Takeout Tacoma: Your best bets for to-go food downtown

Downtown Tacoma has done what many similarly sized downtowns across America have struggled to do: become a culinary destination.

The area easily could have stagnated as little more than a collection of casual lunch places for office workers and fancy restaurants geared toward pre-theater dining. Thanks to dedication from longtime Tacomans and the city’s strongest advocates, new blood and creative forces of local businesses looking to expand beyond their original concepts, it has surpassed that flat section of the trail.

Pandemic aside, the future of downtown looks brighter than ever.

The neighborhood is home to some of the city’s best restaurants, where come-as-you-are hospitality leads seamlessly into truly memorable food. It’s also home to several cocktail destinations with high-caliber programs befitting of much bigger cities.

The Downtown Tacoma Partnership has no doubt nurtured this growth, evidenced by its admirable commitment to small businesses throughout its corridor — especially this year, as they all have suffered. The Holiday Haul Crawl continued for a fifth year in December, with 12 days of virtual hurrahs and an online marketplace featuring goods and garb from downtown stores and restaurants.

For pragmatic purposes, this guide focuses on the main drags of downtown, starting on the south end at 15th Street and running north to 6th Avenue. We looped the museum and brewing districts around the University of Washington-Tacoma into the Dome/McKinley/Museum guide. The handful of restaurants around Yakima, including Alma Mater and Go Philly, landed in the Hilltop list.

We stop around Wright Park, leaving the stretch of St. Helens Avenue with Doyle’s and Odin Brewing to a forthcoming Stadium edition. Purposely omitted from this list is Devil’s Reef. Owners Jason and Robyn Alexander have temporarily moved takeout tiki drinks and such to their new Stadium District restaurant, Gilman House. With a couple breweries here, note that Dystopian State is currently closed due to pandemic restrictions.

You will notice an exception to our third-party delivery banishment: Little Radio, which opened last summer, has cut back service and added a ghost kitchen, the menu available only through DoorDash and Uber Eats. Otherwise, it’s always best to call the restaurant directly. Many of those below offer direct ordering through their websites, and a few offer delivery within a certain radius.

Beyond the upper echelon of good eats, the superstar element of downtown: lots and lots of cocktails to-go.

Happy Belly eatery + juice bar

▪ 1122 Market St., Tacoma, 253-365-6706, happybellytacoma.com

▪ Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: vegetarian and vegan friendly fare, plus smoothies and juice

Feeling heavy? Happy Belly will lighten your day with fresh juice ($6 for 12-ounce cup) and made-to-order smoothies ($7), to which you can add an array of “boosters”: whey protein, hemp hearts, nut butters, wonder roots like ashwagandha and maca, or a jolt of cold coffee. Little pick-me-ups abound, including energy balls of cacao and oats owner Jennifer Johnson calls Snowy Rainiers ($2.50 for two) and vegan pumpkin maple bars made by Tacoma’s biscotti pro The Art of Crunch ($4.25). On the heartier side, eat guilt-free burritos, sandwiches on croissants, bagels or bread ($4.50-$13), and salads ($7-$12, also available as a wrap!) with homemade vinaigrettes of lemon oregano or sesame pepper.

Fujiya Japanese

▪ 1125 Court C, Tacoma, 253-627-5319, facebook.com/fujiyatacoma

▪ Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-9:30 p.m., Saturday 5-9:30 p.m.

▪ How to order: by phone or in-person

▪ Best for: chef’s choice sushi and Japanese mains

Masahiro Endo has been dutifully serving Tacoma fresh sushi, donburi and tempura for more than 35 years. The menu is, gratefully, curated in a way that shows those years of wisdom. Let Chef do as Chef knows: build an omakase of sushi, sashimi or makisushi (rolls), each with a cup of miso soup. At $18.95-$26.95, it’s a bargain for the quality. Hot dishes ($12.95-$23.95) run from yakisoba and ramen to katsu, tempura and sukiyaki, a hot pot of thinly sliced beef in a clarifying broth. For lunch, choose among five donburi for a filling midday meal ($9.95-11.95).

Dunagan Brewing Company

▪ 1126 Commerce St., Tacoma, dunaganbrewing.com

▪ Friday-Saturday 2-7:30 p.m.

▪ How to order: in-person

▪ Best for: local beer

With two entrances, the semi-subterranean Dunagan Brewing taproom feels like your favorite old bar — but this one specializes in Irish ales made on site, including a nitro stout and red ale. Fill your growler or pick up some Crowlers or cans to pair with dinner from another downtown restaurant.

Galanga Thai

▪ 1129 Broadway St., Tacoma, 253-272-3393, galangathai.com

▪ Monday-Saturday 4-9 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: fresh Thai with house specials

Galanga’s convenient downtown location fogs the validity of this family-owned Thai restaurant, where fresh flavors emanate throughout the menu. Definitely order at least one of the house specials ($13.95-$20.95): asparagus prik khing, Massaman lamb with hints of pineapple and tamarind, yum woon sen and gang phed ped yang, a lavish red curry with roasted duck. Other favorite mains ($13.50-$14.50) include the Swimming Rama of chicken, tofu or prawns in a homemade peanut sauce, and the Kanomjean Kaeng Kiew Huan of wide rice noodles with extra steamed vegetables served on the side — perfect for takeout. On a cold day, a bowl of Tom Kha ($10.95) will invigorate the soul.

Straight from Philly

▪ 1126 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253-292-1991, straightfromphillytogo.com

▪ Tuesday-Saturday 12-6 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: cheesesteaks!

Come for the cheesesteaks, stay for the cheesesteaks. From the classic steak and cheese, melted all over the meat, to Amoroso’s buns stuffed also with mushrooms and bell, cherry, sweet, banana or jalapeno peppers, Philadelphia-bred Scott Parker and his wife Michelle sling more than two dozen varieties of Pennsylvania’s famous sandwich (most $11.50+). Choose your cheese — whiz if you’re old-school, provolone if you’d rather have real cheese — and say yay or nay to onions. (Say yay.) If staying basic, fill ‘er up with the meal deal: a standard sub with fries and a drink for $13.95, or a half for $8.95.

Outpost Sandwiches

▪ 1102 A St. (Courthouse Square at 12th Street), Tacoma, 253-327-1905, courthousesquaretacoma.com/outpost-sandwiches

▪ Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: deli sandwiches

Located on the west side of Courthouse Square, through the basement entrance off 12th Sreet., this hidden sandwich shop hits the right balance between classic and creative on a sturdy foundation of Macrina sourdough. (A slice of whole-wheat cider is available as a half sandwich.) A classic club improves with a dill lemon mayo, the grilled cheese with a quad of cheddar, smoked gouda, provolone and Muenster. It’s not just bacon on the BLT — it’s bacon rubbed with brown sugar and chili pepper and roasted, not raw, tomato. The Hero boasts the must-try Chicago-born condiment of giardiniera: pickled carrot, cauliflower and peppers. A veggie sandwich will please carnivores, too. On Fridays, try a square of Outpost’s simple, satisfying Grandma-style pizza ($4).

Infinite Soups

▪ 1102 A St. & 445 Tacoma Ave. S, Tacoma, 253-274-0232, courthousesquaretacoma.com/infinite-soups

▪ Monday-Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (only weekdays until 5 p.m. at Courthouse Square location)

▪ How to order: by phone or in-person

▪ Best for: homemade soups, with vegetarian and vegan options

With two downtown locations (one inside Courthouse Square, the other near Corina Bakery), this modest shop churns out dozens of homemade, seasonal soups ($4 a cup). No matter what’s on the menu the day you visit, you’ll have your pick of four distinct styles: creamy, non-creamy, vegetarian and vegan. On the creamy side, think chicken gorgonzola tortellini and Caribbean curried chicken; on the opposite end, Portuguese sausage with bacon and cabbage, pozole verde and German split pea. Vegetarians will love having several choices, such as basil artichoke and chipotle corn chowder, as will vegans in the form of coconut curried potato, Turkish lentil and West African peanut. In other words, there’s truly something for every style. Beyond complimentary saltines, add a demi sourdough or multigrain baguette ($3) to dip.

en Rama

▪ 1102 A St., Tacoma, 253-223-7184, enramatacoma.com

▪ Tuesday-Friday 4-8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

▪ How to order: online

▪ Best for: housemade pasta, great cocktails

En Rama has reconfigured its entire menu to actually work by the time it lands on your kitchen table. Some favorites from past menus remain: bread with salted butter, pimento cheese, house pickles and must-have meatballs ($3-$8). Housemade pastas ready for winter include a bolognese campanelle and fennel-sage radiatore ($14 for half portion, $26 full). Add a soft-boiled egg for that little extra something. The talented kitchen here now offers a burger, plus a veggie option. It also being a cocktail bar — one of Tacoma’s best — get thee some, and don’t forget the Kold-Draft cubes ($2 per gallon). Orders run through Tock, where you can choose a specific pickup time, or have it delivered directly from the restaurant within a certain radius.

Fresh Rolls

▪ 823 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-572-9064, ilovefreshrolls.com

▪ Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

▪ How to order: by phone or in-person

▪ Best for: Vietnamese rolls and salads

This local chain has expanded to five locations in recent years, each with the same menu. The focus here is on “healthy” choices, with calories listed for the sizable flagship rolls ($6.99-$7.50 for two, 65-166 calories) — six in total, from salmon and shrimp to beef, BBQ pork, grilled chicken and tofu. Accompany them with one of the eight salads ($8.99-$11.99) with a swath of proteins — lemongrass beef or tofu among them — with additional flavor from the likes of broccoli, green apple and mango. Add a refreshing hibiscus and cranberry iced tea instead of the sweetened coffee to complete your healthy foray.

Little Radio + Little Wok Tacoma

▪ 728 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1436, littleradiotacoma.com

▪ Fridays for pickup only + online nightly

▪ How to order: online

▪ Best for: creative pub fare, beers and cocktails, plus a ghost kitchen of Chinese-American favorites

Wingman Brewers opened Little Radio last summer with thoughtful sandwiches, multiple styles of mac and cheese, and starters like fried halloumi, all made with local ingredients. With indoor dining off-limits, the restaurant has transitioned to a weekly family-style takeout program. The first rendition featured a bucket of fried chicken with a side of fried Brussels sprouts and banana pudding dessert ($45). Follow on Instagram for future offerings — placing your order by Thursday night for Friday pickup. In the meantime, chef Victor Mitchell has developed a ghost kitchen called Little Wok, available exclusively through DoorDash, with Chinese-American mainstays like kung pao and orange chicken, spicy dan dan noodles, egg rolls and mapo tofu ($12.50).

The Matador

▪ 721 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-7100, matadorrestaurants.com/locations/tacoma

▪ Monday noon-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday noon-10 p.m.

▪ How to order: online

▪ Best for: Southwestern favorites, plus bottled cocktails

Pre-pandemic, The Matador boasted a formidable happy hour. The bar has pivoted to offer its eight margaritas in sealed bottles (singles start at $9.50, three-serving at $27 and six at $53), as well as other cocktails that should be in your cart. Have a fiesta at home with guacamole and chips ($9), the three-meat quesadilla ($15), those goat cheese-stuffed jalapenos ($12) and a surf-and-turf of carne asada and shrimp with rice, black beans, esquites and grilled peppers ($25). Family-style fajitas are an easy choice, especially when you pick Matador’s juicy carnitas: one order serves at least two people, with eight tortillas plus all the fixings, rice and beans on the side ($38). Other clever family meal options include take-and-bake nachos ($10) and enchiladas ($26).

Odd Otter Brewing Company

▪ 716 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-327-1680, oddotterbrewing.com

▪ Daily 2-8 p.m.

▪ How to order: in-person

▪ Best for: house beers and seltzer

You can’t enjoy the cheeky otter-themed art from afar, but you can pick up some of Odd Otter’s great brews, like the Ottzel Quatzel Pale Ale, a 2018 Washington Brewer’s gold medal recipient. Here you will also find an ESB and a brown ale — uncommon in these IPA-laden parts — and housemade seltzer that will blow the macro versions out of the water. Growler and Crowler fills available.

Wooden City Tacoma

▪ 714 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-503-0762, woodencitytacoma.com

▪ Daily 4-8 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: thoughtful American from a wood-fired oven, plus cocktails

The dedicated team here has pivoted pragmatically to serve memorable dishes equipped for takeout. Luckily that entails the sausage-stuffed Hungarian wax peppers in a hot tub of chive oil so good you should pour the remnants into a shot glass. The burger ($15 with fries) is one of Tacoma’s best; the leopard-spotted pizzas ($15-$19) are top-notch, too. Homemade pastas currently include a tagliatelle with lamb bolognese and a beet ravioli (both $23). Add a side of broccolini, crisped just so in the wood-fired oven, tossed with garlic aioli, parmesan and lemon. The little ones can have chicken fingers and cheesy bread even you will love ($7-$8). As one of the restaurants that pushed for to-go cocktails, Wooden City slings the good stuff in multiple formats: single bottles ($12), mix-and-match four or six ($44-$66), or go big with 32 ounces of your choice ($70) — including ice and vacuum-sealed garnishes. Delivery available within a certain radius.

McMenamins Elks Temple

▪ 565 Broadway St., Tacoma, 253-300-8754, mcmenamins.com/elks-temple

▪ Daily 8 a.m.-9 p.m. (breakfast until 11 a.m.)

▪ How to order: by phone

▪ Best for: Northwest pub fare and house beers

All but one of the many eateries and bars inside Elks Temple remain closed right now. The McMenamin’s Pub menu runs the gamut, though, from fish and chips and crab fondue, to Dungeness crab mac and cheese, steak frites and steamer clams in a bath of garlicky white wine ($16-$26). Salads can be enlarged to an entree ($7.25-$14.25), while sandwiches and burgers ($11.25-$18.50) satisfy comfort food desires, notably the elk burger with coffee-bacon jam and black garlic aioli. Breakfast is served daily until 11 a.m., with bloodies and benedicts, plus Southern staples of shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles. Bring a growler to fill with one of McMenamin’s solid house beers, or grab packaged goods from the Brewery Tasting Room & Bottle Shop downstairs.

Over the Moon Cafe

▪ 709 Opera Alley, Tacoma, 253-284-3722, overthemooncafe.net

▪ Wednesday-Saturday 4:30-7:30 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: bistro-inspired fare

For two decades Deanna Hicks and family have operated their romantic getaway in Opera Alley. Losing the in-person experience here is a travesty, but for now, set the table and light some candles for a quiet dinner at home. Start with a classic wedge or Caesar salad ($10) and heck, add a cup of crab bisque ($5) for the both of you. Hearty mains ($20-$39), most with a starch and veggie, include a 12- to 14-ounce ribeye, duck breasts in a Granny Smith apple and port reduction, and seared scallops with white truffle risotto. Relax with a Vieux Carré or other sealed cocktail ($12), and go ahead, get two bottles of wine ($22-$48) — this is date night after all.

Puget Sound Pizza

▪ 317 S. 7th St., Tacoma, 253-383-4777, pugetsoundpizza.com

▪ Daily 1-9 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: pizza with lots of toppings

Puget Sound Pizza, which recently opened a second location in Spanaway, was always bumping well into the night, and though pandemic hours are shorter, the pizza is still hot ($13.99-$14.99 for 10-inch small, $26.99-$28.99 for 16-inch large specialty pies). If you like pepperoni, you’ll love the Pepperoni Lovers pie here with three — count ‘em, three! — layers of the delicious greasy meat disc. Artichoke hearts play an important role on pies here, as in the Pesto Control with sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms and the Hipster with feta and diced chicken. Dough lovers will find solace in the cheese balls, a glorified mozzarella stick in three flavors. Get a salad ($5.99-$7.99 half, $9.49-$11.99 full) to feel better about your pizza belly, and then finish with a cinnamon or s’mores dessert pie ($8.99-$10.99).

Stink Meat & Cheese / El Tufo

▪ 628 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-426-1347, stinktacoma.com

▪ Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

▪ How to order: by phone or in-person

▪ Best for: cafe sandwiches, retail charcuterie

The sandwiches at Stink ($10-$11, served with side salad) complement the worthwhile wine list. That means prosciutto and brie with rosemary-fig confit, salami and fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, peanut butter and blackberry preserves with bacon and bleu cheese. For most, save for the grilled cheese and that last one called The Stinker, you can order a half with a cup of soup or salad for $10. On the other hand, build your own rustic wine picnic with antipasti, meat and cheese boards, bacon-wrapped dates and rosemary bread plus 18-year aged vinegar and peppery Italian olive oil ($8-$20). Ask owners Steven Ramsey and Jenny Smith for their expert wine recommendations, and when picking up, browse the market for a future rainy day.

Red Star Taco Bar

▪ 454 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 253-545-9795, redstartacobar.com

▪ Thursday-Saturday 3-9 p.m.

▪ How to order: online or by phone

▪ Best for: taco kits and margaritas

Red Star has limited hours due to the effects of pandemic restrictions, but the weekend brings Mexican happy hour home. Most regular menu items remain available — single tacos ($3.50-$4.50), taco plates, taco bowls ($9) — but the take-home kits ($24) are ideal for this era. Ten styles, including carnitas, carne asada, sweet potato-black bean and tequila-lime chicken, come with six tortillas, rice and beans. Go big with the $100 Red Star Special: 12 tacos with four protein choices, with large sides of rice and beans, nachos, chips and salsa, plus 15 margaritas. Toss in other specialty cocktails or additional cocktail kits, like the $48 margarita kit that makes 15 drinks — which computes to $3.20 each, no lime squeezing required.

Corina Bakery

▪ 602 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253-627-5070, corinabakery.com

▪ Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

▪ How to order: in-person for best selection

▪ Best for: pastries, light cafe fare and coffee

Known for its decorative cakes, Corina Bakery also wins for a breakfast sandwich, strata, quiche or frittata. The daily selection varies, so it’s best to browse the case in-person. You’re bound to add another nugget that catches your eye. When available, the salted baguette will complement any meal at home. The fluffy croissants are rich with butter, the cookies large and balanced between soft chew and crunchy edge. With a hot Valhalla coffee or espresso, you’re bound to start the day off right.

This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 5:30 AM.