Pioneer Square, the alluring Seattle neighborhood famous for its window-shopping and casual dining, charmingly resonates with rich history and tantalizing, comforting fare.
Once the city center, Pioneer Square was almost entirely destroyed by the Great Seattle Fire of 1889. Brick and stone Romanesque Revival-style structures, built in the 1890s to replace what burned, now characterize this district and lend it a historic, European vibe. Ornate facades decorate classic apartment buildings, tree-shaded parks and eclectic galleries sprinkle the streets, and superb restaurants nestle inconspicuously in basements and in creeping, ivy-covered alleyways.
Meandering around, ogling clothes I don’t need and art I can’t afford, always gives me a monstrous appetite. Fortunately, Pioneer Square is home to a number of the best sandwich restaurants I’ve ever tried.
Tat’s Delicatessen
Tat’s Delicatessen serves the “Tat’srami:” a heaping pile of delicately-sliced pastrami on a fresh Italian roll, topped with melted Swiss, bittersweet coleslaw and Russian dressing. An order of Tat’s freshly-cut, Old Bay-seasoned fries completes the meal (and necessitates a minimum 30-minute digestion period before I can walk again.) Brick walls, white tile floors, and the aroma from Tat’s in-house meat smokers make the place feel rustic and homey.
Bakeman’s Restaurant
Bakeman’s Restaurant is a true diamond in the rough. Beloved by locals and usually overlooked by tourists, it’s easy to miss due to its discreet signage and fluorescent-lit basement location. The protocol at Bakeman’s is by-and-large the same as high schools and prisons: grab a tray and jostle through the line, accumulating food as you go. Bakeman’s isn’t the classiest, the best decorated, or the most customer service-oriented establishment, but it serves sandwiches on pillow-soft bread, mouthwatering soups, and fragrant homemade pies. I’m partial to the succulent turkey sandwich garnished with tart cranberry sauce, as well as the blueberry pie.
Salumi Artisan Cured Meats
For the most authentic European cuisine, no restaurant competes with Salumi Artisan Cured Meats. Salumi is the real deal; an artisan factory that produces top-quality, cured meats and traditional Italian foods. It sells its products by the pound, as well as gourmet sandwiches. Offerings include a cured pork loin sandwich, a hot meatball sandwich, and—for a real taste of Italy—a cured tongue sandwich.
*Link to featured image: http://www.pioneersquare.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/skillet-burger.jpg
