Upscale Vegan?

[sweth]

A DC Chowhound here posting as a proxy for a friend who is coming to Seattle in a few months. Whenever she travels to a new city, she likes to try to hit at least one upscale vegan restaurant there; any suggestions for where she should go while she's in town?

[Bethwick]

Go to Sutra. It's a fixed menu but very interesting creative food and Seattle vibe experience. I would skip Cafe Flora.

[Colin2]

Carmelita. Upscale, plenty of vegan options, food ranges from good to really really good.

http://www.carmelita.net/

[fredstorm]

Having just eaten there, I can highly suggest Sutra (http://www.sutraseattle.com). Fully veggie, and they'll do vegan at any time. Awesome food, awesome experience.

[violetseverine]

Sutra's menus looks great. I'll have to try it.

[violetseverine]

I was actually really bummed out by Plum. Hillside Quickie is better. I think Carmelitas is the hands down winner. Inventive food, not just fake meat.

[AGW510]

Yeah, Cafe Flora, Carmelita, and Plum Bistro are the go-to standards. Personally, I think Cafe Flora has the nicest atmosphere of the three and has the most bang for the buck. Plum Bistro is good, but not any better than the other two.

[Mary McChugalug]

I've been out of Seattle since it opened so I haven't been to it yet (can't wait!) but I'm guessing that Plum Bistro is you're friend's best bet, the owner's other restaurant, Hillside Quickies- a vegan sandwich shop, makes the best sandwiches I've ever had and I would bet dollars to vegan donuts that the food at Plum is wonderful.
Cafe Flore and Carmelita are Seattle's two longstanding upscale vegetarian restaurants (with plenty of vegan items but not a full vegan menu). Neither one is amazing foodwise- I've never had an 'I can't believe that food can be this good!' type of experience at either one, but I've had great meals at both.
Also, Teapot Vegan House is a more casual but excellent pan-asian vegan restaurant that's definitely worth checking out.