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Writing about Seattle barbecue means that you have to preface everything with, “Seattle isn’t known for its barbecue...” or “Though not a traditional barbecue hub...” Look, we know Seattle doesn’t have the barbecue tradition of cities like Kansas City or Austin. But we hate badmouthing our own town, and it’s not like the Seattle isn’t blessed with great meat or doesn’t have the technological sophistication necessary to smoke brisket. We have plenty of smokehouses and barbecue spots doing great work. Here are nine of our favorites, as usual not ranked but organized geographically.

Know of a spot that should be on our radar? Send us a tip by emailing seattle@eater.com. As usual, this list is not ranked; it’s organized geographically.

(Note: This list sticks to restaurants serving American-style barbecue. Some of the many great Japanese and Korean barbecue restaurants in the Seattle area can be found on Eater Seattle’s Japanese and Korean cuisine maps.)

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Brileys in Lake Forest Park draws in many fans for good reason. The restaurant's Southern Pride SPK 500 smoker imparts the flavor of cherry and applewood into everything from sausages to brisket, ribs, and chicken. Sides are a big focus here, too, and the Brileys Fries, topped with barbecue sauce and Brunswick stew, are a must.

Wallingford’s RoRo BBQ has been in business since 2006, and now that it’s surrounded by freshly constructed mixed-use buildings it feels like an anachronism, a cozy little house of meat tucked away from the world. There are some fun features on this menu, like pork rinds with sriracha seasoning or Seattle Succotash, a mixture of corn, black beans, and edamame with a cilantro-lime dressing. They even have a “BBQ Sundae,” which is your choice of meat plus two sides all piled into a bowl — a premium version of a KFC Famous Bowl.

At this Central District fixture, pitmaster Ed “Pookey” Whitfield presides over a wonderful array of pulled pork, beef, brisket, chicken, and ribs. The smoked meats are paired with candied yams, mac and cheese, potato salad — all the classics, crafted with care.

This Seattle mainstay has been slinging smoked meats for more than 40 years now, and it’s still going strong. While other places may have a bit more flash, the SoDo Pecos continues to charm, with its signature lighted hog sign out front and reliably tender brisket. In partnership with Red Robin founder Gerry Kingen, Pecos is planning to expand aggressively, and now has outposts in West Seattle and Yelm, with more on the way.

Jack Timmons — a Texas transplant and former Microsoft employee — got his start in the biz when he created the Seattle Brisket Experience, with an offset smoker and loads of oak, mesquite, and hickory. Fans of his SoDo restaurant (with other locations in South Lake Union, Columbia Tower and Algona) have long sought out its terrific menu items, including Frito pie, rib tips, barbecue tacos, smoked cocktails, and, of course, brisket.

Southern barbecue meets Jamaican flavors at this takeout-only restaurant and catering operation in Columbia City. The menu ranges from fantastic jerk fried chicken and waffles to barbecue wings to a delectable smoked and fried bologna sandwich. The restaurant also offers catering with platters of ribs, barbecue chicken, brisket, and more. In 2021, Lil Red was listed among one of national barbecue expert Adrian Miller’s 20 favorite Black-owned barbecue restaurants in the U.S.

West Seattle has a nice little barbecue corridor going, with Pecos, Lady Jaye, and this unassuming spot on Fauntleroy Way. Here, diners will find terrific rib tips and chopped pork smothered in a barbecue sauce so tangy, it’ll be tempting to buy giant jars of it (sold for retail at the shop).

Smoke is a central theme at Lady Jaye, which has a 2,000-pound smoker dubbed “Cletus.” It turns out such delights as bulgogi short ribs, pork belly burnt ends, and smoked bologna sandwiches. The meat pairs perfectly with the bourbon and rye-heavy cocktail menu, including the smoked old fashioned.

This small restaurant in Hillman City has been serving some of Seattle's best barbecue for years, without making a huge fuss about it. Certainly the massive portions of smoked meat, inspired by owner Tess Thomas’s roots in Arkansas and Memphis, are still turning heads, with piles of succulent pulled pork, brisket, and chicken, alongside terrific cornbread and collard greens.

