Everett was built by millworkers, and millworkers get hungry. Though most of the mills are gone, the roadside diners & old-timey cafes remain (with a few notable new additions). Here are our top picks for food-baby inducing deliciousness this winter.

The New Mexicans

1416 Hewitt Ave.

(425) 512-9705

Website

The New Mexicans’ menu was created 50 years ago on a ranch in Hatch, New Mexico by a grandmother passing down the tricks of the trade to her granddaughter. That granddaughter eventually opened a restaurant in Everett, but the recipes haven’t changed. The menu features all of the classics – chicken and dumplings, mac and cheese, barbecue sandwiches and enchilada casserole served up in huge portions (don’t be afraid to share). Oh, and their sweets are to die for, too: the best (and we mean the best) cinnamon rolls you’ve ever had, giant, plate-sized slices of pie, fresh sopapillas and so much more. Whether you’re in the mood for breakfast, lunch, dinner, happy hour or just drinks, the New Mexicans is a must visit when you’re in Everett.  

Local tip:

it’s a popular place and the food is made from scratch so don’t be in a hurry.

Our Top Comfort Food Pick:

Green Enchiladas: a classic baked enchilada casserole smothered in jack cheese and green chili sauce (but, really, anything on this menu will do).

The Totem Diner

4410 Rucker Ave.

(425) 252-3277

Website

Picture the classic Northwest diner – what do you see? Waitresses who can balance nine plates on one arm and never forget your side of bacon? Coffee pouring every which way? Massive plates of breakfast even if it’s 6 p.m.? Yeah, that sounds about right. The Totem Diner is the quintessential Northwest diner and they serve up some of the biggest portions of comforting American food you’ve ever seen. Come any time of day, order any type of food and leave happy and full to the brim.

Local tip:

the O'Brien potatoes and bacon are legendary around these parts.

Our Top Comfort Food Pick:

The Biscuit Barge: giant biscuit, sausage gravy, sausage patty, eggs and O'Brien potatoes.

Karl’s Bakery & Café

2814 Wetmore Ave.

(425) 252-1774

Website

Karl’s has been around since 1944 so they know their way around a grilled cheese and a cup of coffee. Of course, Karl’s offers much more than that – with long pastry cases full of mouth-watering baked goods on display. For your comfort food money, though, it’s worth it to plop down in a wood-paneled booth and feast on a classic BLT with a side of potato chips. Need to get some stress-eating taken care of? Take a box of cupcakes to go. Nobody has to know.

Our Top Comfort Food Pick:

The BLT

Buck’s American Café

2901 Hewitt Ave.

(425) 258-1351

Website

Buck’s was built in the 1880s. They have brick walls with taxidermy animal heads. It’s the type of place where you half expect to bump into Ernest Hemingway. They’re a fish and steak place, a burger place, a pasta and pie and coffee place. Most everything at Buck’s is slathered with cheese and comes with a side of bread – it’s classic American comfort food in a vaguely masculine, outdoorsy-themed environment.

Our Top Comfort Food Pick:

Check for the daily special (meatloaf, pot roast, chicken-fried steak, etc.) or order the Buck’s Deluxe Burger.