Now, more than ever, it’s so important to support local businesses since many were hard hit by the coronavirus shutdown, particularly restaurants. A delicious and simple way to help if it’s within your means is to order a meal for takeout or delivery. To give you some ideas of where to eat, we’re sharing some of our favorite local restaurants. Of course, since we want our Bothell, Monroe, Mill Creek and Everett braces patients to be able to enjoy some delicious food too, we’re highlighting establishments with braces-friendly food. We can’t mention every restaurant, so we would encourage you to patronize your personal favorites as well.
Eating With Braces
Before we dive into our restaurant recommendations, let’s have a quick refresher on eating with braces. The good news is, you can still eat most of your favorite foods when you’re in orthodontic treatment. However, if your teeth feel a little sensitive when you first get your braces put on or after adjustments, try sticking with soft foods and cold beverages like mashed potatoes, smoothies, soup, applesauce, milkshakes and yogurt. Always break or cut food into bite-sized pieces and chew with your back teeth. Never tear or bite directly into foods, which means you’ll want to take meat off of the bone and corn off of the cob.
There are some foods to avoid with braces, such as anything really hard, chewy or sticky. Things that fall into those categories include hard rolls and chips, hard candy, caramel, taffy, Starburst, unpopped popcorn kernels, whole, raw apples and carrots, and anything that could damage your appliance or get stuck and cause inflammation. Now that we’ve discussed what to eat with braces and the foods to stay away from, on to our recommendations for local restaurants with braces-friendly food options to support the eat local movement.
Our Favorite Braces-Friendly Bothell, Monroe and Mill Creek Restaurants
Korea House – 20615 Bothell Everett Hwy, Suite B, Bothell, WA
Korea House is one of our favorite Bothell restaurants. The restaurant serves up a variety of fresh, delicious Korean dishes and has takeout and delivery available. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Vegetable soft tofu soup, bulgogi (just be sure to cut the meat into small pieces to eat) and kimchi fried rice.
The Bine -10127 Main Street, Bothell, WA
The Bine Beer & Food is another excellent Bothell restaurant. They have elevated pub-style classics and a great kids’ menu. The Bine is currently offering outdoor seating and takeout. For takeout, they recommend ordering online. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Mac and cheese, the Jake burger (cut it into small pieces to eat it), and the veggie grilled cheese.
Banh Mi Pho U! – 22118 20th Street SE, Suite 127, Bothell, WA
Banh Mi Pho U! has a range of Vietnamense offerings and they offer takeout and delivery. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Meatball pho, vegetarian rice dish, and Ga Nuong (grilled chicken).
RCO team at a team lunch
The Cottage – 10029 NE 183rd Street, Bothell, WA
The Cottage has all of their bases covered with outdoor dining and takeout with curbside pickup, as well as delivery through Doordash. The Bothell restaurant has outstanding food made using local ingredients. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Cottage quiche, coronation chicken salad sandwich, and mushroom formaggio.
Bella Balducci’s Mediterranean Cuisine – 19565 State Route 2, Monroe, WA
Bella Balducci’s in Monroe is a hidden gem with excellent food and service. They offer takeout and have online ordering available. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Chicken souvlaki, gyro plate and puttanesca pasta.
Benjarong Thai Restaurant – 19480 State Route 2, Suite D1, Monroe, WA
Benjarong is another Monroe restaurant with plenty of foods you can eat with braces. They have takeout and delivery. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Phad see-ew, yellow curry chicken and basil fried rice.
Las Tres Marias – 116 W Main Street, Monroe, WA
Las Tres Marias is a Mexican restaurant with top-notch food and friendly service. They are currently offering takeout. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Deluxe veggie burrito, arroz con camarones and pollo en mole.
Tablas Woodstone Taverna – 15522 Main Street, Mill Creek, WA
Tablas Woodstone Taverna is one of our go-to Mill Creek restaurants. They’re offering outdoor seating, as well as delivery and takeout with the option for curbside pickup. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Tort de patata, quinoa salad with avocado and feta, and grilled fish tacos (cut into bite-sized pieces to eat).
Azul Restaurant and Lounge – 15118 Main Street, Mill Creek, WA
This Latin America bistro is a must-try spot. They’re offering outdoor seating, as well as takeout with online ordering. Our favorite braces-friendly food options: Enchilada verde, chimichurri chicken, and salmon and mango salsa.
Sawmill Cafe – 15409 Main Street, Mill Creek, WA
Sawmill Cafe serves up awesome breakfast and lunch options. Order takeout or delivery online. Our favorite braces-friendly options: Mish mash turkey hash, veggie omelet and traditional french toast.
These are just some of the many amazing Bothell, Monroe and Mill Creek restaurants with braces-friendly food. Take a break from cooking, support local businesses, and eat local to savor a delicious meal. If, in between orders, you’re interested in perfecting your smile, schedule an in-person or virtual consultation at Richard Chan Orthodontics today!