Brileys in Lake Forest Park draws in many fans for good reason. The restaurant's Southern Pride SPK 500 smoker imparts the flavor of cherry and applewood into everything from sausages to brisket, ribs, and chicken. Sides are a big focus here, too, and the Brileys Fries, topped with barbecue sauce and Brunswick stew, are a must.

Wallingford’s RoRo BBQ has been in business since 2006, and now that it’s surrounded by freshly constructed mixed-use buildings it feels like an anachronism, a cozy little house of meat tucked away from the world. There are some fun features on this menu, like pork rinds with sriracha seasoning or Seattle Succotash, a mixture of corn, black beans, and edamame with a cilantro-lime dressing. They even have a “BBQ Sundae,” which is your choice of meat plus two sides all piled into a bowl — a premium version of a KFC Famous Bowl.

At this Central District fixture, pitmaster Ed “Pookey” Whitfield presides over a wonderful array of pulled pork, beef, brisket, chicken, and ribs. The smoked meats are paired with candied yams, mac and cheese, potato salad — all the classics, crafted with care.

This Seattle mainstay has been slinging smoked meats for more than 40 years now, and it’s still going strong. While other places may have a bit more flash, the SoDo Pecos continues to charm, with its signature lighted hog sign out front and reliably tender brisket. In partnership with Red Robin founder Gerry Kingen, Pecos is planning to expand aggressively, and now has outposts in West Seattle and Yelm, with more on the way.

Jack Timmons — a Texas transplant and former Microsoft employee — got his start in the biz when he created the Seattle Brisket Experience, with an offset smoker and loads of oak, mesquite, and hickory. Fans of his SoDo restaurant (with other locations in South Lake Union, Columbia Tower and Algona) have long sought out its terrific menu items, including Frito pie, rib tips, barbecue tacos, smoked cocktails, and, of course, brisket.

Southern barbecue meets Jamaican flavors at this takeout-only restaurant and catering operation in Columbia City. The menu ranges from fantastic jerk fried chicken and waffles to barbecue wings to a delectable smoked and fried bologna sandwich. The restaurant also offers catering with platters of ribs, barbecue chicken, brisket, and more. In 2021, Lil Red was listed among one of national barbecue expert Adrian Miller’s 20 favorite Black-owned barbecue restaurants in the U.S.

West Seattle has a nice little barbecue corridor going, with Pecos, Lady Jaye, and this unassuming spot on Fauntleroy Way. Here, diners will find terrific rib tips and chopped pork smothered in a barbecue sauce so tangy, it’ll be tempting to buy giant jars of it (sold for retail at the shop).

Smoke is a central theme at Lady Jaye, which has a 2,000-pound smoker dubbed “Cletus.” It turns out such delights as bulgogi short ribs, pork belly burnt ends, and smoked bologna sandwiches. The meat pairs perfectly with the bourbon and rye-heavy cocktail menu, including the smoked old fashioned.

This small restaurant in Hillman City has been serving some of Seattle's best barbecue for years, without making a huge fuss about it. Certainly the massive portions of smoked meat, inspired by owner Tess Thomas’s roots in Arkansas and Memphis, are still turning heads, with piles of succulent pulled pork, brisket, and chicken, alongside terrific cornbread and collard greens.

Gov. Jay Inslee signed a new bill that resets the study for a new airport with added vetoes making it clear the priority is expanding existing airports.

SEATTLE — A new major airport in western Washington is looking more and more unlikely after Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill that resets the study for one, with added vetoes.

“It does lift quite a burden,” said Dawn Sonntag, who founded "Stop the Airport."

As Sonntag walked along a trail steps from her Thurston County home, she reflected on a difficult year.

Sonntag lives in one of the Greenfields previously chosen as a potential site for a new airport by the Commercial Aviation Coordinating Commission (CACC).

That sight will no longer be chosen after Inslee signed a bill Monday to reset the study for a new airport. In a letter to the state House, Inslee said the new group had to fully consider expanding already existing airports throughout the state before looking at building a new one.

“We were stunned. We have been writing letters asking for this outcome since day one,” said Sonntag.

“My concern is that the analysis that’s already been done in this case for existing airports in Puget Sound has already been ruled out. So what’s left?” said Robert Hodgman, who was a lead planner for CACC as well as the airport director for Yakima Air Terminal. He agrees more public input will help the process.

