The best bets for lunches to savor in and near Bellevue

LunchBox Laboratory (which also offers options for takeout and delivery) got its start in a 400-square-foot building in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood "by the MacGyver-like culinary vision of Food Alchemist Scott Simpson. The original concept was born of Scott's love for his mother." The quirky venue mixes nostalgic Americana comfort food with an off-the-wall twist, and menu items here include the "As Seen On TV Dork burger," the "Burger of the Gods," the "Astronauts Mimosa" and items such as: "Hong Kong Buffalo Wings," "Goldfish Mac and Cheese" and the "Drunken Elvis" liquor-infused shake. Be sure to check out items on the weekly "experimental" menu. Enjoy daily happy hour specials from 3 to 6 and 9 p.m. to close.

If zesty food, full-flavored and rich, constantly tempts you, Cactus (the Bellevue outpost) stands poised to satisfy the craving. Offerings are consistently good and inventive at this bright, welcoming venue. The menu is full of well-prepared delights, such as carnitas, tamales, fajitas and pork steak adobo. You'll also find a great selection of tapas items, which could satiate your appetite on their own. The festive atmosphere adds to the good mood, and the staff is helpful and friendly too. While you wait, try a mojito! This eastisde outpost is now open for lunch, dinner, weekend brunch and daily happy hour, too.

Just across the plaza from Kirkland's Woodmark Hotel, you'll find Carillon Kitchen, where "healthy and homemade" is the name of the game for this inviting venue with courtyard seating (and water views!). The casual cafe features counter service and friendly staff. If you're craving breakfast food, try the avocado toast with eggs and bacon for hearty sustenance, or the housemade granola with local Elenos yogurt for something lighter. At lunchtime, enjoy the turkey confit club, spicy chicken Caesar wrap or Cascade Countryside salad. Grab a juice or latte for the road, and consider having the friendly team pack you a to-go picnic lunch if you're staying at the Woodmark and want to borrow a beach cruiser for a cycling adventure.

Lunchtime diners on the Eastside love popping into Bellevue's LifeCafe (connected to Life Time's spacious health club). Here it's easy to pick up fresh and healthful items that are made using only real, wholesome ingredients�—, all free of artificial additives. Enjoy fresh grab-and-go goodies from the fridge, or sit in the sleek cafe to leisurely enjoy your meal on-site. Build your own shake or smoothie (the Vegan PB & B Shake is wildly popular!), or dig into a variety of health-conscious bowls, sandwiches, salads and flatbreads. For a surprisingly filling lunch, order the Chef Dodge Bowl, �—a delightful combo of garlic-herbed chicken, grilled artichoke, roasted yellow tomato, squash, zucchini, red and yellow peppers, red onion, broccoli and cauliflower rice with citrus-garlic aioli.

Expertly prepared Vietnamese cuisine consistently draws a hungry crowd to this family-run restaurant. The menu changes seasonally and offers an extensive selection of delicious dishes. Vegetarians relish the lemongrass tofu, while omnivores delight in the rich flavors unleashed in banana leaf-wrapped halibut and tamarind soup. Efficient service and reasonable prices add to the appeal, as does a weekend dim sum brunch (Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). When the restaurant first opened in Seattle in 1999, wine was the beverage focus; when a second location opened in Bellevue, with a full bar, inventive and inspired cocktails became a main draw. Perks here range from free parking behind the restaurant to a heated patio.

Looking for a lunch experience to stand out above the rest? On the weekends, indulge by snagging a seat in the soaring spaces of this elevated restaurant, and get ready to drink in the views of a lifetime, and no doubt the best view in all of Bellevue. On a crystal-clear day, Mt. Rainier shows her mighty peak on one side, as Seattle's skyline rises in front of the distant Olympic Mountain peaks. While many loyal fans returns for full steak and sushi dinners, brunchtime brings delights like the avocado crostino, Dungeness crab avocado crostino Benedict, chicharron chicken and waffles and a rendition of steak and egg fried rice you'll be talking about for some time to come. Unparalleled service in this stunning environment is enough to elevate any weekend in Bellevue.

This simple, elegant bistro offers an appealing mix of American favorites with a menu showing influences from France, Italy and South America. The minimalist decor is serene and upscale with white tablecloths, neutral colors and candlelight. Start with a bottle of wine from a list of more than 300, and then try an entree such as roast duck with cranberry sauce and veal sirloin in wild mushroom sauce. The dessert selection changes daily, but look for the highly recommended pecan pie. Reservations recommended. While the venue is open seven days a week, lunch is served Monday through Friday. (Bis on Main has received accolades like "Bellevue's Most Romantic Restaurant," and it's also a perennial recipient of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.)

There's a cool wine bar-meets French bakery in Bellevue that's proving a unique destination for a variety of reasons. In the Cépaé Tasting Room (pronounced 'Seh-pay-eh), patrons enjoy the largest selection of wines by the glass offered in the region (with an emphasis on Old-World options). The venue uses the Le Verre du Vin system, allowing capacity for its entire portfolio of 120-plus bottles to be poured by the glass. French owner Julien Hervet is breaking the mold by importing European wines that no one else here sells (the venue represents world-renowned winemaker Bernard Magrez Vignobles exclusively for Washington State). Sharing the sleek, airy space, La Parisienne French Bakery features delicious food that seemingly transports diners as they dive into a delectably authentic croissant, pain au chocolate, quiche and tartine offerings. The lunchtime menu focuses on classic French fare like the Salade Niçoise and Soup à l'Oignon.

Kura Sushi, which opened its first eatery in Japan in 1977, has launched its newest location in Bellevue, Washington. The bright, vibrant and casual venue features a fun-filled, revolving sushi bar experience for all. Highlights range from a mesmerizing Express Belt (with made-to-order requests), plus a Bikkura Pon Prize System (a short anime plays at the table for every five sushi plates ordered, and prizes are received for every 15 plates consumed). The restaurant offers savory, authentic Japanese dishes made with natural, premium ingredients that are free of artificial sweeteners, seasonings, preservatives and colorings. Try scrumptious rolls from the Seared Scallop with Japanese Mayo to the Umami Oil Seared Beef, or indulge in udon and soup options, bowls of ramen, watermelon cubes, warabimochi, even slices of New York Cheesecake.

Din Tai Fung was founded in Taipei, Taiwan, in 1958 as a cooking oil retail shop, before transitioning in 1972 into a full-fledged restaurant. It has since become world-renowned for its soup dumplings and noodles, and Seattleites are thrilled to have multiple outposts of this delectable, raved-about restaurant here in their city. (The tradition of Din Tai Fung continues in global locations like Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Thailand.) Guests laud the shrimp and pork shao mai dumplings, as well as other creative noodle and rice dishes. The restaurant opens at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings.