On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Italian, Delis, Sandwiches, Meat Shops [Edit]
Neighborhood: Pioneer SquareTue-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Loading...
I've been to this vegetarian-hatin place three times. The first time, it was closed because we came on a monday, the second time was later in the day when EVERYTHING except two eggplant sandwhichs were sold out
Now, the third time.. was what I like to call a food orgasm. The line was not as long (we came early, I can't stress how important that is!), the foods were all available and the service was what you should expect from a small, busy sandwhich shop.
For those who complained about the service, give me a break! It's a busy,turn-and-burn pop shop.. stop asking so many damn questions, read the boards yourself, and god help you if you ask for "mayo" or no this or light that... stop being so picky and if you want to order it "your way" I suggest you go to the damn burger king or subway...! Ok, enough of that rant...
I ordered the hot sandwhich prochetta, which was a slow roasted pork marinated with celery, carrots served on a delish baguette with some sort of garlic aioli, onions and peppers. Oh, baby! But the one thing I couldn't stop was grabbng my boyfriends food.. He ordered the Sopasetta (Spelling? sorry I'm not italian) salumi sandwhich with a worker's reccomendation of gorgonzola cheese. Top it off, we ordered the bean soup which resemebled a culturally different portugese bean soup.
There isn't much space to sit (which is why I recommend to come early) and it is also family style, meaning one fat ass long table with wne and water in the middle (wine can be purchased by the glass, I believe). We sat in the corner, and behind us was some sort of room were a crowd of women which seemed to be a bachelorette party were digging in some meat platter. Now thats a bachelorette party!
I will come again to this place to indulge in the meat tastic sammies as well as the delish soup and pork products. From what I hear, their cheese is good.. motzarella balls, anyone?
I also like this place because of the fact that Mario Batalli's father started this meat shop after years of working in a non-restaurant industry simply because he wanted to. It was his dream. From what I know, he didn't have much culinary expertise quite like his famous son, but he did it because he saved some money and wanted his dream to come true. Now THATS awesome!
Heaven in a sandwhich. Life ... is GOOD.
Dear Bacon, you have been replaced as king of mother flippin' cured meats.
Nevermind Armandino is Mario Batali's father. So what if Salumi's has received the Anthony Bourdain nod and countless accolades. Who cares if Salumi's always has a line wrapped around the block. Don't mind the sitting area is super duper ultra teeny tiny with picnic style tables. Who gives a crap if the employees yell at the patrons to "CLOSE THE FRONT DOOR!" And just ignore the annoying tourists who keep snapping photos and don't know the "drill".
Simply, this joint is ridiculous. RIDICULOUS.
My mission is to eat every thing on the menu before I die. So far my recommendation is the meat, cheese, and olive plate that literally blew me away. The gorgonzola is absolutely divine.
Salumi's is another piece of my heart, stolen away by Seattle. A peach of a gem, quite frankly. :)
Another 5 star review. No surprise.
Worth the wait. Hands down. No question. Today I got lunch & waited ~20 minutes but I would gladly have waited 20 more minutes for that amazing, melt-in-your-mouth sandwich goodness.
I had the porchetta and man, I described it as 'sandwich heaven.' SO tender. So flavorful. So simple. Baguette. Garlic-y smear stuff. Onions. oooooohhhh lord.
My friend had the salami with their *freshly made* mozzarella on ciabatta and boy, did that look amazing.
I am going back for more and I want you all to come with me. Let's make it a hot date. Wear something sexy & bring your appetite. A good size sandwich, I could only tackle the 1st half at lunch. Well worth $9. I'd spend way more on it actually.
Make the trek, wait it out & I guarantee you won't be sorry. Try all their meaty offerings. deeeeeee-lish y'all.
Been wanting to try this place after hearing about it off and on from friends. My end opinion is that its not worth the wait. It was just a sandwich to me. I must admit my low rating is mainly from the horrid staff. Could they possibly manage to hire a bitchier girl behind the counter? The whole place is very Seinfeld Soup Nazi if you ask me. My friend and I both decided that it was over hyped and we wouldn't be back. Honestly I'd rather walk a few more blocks, not have to wait in line and get myself a Vietnamese sandwich for half the price. I think the only reason Salumi's is busy is because of the name and the hype.
Well worth the trip to Pioneer Square and hurried nature of visit before jumping on the Bainbridge Ferry.
Line was out the door when we arrived before noon. Specials were on a handy chalk board out front. The inside was narrow and filled with a single file line that efficiently moved along the sandwich making station. The menu inside suggested other options and favorites.
We ordered the pork shoulder daily special and a savory figs, cheese, and serano combo. The pork shoulder was fetched from the back fresh and hot. Sandwiches were wrapped up to go.
Our sandwiches were perfect ferry eating- We ate the meat based one between the two of us on the ride over, and the savory sweet variety on the way back. The bread was delicious and the meats very tasty. I loved my Salumi sandwiches.... I will be back... soon!
FYI's~
* You get a choice of bread
* Essentially you order a meat option and a bread option- then add items... or a menu item they thought up
* Sandwiches are about $10 on average
* Sandwiches are really filling
* There is only about two-ish tables in the back
* Line out the door meant about 15 minutes to place and receive order it to go
* Only has lunch time hours
My friends and I went to this little eatery on a Friday afternoon. It's nestled in on a side street amongst some busy streets- I'm glad my friend knew where it was! We walked into the narrow storefront and immediately saw handwritten signs: one declaring that the place was closing at 3:15pm and the other saying that they were out of a certain meat. We rushed inside, hoping there would be something to eat!
Once we arrived at the counter, the staff explained that they were out of just about all the meat, so they couldn't make sandwiches. However, they did have a few sampler platters left- and we seized upon those. We also ordered some soup and pasta. We sat down to eat, at one of the two tables in back, combining the various smoked and cured meats with bread and dipping oil. Every meat was excellent- one even seemed to use molé sauce! The soup was nice, too- chunks of salami in with your usual chicken stock and greens and veggies.
All in all, it was great food. They get all their meat on Tuesday and have to make it last till Friday, so we were fortunate to actually get what we did! The tables in back were cozy, but I'm guessing this is intended to be more of a takeout place with the business they get. Make sure you get there early in the week if you want to savor the meats that make this place famous!
I've been meaning to review this place for a while. Picking a rating was tough. One because Salumi's is a place that has a pretty strong reputation, just look at yelp with the bazillion 5 star ratings chock full of extended vowels (eg, the ooooooohs and aaaaaaaaahs).
So, my review is two pronged. One is the quality of the meat. That would get 5 stars. The very unique ingredient combinations of their cured meats (salami with star anise, white pepper and chinese five spice) really gets a thumbs up. My future relationship with the resturant is just ordering the meat and taking it home.
The second sad part of this review relates to the sandwiches. I know, blasphemy! Scoundrel! In my book, the sandwich gets a 2. I've tried several of their sandwiches, all resulted in disappointment. But really, I don't understand how people can overlook the art, the ART!!! of a good sandwich. The problem is the delicate balance of flavor between the meat to bread to condiments/cheeses/vegetables, etc. All great quality, but something is lost in the art of building it. I was in line and a friend ordered the same sandwich, but we ordered separately so it was made by two different workers. Mine had an okay amount of meat, but hers had a thin, barely detectable scant slices of meat spackled with an overcompensation of cheese between an oversized hunk of bread. Her sandwich tasted essentially like a piece of bread with salty goat cheese. Sad. I've been back a few times for sandwiches, and it's just so hit or miss, with almost all being misses. So now I just buy the meat and make my own perfect sandwiches. Oh, word to the wise if you've never gone... go early! Most stuff runs out pretty quickly.
Best....lunch....in...Seattle. Well from the few lunches I had in Seattle it was the best that is. My Grilled Lamb sandwich was delish.....the lamb and roasted peppers on the bread were just heavenly. There was some kind of dressing on it, not sure what it was but its freshness and oily-ness went great with the lamb. With a side of the house-cured olives it can be a perfect lunch. Sure the communal table can make you uncomfortable at first but hey, just put on your bubbly social face for a while and have fun. Come just at twelve and you can expect to wait about twenty minutes. Also expect a really, really awesome lunch!
I, like many others, am a big fan of Salumi. I admit that I have only eaten there once, but I am already a fan. Hubby and I went before an afternoon Mariner's game this summer. After a moment of being directionally challenged, we found the Holy Grail of cured meats. We arrived around 45 minutes before the doors opened. It's one thing to wait at lines at Disneyland, but I really don't have much patience for waiting in line behind a bunch of people to get into a restaurant. We were second in line and in response to this my husband told me, "We're too early!" I looked at him and replied, "Sweetie, we're not too early because we're not the first ones in line!"
It was definitely worth the wait, knowing that we would be the third and fourth people that day to get a sandwich. We ordered the mole salami with mozzarella cheese and onions and peppers and also a sandwich with a meat that I cannot recall, and mozzarella cheese with peppers and onions. This is terrible, but I cannot remember if it was pancetta or porchetta. All I know is that we love prosciutto but decided not to get it when it was suggested that we try the pancetta or porchetta because the prosciutto is one of the only meats that they don't make themselves. I could be totally wrong, because hubby ordered and well, let's face it, they all start with the letter "p" and are all mighty tasty, so please forgive me for my poor memory.
While I enjoyed the ciabatta bread, the olive oil bread was too much and overwhelmed the meat and other yummy sandwich toppings. It was too dry for my liking, so I will always opt for the ciabatta bread.
The sandwiches are extremely filling. I skipped breakfast just for this occasion and still struggled with one half. But that's okay, because I whipped my other half out during the third inning of the Mariner's game and while I don't like being the center of attention, I was soaking up the attention from the fans sitting next to me. Yeah, yeah, for those of you who were near me, I don't care how much I love them, but I know that my sandwich totally beats your garlic fries. It's okay, you can be jealous. Salumi leftovers for the win!
Well worth the early trip back from Vancouver to sample Armandino's artisan meats. We were lucky to arrive just as the line had died. Being that it was our first time there, the menu was a little overwhelming. There were so many types of salumi/cured meats that you stand there mesmerized at the menu wanting to sample it all. By the time we figured out what we wanted in a sandwich, as well as to take home, people started once again filing through the door. The pressure was on.
T opted for the prosciutto, figs, and goat cheese sandwich, and I went with the sopressata sandwich. Both were excellent in taste and well worth the visit. I would've gone for seconds, had the line not gotten long once again (3:00pm) and they had not ran out of artisan bread. I also decided to take home a couple of logs of salumi and sopressata and a nice hunk of pancetta, to savor a taste of Seattle for a little while longer. Guess what's for dinner tonite?
I hadn't been here for several years but on Friday, my co-workers and I served lunch at the Union Gospel Mission. My ulterior motive was to go back to Salumi... Even at 12:45, the line was out the door. Since I couldn't decide, I opted for the Moffo, a local take on the Muffuletta, and a sopressata and fresh mozz sandwich on a ciabatta roll. When I got back to the office I ate about a quarter of each sandwich and then saved the rest for later. The tapenade wasn't quite like I'm used to but still really tasty. The garlick-y olive oil that they swabbed the bread in was delish. Takes awhile to get through the line but well worth the wait. Next time I want the grilled lamb!!!
Just finished eating half a meatball sandwich at Salumi and it was delicious! Luckily my co-worker and I walked up to a line only about 8 people deep and then were able to snag 2 chairs at the family table.
The meatballs were the best I've had. Not all manhandled and tough like you sometimes get and the tomato sauce had fresh flavor to it and wasn't too thick. The sandwich came slathered with some sort of garlic "marinade" then your choice of cheese (I chose mozzarella) then the meatballs with tomato sauce and peppers and onions. It is a lot of sandwich but so good. I agree with some other reviewers that there is a lot of bread but as long as there is a good amount of filling that's no problem.
A bit of ordering advice: be prepared when you get to the ordering counter. You have the menu to the left when you walk in the door and then there are more options above the ladies making sandwiches. Know that on most sandwiches you order the meat, then the bread and cheese option. These 3 things are pretty much standard so be ready. Also the seating you see (yes all 15 seats!) is all there is. There isn't more seating around the corner or somewhere upstairs (there isn't an upstairs). So most likely you will have to take your sandwiches to go.
Worth the venture for lunch with co-workers or a friend.
Soooo goood. So Anthony Bourdain told me about this place, on his tv show no reservations of course, so I checked it out when I was in Seattle and it was amazing. I am not a big eater of salami or sausages, but this was great. A little long line out the door, but the 20 minute wait was worth it. I had a hot sopprasato (think that is spelled right) salami sandwich on their olive oil bread.. oh so good.
I suggest you check it out.
Salumi: 5 glorious stars
Sandwiches: 2 stars
Come here at an off time (to avoid the crazy lines), buy salumi, leave, make your own sandwich.
Seriously, the sandwich was way too bread-y, and the spreads didn't add much flavor. I'd rather munch on the lovely salumi without the distraction of the other (blah) ingredients. Anyway, you can buy half a pound of salumi for the price of a sandwich, and who wouldn't rather have more meat? If you just have a line fetish, go to Paseo.
I've tried 2 of the 4 that I've ordered......
nuts....
This could be the most expensive food product I ever buy.... as it could very well cause me to search out a REALLY good meat slicer as well
My problem is that I'm not historically a wine person, but I can obviously tell that I need something to clean the palette after each slice that take in....
This place is crazy good... but it's not as simple as that.
Is it worth the wait? Yes. Even if you have been before? Probably the answer is still yet. We arrived at 10:55AM and were 10th in line. Ther is so much to choose from. Meats everywhere! While standing in line, there are samples that usually make their way to you. I ordered the Porchetta ($9.00) flied pork, and my girl friend got the Muffo ($9.00) olive mix, cotto, cheese. To go home, we bought salumi ($9.00 value). I was told that you should really order the meatball...just seeing it, I should have ordered it as well. When we left, the line was three times as long. it's popular, yes it is.
Anyway, if you are in Seattle for any reason, you must go to this establishment. Totally amazing.
The line is too long for a sandwich, even considering how terrific the meat is ... and you can get their meat elsewhere with less wait. The bread is good but not great ... don't get me wrong, this place is terrific. It's just not to my taste. I'm a little more pedestrian, I guess.
I am ashamed.
I have lived in Seattle 1/2 of my life and have never been here until today. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Hands down, the best sandwich in Seattle. Ridiculous.
I ate some sort of hot salami with garlic, big fresh clouds of mozzarella, oozing with onions and peppers on the hard crisped artisan bread for 9.00. The sandwiches are honestly big enough to split and my intention was to bring 1/2 back to the office...no such luck. I ate the whole thing. It was so worth the extra 2 hours I am going to spend at the gym this evening.
I will definitely be trekking back through skid row to have my stomach graced with all that goodness. Truly wonderful!
Too bad yelp doesn't do half stars, as I would give Salumi's 3.5 stars. I enjoy their porcine offerings, fav being the fennel salami. As everyone else has written about, their bread to meat ratio is skewed. I prefer a little less bread.
Notably missing from amongst the reviews is the non-sandwich food offerings. It's mostly the salamis, the soppresatas, the coppacolas, et cetera, that are raved. I've decided to walk a different path.
I've had their summer italian style gazpacho. Tasted like a freshly pureed/pulsed heirloom tomato with fresh basil and almost too raw taste of whole garlic. Saving grace was small bits of cucumber mixed throughout and the slice of artisanal bread served alongside- both helped to mellow out the soup's flavor.
Their pasta offerings is something that also seems often missed. I recently had their penne in pork pasta sauce. Arriving at my table it looked ho-hum, Barrilla penne under a fresh chunkly style pasta sauce. Server's advice was that the sauce was really good with the bread. I decided to heed his advice and started off with a forkful of sauce spread on a slice of bread (yes, I know it's double carbing to have bread served with pasta!).
Oh my! Sauce had a bit of shredded pork, little celery, little carrot, strong earthy olive bit and mini chunks of tomato, all contained in one mouthful. Fresh tasting is the most simplistic way of describing it yet still not all encompassing enough to fully cover how simple the components were in conveying big flavor.
I like pasta sauces with bite, so I asked for some red pepper flakes. That brought me to another level of happiness. Note, they don't have pepper flakes just sitting around getting stale. Server went back to the kitchen & must have grabbed a pinch from the pantry, b/c I got a small plate with exactly that on it.
While the menu said it would be a pork pasta sauce, I know I tasted a small chunk of lamb. I think somehow that day's grilled lamb found its way in to the sauce too. That's okay, it was a pleasant surprise.
Finally, addressing the missing half star, I would say I'm almost a fan, but not quite. Why? B/c I HATE long lines and the fact that by the time I get to the counter, almost always what I want is... GONE! Yes, gone, b/c too many peoople go there. Therefore I always have to have a back-up plan for a 2nd and/or 3rd choice for meal selection. I get there 5-15 minutes prior to opening and there's a line around the block... so, be warned! Can't say you don't know about their line now.
Warning: do not go here on a business lunch break unless you are prepared to have an hour and a half lunch.
I made the mistake today of assuming that, yes Salumi is popular (from what I've heard), but in no way should I have to wait more than twenty minutes for someone to make me a sandwich. Boy was I wrong. This place is notorious for having a line out the door. I got there to no exception. Still, I assumed that it's a sandwich place, surely making sandwiches can't take all that long. Well, much to my dismay, my half-hour lunch turned into a 40 minute line.
Honestly, I half-expected that, so I am not going to let the popularity of the place affect my rating. The sandwich I got was the basic Salumi Salami, but with provolone instead of mozzarella - which I've been told is the only way to go. I was initially disappointed in the lack of vegetable toppings (there's only onions and peppers - so don't go expecting Subway), but quickly got over that when I tasted this masterpiece. They use garlic sauce on one side of the bread and parsley sauce on the other - the combination of which causes the sandwich to melt in your mouth.
I must say that I was impressed with the quality of salami. My boyfriend got the pork sandwich, which I didn't care for. So, like I said, if you happen to find yourself near Quest field during lunch time on a business day and have over an hour to spare, stop by here for a treat. I may not go back for a while, simply because I do not have the luxury of the above requirements very often, but when I do, the Salumi salami will be calling my name.
Side note: VERY little seating inside. Order to-go
Everytime I think back to Armandino's I get hungry.... like right now.
The food is amazingly honest, filled with meat and love... and everyone knows it, so there is always a line. Anthony Bordain featured Armandino's on an episode of his show, so in addition to the local crowd, there is a noteable flock of tourists who somehow manage to negotiate this part of Pioneer Square to find this wonderful hole in the wall.
But assuming you find the place, and have 30-90 minutes to stand in line, Armandino's is a delight. I would tell you what I ordered and how great it was but my entire family was there sharing bits of sandwiches, soups, and meat and cheese trays... it was good... all of it.
Come to this place ready for a sandwich adventure. We had to stand in line for a long time, but it was well worth the wait. During the waiting, they brought out tray after tray of free salami, so we had already tried all their flavors by the time we got our order in!
My favorites were the orange cardamom salami and the mole salami, which taste more amazing than you'd think. I heard the Italian sub sandwich is great, too!
This is the type of place that a city is lucky to have. Something real, something done right.
Yes, the line is long and that just makes the sandwich so much better once you get it. Expect about an hour wait.
The meat is remarkable, the bread is great, cheese the way it should be, and wonderful peppers and onions.
Do yourself a favor and experience this place at least once before judging it otherwise.
Man, this place is good.
I came here with some coaxing from my friend who works over in the Pioneer Square area. At 1PM we lined up patiently and I considered all the things I could get from the menu. Meatball? Muffo? Hot Suppressata? I gawked at their humongous slicing machine (that thing could easily take all my fingers off) and all their delicious stuffed meats hanging in the window (not like death wrapped in cheese to get you in the mood).
My first time I ordered the Hot Suppresata (sp?) which is not hot (as in warmed up) but lightly spicy to leave a good warmth in your mouth. I got the olive oil bread, which is incredibly dense and tasty, and wolfed down a half before my stomach couldn't handle anything else--not even water. I loved the spread and the salami on this sandwich, mmm. The next time I got the muffo, which is made daily and refrigerated to get the spread to soak in. It has the suppresata meats plus other meats. I didn't like the ciabatta bread as much, but I loved the insides of this sandwich. Next time: meatball!!
Service: Fast and friendly. They sort of rush you, but not in a way that would illicit complaints.
Ambiance: Cramped, but relatively clean and definitely got that rustic Italian feel.
Price: This is where the 1 star gets knocked off. A sandwich is 9 bucks. Yeah. I could get one for 2 bucks 2 blocks down! Oh well, that's what you pay for specialty foods. The little packages of salami are expensive as well (5 bucks for a tiny container). It's a splurge, but still worth it.
Seattlelites, eat up and be happy!
So, my sister decided to swing by there one afternoon to pick-up two sandwiches; the sopressata and the Salumi salami, both with mozzarella cheese and onions and peppers.
One bite into the Salumi's salami sandwich and I was about to march my ass down to the court house to file for a divorce because I wanted to marry that sandwich.
Holy crap people! Who gives a shit if the lines are long; it's because the food is effing amazing.
The End.
A-MAZING and I haven't even actually gone!
My hubby brought home some of their salami and half of…
Read more »
Text at 3:45 PM: "I'm in a seedy neighborhood in heels looking for Salumi. Why does this seem more like a death wish than must eat adventure?"
So after searching for Salumi while at the corner of 3rd/2nd and Main I have found it! Unfortunately by the time I got there they have ran out of bread and practically everything else! I opted for the cured meat tray and walked back to my hotel uphill in heels! A part of me got curious and decided to open the meat tray and tried the hidden treasure that I had just risked my life for 5 minutes ago. WOW! I'm not much of a salami person but man was the cured meat good! So good that I almost started a fight with a homeless woman. WHAT?! Bitch was eying my food!
Overall definitely a must eat.. COME EARLY! There is a long ass line but man oh man is it worth it.
One of my favorites, sooo good (doesn't hurt I work around the corner).
The oil bread is tasty, but really filling ...I prefer the Ciabatta for sandwiches.
I rarely go myself because of the lines.
One of my office workers phoned in an order and picked up for us today. Apparently you should phone in orders a day in advance and then you can bypass the line at pickup.
I had the Porcetta, and it is absolutely fanstastic. It resembles a porkbelly fajita sandwich with peppers and onions. Could be my favorite Seattle sandwich now, displacing Paseo...
When I do make it there I like the cured meats and cheese sampler... Lots to share.
We arrived 10:45 and were eating by 11:10. If you are visiting Seattle I would highly recommend adding it to your trip. The sandwiches were amazing.
I would get a platter if possible next time.
Oh what the.....I didn't review yet? AMAZING sandwiches.Another local favorite. Mario Batali...Anthony Bourdain...Food Network...all concur.
But this place was popular even before all the fame - now, even more so, so the lines are quite long during lunch - worth the wait =)
Dear Batali Family,
I really, really enjoy your sandwiches with the delicious salty cured pork slices and "our own" mozzarella but for the love all that is holy and good please be open longer than a blink of an eye!
I know we Seattleites are more than willing take it in the ass for good food but it doesn't mean we want to schedule an appointment for our reaming.
Respectfully,
Naurry
P.S. Please use more olive oil next time, it makes it easier to swallow.. I mean take in.
As a Seattle native I am ashamed to say that this was our first trip to Salumi. After a little confusion with the menu. The great staff helped us with our order. Watching them make our sandwich, we couldn't stop drooling. Finally we got to sit and enjoy the company of other patrons while we fed our faces. Oh Oh my! The sandwich is best sandwich we have ever had. We will definetly be back to
fight the crowd. And enjoy a taste of heaven.
Sandwiches are OK. Excellent in house cured meats. Not too sure what all the hype is about this place other than being owned by Mario Batali's father. I think the warm salami sandwith down the street at Zeitgeist Coffee down the street is much better and comes with a salad too.
Hmm...I know I'll probably get some backlash for this but I just don't get it. I don't understand the hype/long lines for this place. I'm not a cured meats afficionado but I thought Salumi was just ok. I don't remember everything I tried but I've tried a quite a few of their sandwiches. The spread they use is ok...I don't think it adds much flavor. I really like the bread they use but it does tend to overwhelm the meat. Maybe I should try just buying the meat and taking it home to make my own sandwich. That way I can control the meat to bread ratio. Just not sure if It's worth the bother to drive there, find parking, and stand in that line.
The best cured meat possibly made in the world (except probably for where Armandino learned his craftmanship).
Why 4 stars? It's mainly because of the limited opening hours and how crowded it gets. If you don't make it to the line by 12:30pm, don't expect to get any Muffo and a few other things will be gone by 1:00pm-1:30pm. Add to this the limited amount of seating, not the easiest place to grab lunch.
I've had the Hot Sopressata, Smoked Paprika, Mole, Salami, and meatball sandwich... all delicious. The meatball sandwich is to die for and will take one big belly to finish it.
Plan ahead if you want to go there because the line gets crazy.
Sandwiches: 2 stars. Too little meat on my prosciutto, fig, goat cheese sandwich, and the so-so bread overpowers the meat and fillings. Plus the fig spread is way too sweet; no complexity to it. I watched some of the other sandwiches being made and most seemed to fit the "too little meat" category. Come on, for $10 I expect more than 3 or 4 very thin slices.
The meat: 4 stars. It's quite good. Good selection and variety as well. Only downside is they sell out of some stuff. But see below about getting the meat sans sandwich.
The experience: -1 stars. Yes, there was a line. But why was there a line? Because the place is crazy popular? Actually, I don't think this is the primary cause. I counted the number of people in line when I arrived and when I left. It wasn't more than 30 or 40. It takes FOREVER to service this number of people. Why? Lots of inefficiencies. For example:
- they apparently only have one slicer. Come on...one slicer? We're not in a small country village here.
- the sandwich ingredients are scattered in different places on the counter, causing the makers to have to jump around a lot and waste time. While it's amusing to watch them do the sandwich assembly dance, it gets old after 5 minutes, when you realize it's going to take another 20 to get your order and head out the door.
- the speed at which people work, while not slug-like in its slowness, could be improved, especially during peak hours.
They have a sign posted saying they can't service sliced meat orders when they have a line (since their one poor slicer is used solely for sandwiches during this time). That's fine. So I ask the person at the register when a good time would be to come back to get some sliced meat. He gave me the following answers:
- "You need to talk to this other person, I don't know".
- "But, we can't help you now"
- "You should call a day ahead". Even for a half pound of salumi? "Yes."
- "I really can't help you"
Wow, what a way to treat a customer who wants to drop cash for lots of pork products at your store, and tell all his friends about how wonderful they are? I clarified all I wanted was a sense of when the line typically quiets down. I realize it's hard to do sliced orders when you have a line full of hungry sandwich patrons. He wouldn't tell me. He implied that once the line starts, it doesn't stop till they close (4pm). I find that very hard to believe. On second thought, given the speed at which they service sandwich orders, maybe I don't.
Salumi's meat is quite good. Too bad the rest of it (customer service, attitude, experience) doesn't match up.
As expected, the food was delicious. However, the ladies behind the counter were rude. Never once did they smile and don't bother asking a question because you'll barely get an answer.
First place my beloved nephew took me upon my recent return visit to Seattle. It was exactly as featured on Bourdain's show. Only what Bourdain failed to mention is that eating an entire sandwich here could be lethal. The bread is so authentic and heavy that after merely eating one half of a sandwich I was done for the day. Add to that the olive oil, cheese and salami and you might as well stretch out on the sidewalk and pray for a coma.
I got the mole salami to take home to my husband, and it was the bomb.
Note: if you're not local, you should know that there is a line out the door always, and no place to sit. I strongly suggest the water garden, which is a sort of park with a fountain and tables to eat at and is just a few steps away.
All of the cured meats are exceptional.
Yesterday, some friends and I went in for one of their "chef's whim menu" private lunches (a reservation needs to be made weeks in advance):
First: a variety of olives, sliced meats, bread
Second: Spinach salad with a goat cheese crouton and fried shallots
Third: Bruschetta - One with cheese and cured pork jowl the other with a fava bean hummus
Fourth: Spaghetti with oxtail tomato sauce
Fifth: Carrots warmed with butter and garlic; grilled panchetta-wrapped asparagus
Sixth: Roast lamb with roast potatoes, steamed pearl onions, and leeks. Lamb and potatoes had significant amounts of rosemary.
Seventh: cheese (similar to Manchego, but Italian instead of Spanish), chestnut honey, two types of red grapes.
Everything at the lunch was good, with the oxtail sauce being my favorite part, but I wasn't nearly as impressed as I expected to be. If my friends decide to reserve for another party sometime, I may go, but I may not. I definitely need to go for sandwiches sometime.
I went to Salumi for the first time this past week with my friend visiting from out of town. We arrived right as the doors were opening, and there was already a line over 10 long. After about 15 minutes, we got two sandwiches to split: the finocchiano and mozzarella on ciabatta with pepers and onions; and the prosciutto, fig, and goat cheese on olive oil. Both ran about $10 with tax.
The sandwiches were pleasing: the finocchiano had a spicy kick, and the prosciutto played with a salty-sweet dynamic. But I couldn't help but think of Fig Newtons when I ate the prosciutto sandwich, and I found the bread-to-substance ratio somewhat skewed, but I'm not sure what can be done since the small amount of stuff in the sandwich is quite flavorful and needs a healthy amount of bread to complement it. I was happy to eat each sandwich (and would happily eat either one again), but neither really blew me away as Paseo's Cuban did the first time I took a bite.
Is Salumi good? Undoubtedly. Is it worth the wait? Mostly. Does it get 5 stars? Unfortunately, no. I wasn't completely awed, and I don't usually have the time at lunch to wait for so long. Perhaps I just don't have the palate to truly appreciate the execution and cured meats of Salumi.
Mon - Tues Awesome Savings!
Neighborhood: Mt. Baker
Happy Hour
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: First Hill
Category: Meat Shops
Neighborhood: Pioneer Square
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Pioneer Square
Category: Delis
Seattle, WA
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: Cheese Shops
Get more bang for your taste buds with little…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
I don't care if its a sausage or a hot dog, if it…
Trapped in the West, where the hell can a girl get…
My college buddy Bahn-O and I squeezed in these…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
These places are good and live up to the hype..…
Sandwiches vary greatly both in their style and in…