Hodgman said with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport projected to reach its 56 million capacity in 2032, smaller flights will likely be cancelled.

“Many of the communities in central and eastern Washington are at great risk of losing air service all together. This is a big problem, there’s a lot at stake here,” said Hodgman.

Though it appears green fields will not be the priority, Sonntag said it’s important to stay vigilant.

“My hope and plan for the future is we form a permanent coalition for protecting the green spaces in western Washington.”

The new study group will provide progress reports yearly with the first due July of 2024. That report will highlight which airports won’t work based on military operations.

A small plane crashed into Elliott Bay on Thursday evening near the downtown Seattle waterfront, sinking only a few hundred feet from a pier, officials said.

The plane crashed into the Sound near the waterfront in the 2800 block of Alaskan Way, according to the Seattle Fire Department. The 42-year-old pilot was able to exit the plane before being rescued by a group of boaters and brought to shore.

The pilot suffered minor injuries. He was treated in the Harborview Medical Center emergency room and released Thursday night, said hospital spokesperson Susan Gregg. No passengers were aboard the plane.

Coast Guard responders found no surface pollution in Elliott Bay while checking the area Thursday evening with a small-boat team and a drone, said Petty Officer Travis Magee.

Thomas Hawthorne said he and three others were boating on the Sound when they saw the aircraft flying low over the water. A few minutes later, the plane crashed into the water about a half mile away.

“We were just hanging out in the boat, enjoying the views of Seattle, and all of a sudden we see a plane coming in flying really low … then [it] crashed,” said Hawthorne’s friend, David Commarford.

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The group debated what to do and ultimately headed to the crash site, where they found the pilot struggling to swim and the plane mostly underwater.

One of the boaters, Elaina Neal, said she threw a rope to the pilot, who was able to grasp it on her second toss. The boaters then pulled the pilot to the side of their boat, and Hawthorne and Commarford dragged him from the water.

“David grabbed his arm, and then we kind of all got over to the side of the boat and pulled him into the boat,” Hawthorne said.

The pilot had trouble breathing and had blood around his jaw and mouth, Commarford said. He told the group he had lost control of the plane, according to Hawthorne.

With the pilot onboard, the group headed to the pier, where paramedics took over.

Brent Breslin, who was operating the boat, said he and his friends sprung quickly into rescue mode when they saw the plane go down.

“It was kind of a surreal thing to see,” he said.

Seattle Times reporter Mike Lindblom contributed to this article.

Daisy Zavala Magaña: dzavala@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @daisyzavv. Daisy Zavala Magaña is a staff reporter for The Seattle Times.

Large wildfires burning in Alberta, Canada have produced large amounts of smoke that have moved into Washington.

SEATTLE — If you think you're seeing haze from wildfire smoke in mid-May, you're not imagining things. Wildfire smoke from Canada moved into Washington state Wednesday morning and is forecast to stick around through the remainder of the week.

Large wildfires burning in Alberta, Canada paired with a weather pattern favorable to carrying wildfire smoke into the Pacific and Inland Northwest have developed. This weather pattern will keep wildfire smoke around the region through the end of the week, creating hazy skies and filtered sunshine along with colorful sunrises and sunsets.

At this time, it appears most of the wildfire smoke will stay aloft, higher in the atmosphere, not creating a widespread impact on the air quality at the surface for areas west of the Cascades. This will continue to be closely monitored over the next 72 hours for any subtle changes that could bring more smoke down to the surface.

High level smoke easily spotted on the visible satellite image at sunrise covering the northern half of the state. #wawx pic.twitter.com/Wb0judZHyY

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 17, 2023

A bit of a surreal sunrise view for mid-May for us as wildfire smoke for Alberta arrives. #wawx pic.twitter.com/WIVGaNOPsI

— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 17, 2023

The current forecast keeps most of the smoke aloft and the air quality forecast overall Thursday stays in the good category west of the Cascades. Areas in eastern Washington are forecast to dip into the unhealthy for sensitive groups category Thursday.

Thursday air quality forecast

Credit: KING 5

Thursday air quality forecast

Because of more wildfire smoke mixing down to the surface in central and eastern Washington, reducing air quality, an Air Quality Alert is in effect through Saturday morning for north central and eastern Washington.

