth but bf's first and he really enjoyed it :) We'd love to stay at the Heathman one day too! We will be back!

Had a wonderful experience at Hearth at the Heathman Hotel. A special shout-out to Kenny P., the…read moreDirector of Food & Beverage--his leadership really shows in the quality, hospitality, and overall vibe. As someone who eats plant-based, I was genuinely impressed by the options and how accommodating the team was. The tomato soup was so comforting and flavorful, and the breads were excellent. Thank you for having tofu (so appreciated!) and a fresh salad with that bright lemon dressing--simple, clean, and delicious. Also a big thank you to Domingo and Harrison for the great service and positive energy. I'll absolutely be back.