When I think about iconic New York foods, three instantly come to mind: pizza, bagels and Italian sandwiches (if my Bronx/Brooklyn-raised mother was looking over my shoulder, she’d be screaming, “What about the black-and-white cookie?!”). For the longest time, Seattle was limping along in all three categories.
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But times have changed, the dough nerds emerged and our city has been blessed with lots of good pizza and good bagels! And over the past six months, we have closed the carb loop on the trifecta: There has been an Italian sandwich explosion! Whether it’s a pizzeria, a sandwich shop or a sit-down restaurant with table service, you can’t walk a mile without hitting a wall of mortadella and capicola. Which, this being Seattle, is pronounced cap-ih-cola, not 🤌 gabagool 🤌.
I’m curious what’s inspired this trend. Do we have more East Coast and Italian transplants clamoring for a taste of home? Is an affordable but high-quality sandwich the response to the city’s sky-high restaurant prices? Is it simply because these foods are universally delicious and beloved? I don’t know! But long-standing sandwich spots serving Italian-style subs, like Salumi, Mean Sandwich, Tat’s Deli and Other Coast, have lots of new competition.
Post Alley Pizza
I have written about Post Alley’s Italian hoagie before, but after eating a handful of local Italian sandwiches over the past month, this is still far and away my favorite in the city. And the only one I tried that’s not on focaccia. This is an Italian-American, East Coast-style hoagie, on a chewy, crusty, freshly baked sesame seed roll. The key to this sandwich is balance: good filling-to-bread ratio, a nice tang from the sharp provolone, shredded chicories mixed in with the shredded lettuce, offering a pleasant bitterness that cuts through the thick layer of rich, Italian cold cuts. And don't forget to add Hoagie Jazz; a spicy, umami-rich spread made with chopped Calabrian chili, anchovy and garlic. Post Alley recently lowered their prices, posting this on Instagram:
In an effort to avoid having a $20 sandwich on the menu, we've opted to make the hoagies slightly smaller AND cheaper. Going forward, all hoagies will be 6" and $16 (down from 8" and $18). This reduction in size will allow us to increase bread production by 25% and allow us to have more hoagies each day. And don't forget, if those 2"'s are a deal breaker, we sell pizza by the slice too!!!
My Friend Derek’s
This excellent Detroit-style pizzeria finally has a brick-and-mortar home in Seattle’s Tangletown neighborhood, after years of being a hard-to-snag, popular pop-up. They recently added two sandwiches to the menu, one Italian and one rotating vegetarian. Detroit-style pizza dough is already a focaccia facsimile, and the beautiful, pillowy base of Derek’s sandwiches is some of the best focaccia I’ve had. I visited in October and was lucky to catch the very last day they were tucking slices of sweet, local heirloom tomato into their sandwiches. Everything tasted super fresh, with a little bit of heat from pickled peppers, and at $12 for a big sandwich on homemade bread, this might be one of the best deals in town.
Bottega Gabriele
Two Italian immigrants, both named Gabriele, one very well-received Pioneer Square sandwich shop! The Gabrieles import their meats, cheeses and other products from Italy, but their pride and joy is the nduja they make in-store. I tried the Nduji sandwich: capicola, salami Napoletano, nduja, olive and tomato tapenade, artichoke, fresh Sardinian Pecorino and arugula on toasted focaccia. It was rich and earthy, stacked high with thinly sliced meats. Next time I’ll try the lighter-sounding mortadella sandwich, spread with imported ricotta, fresh lemon zest, arugula and Calabrian chili honey.
Darkalino’s
Darkalino’s occupies one of the most charming spaces in the city, on a cobblestoned, ivy-climbing corner in Pioneer Square. The former location of London Plane features floor-to-ceiling windows, brick walls, table service and a full Italian-American menu. And nestled between the pizzas, the pastas, the shrimp cocktail and the tiramisu are five Italian sandwiches. A friend and I split the Italian Combo ($22) and the Chicken Parm ($20), which was the clear winner, with its juicy chicken cutlet, melty mozz and tall pile of peppery arugula. We found the Italian meats and cheeses were overwhelmed and muted by the large slabs of herby focaccia.
There are several other newcomers I have yet to try:
- Fortuna: This Greenwood shop offers a whole menu of Italian sandwiches on a thinner, flatter foccacia called schiacciata, made by Bakery Nouveau.
- Hushy’s on Stone Way and Swing Sandwiches in Queen Anne both have an Italian on their menus.
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Have a food- or drink-related question? (Need a restaurant rec? Have a mystery that needs solving?) Send me a note: rachel.belle@cascadepbs.org
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Rachel Belle