Air Quality Alert

Credit: KING 5

Air Quality Alert

The last time Seattle and western Washington saw wildfire smoke was last October when the air quality dipped into the unhealthy category for some areas.

With growing public awareness of the prevalence of toxic “forever chemicals” in drinking water and new testing requirements rolling out this year, Washington state communities are faced with little option but to shut down wells, find alternative water sources and seek funding for costly filtration systems.

On Wednesday, the Department of Health unveiled a public-facing dashboard sharing data from drinking water wells in the state that have been tested for the presence of these toxic chemicals. Officials hope water system operators and private well owners will use the dashboard to see if PFAS have been detected nearby and make informed decisions about testing their own water source.

In January, the DOH began requiring that some public water systems be tested for PFAS before December 2025. There are about 2,400 such systems in Washington, composed of close to 4,000 wells that need to be tested.

Just over a quarter of those wells have been tested. While only about 2% came back with PFAS above levels that the state considers safe for drinking, those communities have faced devastating consequences.

The highest levels of PFAS in Washington state drinking water have been found around places where firefighting foams containing the substances were used in training exercises for decades. More recently, exorbitantly high levels were detected in a San Juan Island well. Test results are published on DOH’s new PFAS data page.

The state’s new dashboard excludes private wells, and those serving less than 15 households, which are not subject to the testing requirements. Those water system operators and private well owners can use the dashboard to see if PFAS have been detected nearby.

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” have been linked to several health disorders, including cancer, and are one of the most pervasive sources of pollution on the planet.

The chemicals were first developed in the ’50s and ’60s by Minnesota-based 3M, upon request from the Navy, which was looking for a more effective way to fight fires than only with water.

Since then, the chemicals have also been used in carpets, waterproof apparel and nonstick pans. Their widespread usage means that today, the chemicals are found in soil, air, water, the blood of 98% of Americans, and even the snow of Antarctica.

A massive legal battle is playing out nationwide as thousands of individuals, water systems, cities, counties and states sue manufacturers, distributors and in some cases the Department of Defense in federal court to determine who will pay the cleanup bills that will tally in the billions of dollars.

One of those systems is the Lakewood Water District in Pierce County, which spent over $5 million on filtration infrastructure and is now seeking millions more through a class-action lawsuit against 3M and other manufacturers of PFAS.

Last month, the Central Washington city of Moses Lake learned from testing that PFAS were present in some of its 16 active wells, although at concentrations below the state action levels. Nevertheless, the city shut off those wells and began redistributing clean water.

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The city was the former site of the Larson Air Force base, which later was used as a landfill, where arsenic, lead, mercury, and other contaminants may have been dumped.

It is today designated a Superfund cleanup site by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a title reserved for some of the most contaminated, highest priority cleanup sites in the nation.

The city is hoping to continue testing to see if the levels increase, which may require Moses Lake to buy a filtration system, as Lakewood did. Chad Strevy, Moses Lake water division manager, said the systems would cost millions, but the city is betting on using funding awarded from a future settlement of the PFAS liability lawsuit.

The DOH dashboard doesn’t include all the tests that have been carried out in the state. Since 2021, the Army has sampled water from private wells in the vicinity of its military bases across the country. In areas around the four bases in Washington, it has found hundreds of wells with PFAS concentrations above the state action levels.

One well on Whidbey Island registered over 300 times the state action level for one of the chemicals, but those results are not included in the DOH dashboard. Mike Means, a manager in the Office of Drinking Water in the state Department of Health, told The Seattle Times that DOH has considered adding data from tests performed by other agencies, like the Department of Defense.

Washington state’s action levels are stricter then the EPA advisory levels. But this year, in a step to start regulating PFAS contamination at the federal level, the EPA proposed new, lower levels for PFAS concentrations in water that, if approved, would become enforceable nationwide.

The state dashboard is at the Department of Health.

Isabella Breda: 206-652-6536 or ibreda@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @BredaIsabella. Seattle Times staff reporter Isabella Breda covers the environment.

Manuel Villa: 206-464-2262 or mvilla@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @mvilla1859. Manuel Villa is the data reporter for The Seattle Times' investigative team.