New restaurants: Pupusas, spicy Mexican wagyu, Filipino sweets and vegan donuts

Following a flurry of openings last fall, several more restaurants around the South Sound powered through their finishing touches to say hello before year’s end.

Fresh additions include a fast-casual choice for pupusas in Central Tacoma, two bakeries, a promising Mexican restaurant downtown and another boba shop.

In our last edition, bubble tea fans were pleased to meet the second outpost of the popular Tealicious, among other new eats and drinks in East Pierce County. Also last fall, Tacoma gained a new restaurant inside 7 Seas Brewing and Lakewood a breakfast sandwich spot.

Across the bridge in Gig Harbor, try some fast-casual seafood and a diner with Korean dishes, too.

As we dive into 2023, here’s a look at recently opened restaurants in and around Tacoma.

INDITA MIA

▪ 1126 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253-625-7362, inditamia.restaurant

The Apodaca family opened Indita Mia in early December on a quiet stretch of Commerce Street, formerly home to Birrieria Gourmet — and before that, a host of restaurants over the years. This one appears, on first visit, to be different, serving a concise range of traditional Mexican dishes, most inspired by Guadalajara, including a tantalizing quesadilla bursting with wagyu beef and a spicy carne con chile. Tortillas are made on-site, by hand. Oreb and Angie Apodaca, with the help of her mother Betty Villaseñor, plan to expand the menu and add a liquor license in coming months. Currently open for lunch, Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

APIZZA LITTLE ITALY

▪ 821 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-367-4992, apizzalittleitaly.com

Longtime Seattle restaurateur Marshall Jett has brought the promise of fine Italian fare — namely, Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a custom gas-powered clay oven — to a busy stretch of downtown Tacoma. Designed to showcase the cooking process, APIZZA Little Italy opened quietly in late December with a menu of pizza, focaccia, salad and gelato, plus wine and beer. Jett describes the family-friendly concept as “quick-service gourmet,” and looks forward to expanding the menu to include Sicilian pies and more pastas. Order at the counter and find a seat in the dining room, which boasts incredibly high ceilings. Currently open Wednesday-Sunday at 4 p.m. Lunch service expected in the future.

MAGGIE MAGEE’S BAKE SHOP

604 Regents Blvd., Fircrest, 253-302-4494, facebook.com/maggiemagees

Michele Maggi has gained fans of her sweet treats through custom orders, but in late December she unveiled her first brick-and-mortar bakery. It replaces Verone’s Sausage Co., which closed last spring after just over a year in the old Viafore’s Deli. In addition to themed sugar cookies with intricate icing designs, cupcakes, brownies and “dough-nies” (a doughnut-esque creation covered in candy and crunchy bits like graham crackers and M&M’s), she specializes in vegan baked goods. Her Facebook page shows off everything from a vegan strawberry cream cake to vegan sugar cookies and miniature cupcakes. The retail shop will operate on limited open-house hours in January — Saturdays only, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Look for expanded days and hours in the coming months.

ANTHEM COFFEE - STADIUM

▪ 102 N. G St., Tacoma, myanthemcoffee.com

After closing last summer, Anthem Coffee reopened its Stadium District cafe just before Christmas. It made sense to give it another shot, founder Bryan Reynolds told The News Tribune last month, when the Starbucks closed. The space was essentially stuck in time, so look for the same menu of coffee drinks, tea, pastries and sandwiches with ample space for meetings and getting work done at the counter overlooking the forthcoming Link. The company celebrated 16 years at the end of 2022. Open weekdays at 6 a.m. and weekends at 7 a.m.

BALCON EXPRESS

3102 6th Ave., Tacoma, 253-212-3054, instagram.com/balconexpress

The hole left by the departure of Old Milwaukee Cafe has been filled: Balcon Express, a fast-casual Salvadoran and Mexican restaurant, opened in December with a short but satisfying menu of tacos, tortas, burritos and handmade pupusas. The Amaya family joins Tacoma from Bremerton, where they run the original El Balcon and recently introduced Brem Burgerz. Single tacos run no more than $3 and pupusas $4, while a combo of two-plus-one goes for $9. The $4 mini burrito excludes rice and beans for a quick and cheap lunch. Outfitted with black-and-white tile and two dining areas, it’s a solid addition to Sixth Avenue. Open Monday-Saturday noon-8 p.m.

STARBOBA TEA & CAFE

1816 S. Mildred St., Tacoma, 253-625-7029

You might think we don’t need another boba shop, but there wasn’t specifically one in the West End, located at James Center between the MultiCare and Fred Meyer. Choose your sweetness level in your signature milk teas (most $5.75-$6.75), Vietnamese coffee or “freshening artichoke drink.” Standard options include green tea with coconut jelly, oolong and Thai milk tea ($5.25). Fruit teas such as honey-citrus, pineapple green and peach oolong start at $4.95 and smoothies at $7.95. A short food menu offers banh mi, bao and spring rolls, plus a few sweet and savory pastries. Open daily at 11 a.m.

JOY JOY’S BAKERY (PINOY BAKE SHOP)

11107 Pacific Highway SW, Lakewood, 253-507-5259, facebook.com/JoyJoysBakeryLLC

This Filipino bakery is tucked in a plaza with Los Cuervos, which serves excellent Mexican, KKO KKO and the since-closed Hong’s Restaurant. The pastry case features traditional treats like ensaymadas (a classic sweet bread made with milk and cheese), custard pies and malasadas (filled doughnuts akin to pączki) in flavors like ube and coconut. Order large quantities and custom cakes in advance. Stop in for Filipino breakfasts including longanisa with eggs and rice, boneless bangus (fish) and tocino, Spanish-style cubed bacon. Open Tuesday-Friday at 7 a.m.

PEARL TEA - GIG HARBOR

Uptown Gig Harbor, 4621 Point Fosdick Dr., Gig Harbor, 253-509-0759, pearlteaboba.com

Look for the yellow awning near Fondi Pizzeria. Pearl Tea reopened last month under new ownership with a new menu. Signature drinks ($5.50-$6.25) currently include a wintermelon lemonade, coconut coffee smoothie and taro milk tea blended with taro-flavored soft cream. The full menu has more than three dozen milk and fruit teas plus smoothies. Try a slushie or one of the flavored cream cheese foam selections, and choose your sweetness and ice level no matter what. Coconut, oat and almond milk also available. Open daily 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

DUDE’S DONUTS

632 Bay St., Port Orchard, 360-443-6462, dudesvegandonuts.com

Dude’s Donuts began as a farmers market venture in Bremerton, expanding to wholesale at select coffee shops and cafes, including Tacoma’s Happy Belly, around Pierce and Kitsap counties. One of those buyers, Matt Grady of Pegasus Coffee House on Bainbridge Island, bought the business from its original owners last year, according to Kitsap Daily News. The first official storefront just opened in Port Orchard. The doughnuts here are entirely plant-based, made with a combination of rice flours, potato starch, sorghum, oat and tapioca flour. Even toppings are free from artificial flavorings or colorings. They are baked rather than fried and a great choice for those maintaining diets without gluten, dairy, eggs and soy — and the rest of us, for flavors ranging from churro to Gramma Ann, a vanilla cake doughnut with an Earl Grey glaze and strawberry jam.

OTHER TACOMA-AREA RESTAURANT NEWS

▪ La Ca Bar, the buzzing Vietnamese restaurant on Tacoma’s Sixth Avenue, is opening a second location in Parkland. The owners shared the news in an Instagram post on New Year’s Eve. It will replace Home Turf Taproom, whose house beer was produced by Gig Harbor Brewing Co. The menu will be smaller than the original, focusing on banh mi, vermicelli noodles and spring rolls, plus Vietnamese coffee, wine and beer.

▪ Trapper’s Sushi, which also has a popular Parkland outpost, will open yet another restaurant — this time in Enumclaw, replacing Jackson’s Restaurant. “We opened our first store in Bonney Lake, not too far from here, 18 years ago,” the owner said on social media in December. “Enumclaw’s such a great little town.” It will be the 11th location in Washington state for Trapper’s, also operating three outposts in Arizona.

▪ Komadre Kombucha closed its Sixth Avenue taproom at the end of 2022. “Maybe Tacoma wasn’t ready for a dry bar!” owner Julie Davidson told The News Tribune. The company will continue selling to local taprooms and bottle shops, offering a “sober-inclusive” alternative. Loyal imbibers can order home-delivery, too.

This story was originally published January 4, 2023 at 5:00 AM.