Your neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to grabbing food to go.
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There is a surprising amount of Italian food in the Proctor District, the center of Tacoma’s North End.
Europa has been serving the area for two decades, while Crudo & Cotto has introduced a contemporary look at clean Italian food highlighting the very best of Pacific Northwest ingredients.
When you’re not distracted by The Cookie at Met Market, the neighborhood provides residents and, in normal times, many visitors with reliable meals from largely family-owned restaurants.
Those sit-down restaurants might not seem like the first place for takeout, but they have transitioned to our pandemic world with curbside pizza ovens and pop-up kitchens within their own kitchen — as is the case at Cooks Tavern. This summer, you could order barbecue and Hawaiian dishes from two separate walk-up windows; now you’ll find pot pies and Southern fried chicken in several styles.
In Proctor, an affable young duo provides a fast-casual option the area has been lacking. Two notable local ice cream makers will soon sling cones and pints here, too: Ice Cream Social will move their Sixth Avenue store to Proctor, and University Place’s Bliss Creamery will open a scoop shop inside Top Pot Doughnuts.
What defines the North End might be malleable, so as with each takeoutedition thus far, boundaries must be drawn. We began the West End at Orchard, so consider that the western boundary here. The swath around the University of Puget Sound is quiet these days, and thus omitted here.
Sixth Avenue is its own beast, which led to snipping the eastern boundary at the corner of Dave’s Meat & Produce and Sammy’s Pizza.
With only a few independent options around Ruston Way and Old Town, those areas are included here in the North End.
As with previous guides, a few rules: no corporate chains and no links to delivery. It is always best to call the restaurant directly. In this case, many of those in the North End offer online ordering through in-house systems, and a few even offer free or minimal cost delivery in the neighborhood.
*Reporter’s Note: This guide starts in the east at Steele and 21st and runs west to 26th, through Proctor, down Ruston Way and to Old Town.
With another location in Fircrest, Sammy’s remains a favorite family pizzeria in Tacoma. Choose from one of three homemade doughs: hand-tossed, beer crust or garlic thin crust. On-menu pies ($19.99-$22.99 for a 14-inch large) include classic American combinations like Maui Waui (Hawaiian with the crunch of roasted almonds and a honey drizzle) and a half-cheese, half-pepperoni called the Pleezer. House specials also intrigue: Four Cheese blends mozzarella, parmesan, cheddar and feta; the Italiano combines three Italian meats with onions, basil and roasted garlic; and the Chicken Bacon Ranch features a “savory ranch” sauce with onions and cheddar. Build-your-own pies start at $14.99, family-size salads start at $9.99 and combo deals abound. Order beer and wine for delivery, too.
Dave’s Meat & Produce, located at the bend where I Street meets 21st Street in Tacoma’s North End, offers an array of fresh and frozen meats, plus marinades, vegetables, beer and wine. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
Ooh La La Burgers at Dave’s Meat & Produce
▪ 1312 N. I St., Tacoma, 425-698-3645 (Dave’s 253-280-9999)
Outside Dave’s Meat & Produce, Ooh La La slings some hefty burgers packed with toppings, served on a kaiser roll with a bag of chips ($11-$13.50). The classic cheeseburger swaps iceberg lettuce for mixed greens, with red onion, pickles, tomato and mayo — a true American backyard burger. Creative takes include the favorite Hot Lips with grilled jalapenos, Triple Onion Crunch with smoked gouda and crispy onions, and the Pepperoni Pizza with, naturally, pepperoni, parmesan and marina. For all-day breakfast, try the $7.50 croissant burger with cheddar and a fried egg. Complete your meal with a side of bleu cheese coleslaw and handcut fries ($4-$4.50). Stop in Dave’s to buy beer, wine or meat for later.
▪ How to order: bags ahead online, drinks at walk-up window
▪ Best for: locally roasted coffee
Dustin Johnson and Alicia Palaniuk started roasting in their minimalist cafe in the Three Bridges district earlier this year. For safety and health, the shop currently operates as a walk-up window only. Pre-order online freshly roasted beans, sourced from Africa and Latin America, in 12-ounce or 5-pound bags, either whole or ground. On-site, grab a doughnut or breakfast burrito and take your hot (or cold — you do you) latte for a stroll down the lovely West Road.
General manager Rich Gantner (left) and executive chef Anthony Hubbard at their Cooks Tavern in north end Tacoma on Tuesday, June 2, 2020. The comfort-food restaurant has added two walk-up specialty food windows - Popoki Nani Hawaiian food and G&H Pig Palace barbecue. Tony Overman toverman@theolympian.com
Cooks Tavern (with The Pie Thief and Chubb’s Chicken Shack)
▪ Best for: superior comfort food, plus seasonal pop-up menus
Takeout has become central to the Cooks’ ethos this year, with delivery from Ruston to Sixth, Pearl to Division ($5 fee with $30 minimum). At “blunch,” opt for dishes that will travel better than a plate of eggs, such as the veggie hash ($14.50) or lamb burger ($13.50). For dinner, there’s Fancy Toast and full plates of spiced pork chops, lemon garlic chicken and butternut squash ravioli ($16-$22). Through two pop-up concepts, The Pie Thief serves savory pot pies for two ($14-$15.50), and Chubb’s Chicken Shack slings fried chicken in several styles. Party packs feed a crowd with eight pieces, two large sides and four biscuits ($39.50). Don’t forget a bottle of wine or a sealed cocktail ($9.50-$13).
The tacos at Brewers Row in Tacoma’s North End are a great happy hour deal. From left, pescado, chorizo and al pastor. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
Sister to Cooks Tavern, Brewers Row serves some of the city’s freshest tacos ($3.15-$4.65 per, or $12 for three with rice and beans), burritos ($6.75-$10), tortas, quesadillas and salads with a focus on local meat and produce. Al pastor, carne asada, carnitas and chorizo verde come stuffed in all of the above, or choose from a trio of vegetarian options including yaca (jackfruit) and papas dulce (sweet potatoes). Breakfast versions add the requisite scrambled eggs, and churros ($1 each or $10 for a dozen) complete the New Mexican-inspired experience. Coffee, beer and cocktails ready to-go, too, plus delivery within a certain radius ($5 fee with $30 minimum).
▪ Best for: sandwich/salad lunch, comforting dinner
The cozy corner of Rosewood Cafe carries out nicely, whether for a light lunch or home-cooked supper. Choose among eight entree salads ($9-$18), such as a blackened salmon Caesar or sesame chicken, and 10 sandwiches, including the vegetarian Tomato, Basil & Brie, a classic Reuben on marble rye and a turkey-bacon on a kalamata olive roll. Savory mains ($12-$18) range from shepherd’s pie and gumbo to Italian beef ravioli, spaghetti and meatballs, and mac and cheese. Take home a few cowboy cookies (oatmeal chocolate chip with pecans, $2.75 each) and an under-$25 bottle of wine.
Cactus owns a few restaurants in the Northwest, and the one in Proctor provides reliable Tex-Mex to the Tacoma’s North End. Seasonal dishes like stuffed squash blossoms are worth snagging while you can. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
The presentation of Cactus’ three styles of guacamole ($8-$11) might suffer in transit, but you still can start with goat-cheese stuffed jalapenos, spicy diablo shrimp over a zippy slaw, or a bowl of tortilla soup ($8.50-$12). Entree salads ($11.50-$21) dress up with smoked chicken, chipotle prawns or marinated skirt steak. Skip takeout tacos for shareable platters of fajitas ($16.50-$22), which you assemble yourself, chimichangas, enchiladas or tamales. A broad children’s menu ($4.50-$7) and a $75 margarita kit with fresh juice and a liter of tequila makes this one an easy choice for a full family fiesta, especially when it ends with churros dipped in thick Mexican chocolate ($8).
If you’re craving Asian but don’t want to leave the Proctor District, East West is there for you. Outside the standard pad Thai and kee mao, noodle dishes include Vietnamese styles like mi xao don (thin egg noodles crisped in a garlic-slicked sauce) and Malaysian stir-fry with Chinese sausage with shallots, soy and chili oil. The rest of the menu (most dishes $12-$15) tours Southeast Asia, with everything from Vietnamese fried wings and pork chops to Indonesian sate and Korean bulgogi.
Europa Bistro has been serving Tacoma’s Proctor District for 20 years. Dishes are rooted in simplicity, this antipasti a perfect example, with house-marinated vegetables. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
In its 20th year, Europa continues to grace the North End with worthy Italian rooted in the beauty of simplicity. Take the classic antipasto, a rainbow of cold-cuts and house-marinated vegetables ($12.95), prosciutto con gamberi (wrapped prawns over marinated eggplant), and duck salad, pan-seared breast over arugula, beets and goat-cheese crostini ($19.95). Find your favorite of more than a dozen pastas ($12.95-$28.95), from linguini pescatore with six seafood varieties to fusilli ai funghi with sausage in a rosemary cream sauce, and entrees of halibut, veal, chicken or duck. Dessert is a must, as is a bottle (or three) from owner Alfredo and Justine Russo’s very Italian wine list. The chef sometimes sets up a woodfired pizza oven out front — call to inquire or check socialmedia.
Sandwiches with love from the Peterson Brothers and one of the city’s best beer selections, on draft and in package — a match made in Tacoma heaven. Thirteen deli sandwiches ($10.99-$11.99) range from the toasted Beef and Beecher’s and Pesto Pastrami with melted provolone, to an Italian grinder with Caesar dressing and a smoked salmon BLT. A trio of breakfast sandwiches are served all day ($9.99), as are petite and large salads ($4.25-$12.50). Naturally you should enjoy your food with a cold beer: Review the website for pairing ideas, and shop the cooler in-person upon arrival (two customers at a time, gloves required). Growler fills, too.
Obviously based in Olympia, this South Sound coffee roaster opened its Tacoma store in 2018, the same year it opened its first in Seattle, so we’ll consider that a win. Currently the shop exists as takeout-only, so relish the well-designed space while you can. A B-certified corporation, all beans are “Fair Trade For All,” meaning farmers to co-ops and other partner organizations receive a sustainable minimum wage for their area. In the moment taste-wise, an espresso here will be one of the best around. Grab a bag to brew your own at home.
Neither pancakes nor omelets travel well, but the Mannito Burrito (scrambled eggs with chorizo, olives, pepper and cheddar, $15.99) or Southwest Hash will hold up for all-day breakfast. Other American favorites include three burgers, a Reuben and BLT ($13.99-$14.99 with fries, chips or fruit). Don’t want a sandwich? Try the “honey-stung” chicken, fried chicken salad or Juan’s Chorizo Spaghetti with cheese bread on the side ($13.99-$15.99). After 4 p.m., the kitchen whips up comfort foods of pork chops and fettuccine alfredo, and for vegetarians a cauliflower steak with parmesan risotto, buffalo sauce and bleu cheese ($19.99-$24.99).
With nine seafood mains and two salads, Pomodoro should satisfy pescatarians. Have halibut almondine or with a Mediterranean medley of artichokes, olives and sundried tomatoes; prawns with pesto, bacon and mushrooms, or with veggies in a creamy lemon sauce; clams or a combo of creatures in the cioppino ($19.49-$24.49). Entrees stay homey with chicken parmesan, piccata or Florentine ($19.49-$20.49), plus meaty house lasagna ($17.49) and a carbonara with gorgonzola ($19.49). Add a tiramisu ($6.50) and leave it in the fridge for later. Ask about the cocktail kits and note that to-go orders incur a 50-cent fee per dish for packaging.
Viva Tacoma
▪ 2620 N. Proctor St., Tacoma, 253-503-6948, viva4life.com
Tacoma’s raw food haven moved to a larger, more prominent, street-facing Proctor storefront earlier this year. Using organic ingredients free from gluten and dairy, the concept sings to vegans and vegetarians but is built to please all palates and dietary preferences. Think nachos with pico de gallo and nut-based sour cream ($8), “crab” dip made with nori and carrots ($13), cauliflower “wings” in a variety of sauces ($13). Of course there are salads ($12-$16), but there are also veggie sandwiches, pizzas with everything from “sausage” of ground walnuts and almond pesto to pulled jackfruit BBQ, and entrees of vegan mac and cheese, eggplant lasagna and portobello “steak.” Also vegan here: breakfast and desserts ($3-$11) — peanut butter bars, peppermint patties, and gluten-free brownies.
Toast Mi opened in early summer 2020 with a fast-casual concept of banh mi and boba in Tacoma’s Proctor District. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
Longtime friends Liam Nguyen and Nikki Nguyen opened this cafe dedicated to bánh mì over the summer, in Viva’s original home. They noticed a dearth of fast-casual options for the delicious Vietnamese sandwich. The result is seven house specials ($5.99-$7.99), including a “melt-in-your-mouth” meatball called The Dragon Bridge, all with homemade pâté and an herbaceous spread — served in a bag for easy on-the-go consumption. Opt to place your protein of choice over salad, brown or white rice. The boba menu ($4.50) is short but fun, with Matcha Mango, Taro Oreo and Coconut Coffee. A few hours ahead, order a family tray of many-a-bánh mì for $65.
Waffles are, obviously, the name of the game here. You can have just waffles, waffles with eggs, French toast-ed waffles, waffles with hash, waffle sandwiches, and of course, fried chicken and waffles. Because scrambled eggs are no fun cold, focus on the latter two for takeout. Chicken — in tender form, not thighs — comes in classic buttermilk or Nashville hot ($15), and the Monte Cristo blends the perfect sweetness of French toast with savory ham, turkey and Swiss. Seal the deal with a side of garlic parmesan waffle fries ($11) and a mimosa kit for four ($25).
Crudo & Cotto harmonizes central Italian cuisine with Pacific Northwest ingriedients. The quaglie il al forno, stuffed quail roasted with duck fat and wrapped in pancetta, will feed a couple. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
The ambiance at Crudo & Cotto, even during pandemic times, wonderfully marries central Italian and Pacific Northwest cuisine; takeout will deliver on the promise of a memorable dinner at home. Definitely start with one of the elegant carpaccios of beef, halibut or hamachi ($15-$17). Save for the fritto misto ($18), the cotto, meaning cooked, side of the menu changes with the seasons. Be sure to try a homemade pasta, perhaps the rotating ravioli, and the stuffed quail with plenty to serve two ($28). And just give into dessert — mascarpone and dark chocolate tart, panna cotta, sister restaurant Basilico’s tiramisu — and a bottle of wine from the excellent Old World list.
It’s more fun to hang inside Terry’s Office Tavern, but the food satisfies outside the bar, too. Fried goodies abound, including these clam strips with the bar’s signature jojos. Kristine Sherred ksherred@thenewstribune.com
Terry’s was quiet for most of the spring and summer, but now you can get your hands on those epic jojos (pressure-fried potato wedges, for the uninitiated, if you’re out there) and beer-battered onion rings ($8). Fried chicken starts at the half-bird with jojos and grows to the cluck-and-a-half with 12 pieces ($17-$27), or go for wings in four varieties ($15). Hefty half-pound burgers stick with the classics ($14 with side). If you’ve got time, the hand-tossed pizza takes 30 minutes, with a refreshingly short menu of five 12-inch house pies ($18-24). In the Hank’s/Parkway/Cole’s and now West End family, beer to-go is most assuredly on the takeout table.
Ok, Delightful is not a restaurant, but this family-owned grocer stocks an impressive array of local goods. If you live in the area, it should be a go-to for your favorite local purveyors, and if you don’t, it’s worth a stop after a stroll down Ruston Way. Valhalla and Bluebeard coffee, Ice Cream Social pints without the wait at Ruston, plus local produce and Smith Brothers dairy. Fill your growler with local brews or Humm kombucha, and all-around stock your own pantry with the best of Tacoma for a better tomorrow.
Most of the restaurants on this stretch of Ruston Way are not independent and family-owned; Katie Downs has been for 30 years. It’s known for its view and happy hour, neither of which happen when you order takeout, but the large menu still pleases a crowd. Maybe it’s a cup of clam chowder ($6-$9), a pound of onion rings ($13), steamer clams or spicy prawns ($20). Maybe you need leafy greens but also meat: the dozen entree-sized salads ($17-$20) provide more options than you’ll need. Then there’s the deep-dish-style pizza in eight house combos or build-your-own 12-inch pies (starting at $21).
You might as well buy some fresh fish and crustaceans to cook at home when you pick up your order at this waterfront retail destination. Begin with shrimp and Dungeness cocktail and choose-your-size of clam chowder, Northwest cioppino and on Fridays crab bisque ($9.99-$14.95 for 32 ounces). Fresh wraps of tuna or smoked salmon make for a stellar, yet inexpensive, seafood lunch ($9.99-$10.49). On the fried side, there’s cod, halibut, calamari, clam strips, oysters, prawns and catfish with chips ($9.99-$15.49). If the sun is shining, stake out a spot on the pier and then walk it off on the Sound-front pathway.
The straightforward menu and fair prices translate to a winner for families looking to support one of Tacoma’s oldest restaurants. The menu runs from starters like coconut prawns and fried calamari ($7.95-$9.95) to burgers and sandwiches ($9.50-$12.95), including a beef-and-lamb gyro and veggie pita. Fish and chips won’t travel as well, but you might be tempted to order them anyhow ($13.50). The bar will fill growlers at a bargain price. If you stop early in the day, order in-person and sip a coffee while you wait.
Kristine Sherred joined The News Tribune in 2019, following a decade in Chicago where she worked for restaurants, a liquor wholesaler, a culinary bookstore and a prominent food journalist. In addition to her SPJ-recognized series on Tacoma’s grease-trap policies, her work centers the people behind the counter and showcases the impact of small business on community. She previously reported for Industry Dive and William Reed. Find her on Instagram @kcsherred.Support my work with a digital subscription
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