New restaurants: Sizzling steakhouse, savory pies, loaded gyros and lots of sandwiches
From a new carbon-style steakhouse to a tucked-away coffee shop that moonlights as a “dry speakeasy,” it’s both wet and dry January in the Tacoma restaurant world.
Coming off a flurry of openings in late fall — a karaoke bar, champagne bar and boba shop among them — many more debuted in recent weeks.
Lakewood finally welcomed its long-awaited Denny’s replacement, and another winery has landed downtown as well as a distillery bar in University Place. Meanwhile, three existing businesses have expanded their food offerings, and there are now gyros on Pacific Avenue.
Here’s a look at recently opened restaurants in and around Tacoma.
AL BACHA - TACOMA
▪ 112 S. 9th St., Tacoma, albachabroadway.com
Al Bacha has expanded from its original restaurant in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood to downtown Tacoma — and we’re lucky for it. The Mediterranean concept brings a much-needed fast-casual concept to the north side of downtown. You can easily fill up for under $15 and 15 minutes. Staples include the loaded house gyro (lamb and beef), a chicken version, shawarma and kofta. Falafel, here in disc form, is housemade, and the grape leaves are juicy with lemon and olive oil. The space is simple with five or six tables to dine in, but it’s also very ready for takeout.
SANDWICH STARR (& COCKTAILS) AT EDISON CITY ALEHOUSE
▪ 5602 S. Lawrence St., Tacoma, sandwichstarr.com
Trey Beattie and Megan Lafler introduced their sandwich shop last fall inside Edison City Alehouse, South Tacoma’s beer and bottle shop that also has some news: a full bar with cocktails like a smoked old fashioned. Now you can nestle into this cozy hangout with one of the cleanest tap systems in the region and enjoy a sandwich made on site. The 14 creations on French rolls (most $9 for a half and $15 for a full) include The League, a ham-turkey-bacon situation; the Iocaine with prosciutto, pepperoni, salami and mozzarella; and the Diva with brie, bacon and tomato. Check for daily soup and weekly sandwich specials. Food from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 2-7 p.m. Sunday; bar open at 1 p.m. most days (2 p.m. Monday, closed Wednesdays).
TOM’S SANDWICH CO. AT RUSTY GOAT
▪ 712 Court C (Opera Alley), instagram.com/toms_sandwich_co
Since opening in early 2022, Rusty Goat has been kind of a secret beer haven and laid-back lounge in Opera Alley. In addition to the Japanese okazu pan snacks you can nosh from Seattle’s Umami Kushi, dig in to Tom’s Sandwich Co. offerings. Combinations ($12.99-$14.99) range from the Hot Gibb (soppressata, mortadella, smoked gouda, white cheddar, dijon) to the Tillicum Tussle (roast beef, pickled red onions, carrot and horseradish coleslaw), served on ciabatta or rosemary-garlic bread. There’s even a muffaletta-type deal! Open weekdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. plus 5-9 p.m. Friday and 3-9 p.m. Saturday.
SHIN LUCHADOR AT BROKEN SPOKE
1014 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, 253-212-2630, instagram.com/shin_luchador/
Broken Spoke, a bar and barber shop under one roof, has served Hilltop since 2015. In December, the owners announced Shin Luchador, bringing more substantial food and a full bar with spirits to the mix. Snacks include chips and homemade salsa, nachos, bulgogi beef and gochujang-doused pork tacos. You can also get those meats in bowl form — rice with slaw, edamame, crispy garlic and seaweed flakes. New in drinks: West 32 soju and cocktails like the Jungle Bird with Jamaican rum, Campari, lime and pineapple. Open 11 a.m.-9:30ish Wednesday-Saturday (bar open until 11 p.m.).
REY CARBON - LAKEWOOD
▪ 6112 100th St. SW, Lakewood, 253-507-7937, reycarbon.com
From the owners of Antojos Mexican Grill comes another restaurant specializing in carbon-style cooking. Rey Carbon has been several years in the making — the Denny’s replacement was slated to be called Don Carbon, but it finally opened late last year with a menu focused on steaks, including cuts sourced from Snake River Farms in Idaho (most range from $35 to $65, but prices reach $155 for 8 ounces of A5 wagyu). Pair with grilled veggies, esquites or roasted poblanos with crispy corn and sauces, like a spiced béarnaise. Seafood includes salmon, octopus, scallops and branzino. The rest of the menu offers cold dishes — tuna tostadas and green shrimp aguachile among them — as well as select tacos and tres leches. From the bar, sip various margaritas, a caipirinha and dessert-inspired cocktails, plus Modelo Especial and Negra on tap. Open at 4 p.m. daily.
JACK’S SAVORY PIE CO.
▪ Around Pierce County, facebook.com
This new Pierce County food truck hit the road with a menu of flaky, savory British-style hand pies. The country beef features ground sirloin with veggies and gravy; the yellow curry chicken adds potatoes and charred carrots; and the cheesesteak boasts peppers, onions, provolone and pepper jack. There’s even a calzone-inspired pie: the Italian Pie-za! with sausage and pepperoni in a spicy red sauce. Frequent stops have included the Waterfront Market in Ruston and Beer Star in Central Tacoma. Find an updated schedule at streetfoodfinder.com/jackssavorypie.
STRUCTURE CELLARS - TACOMA
▪ 632 St. Helens Ave., Tacoma, 978-697-2346, structurewines.com
Structure Cellars began in the Seattle garage of Brandee Slosar and Brian Grasso in 2008, followed by a tasting room in SoDo that led to an adjacent champagne bar. They had been seeking more production space around Tacoma but, to start, opened their first tasting room here, near The Blue Rose and The Mix. Like other wineries that see a future in Tacoma, Structure already had club members in the area. Nestle into a glass under glass pendants and moody walls. With a lesser-seen focus on syrahs and cab francs, Slosar described their mission as “really great wine, but not crazy expensive … in a beautiful space that feels good.” Open Wednesday-Friday at 2 p.m. and weekends at noon.
CHAMBERS BAY DISTILLERY - UNIVERSITY PLACE
▪ 3610 Bridgeport Way W., University Place, chambersbaydistillery.com
Almost a decade after opening the distillery, also in University Place, Alan Davis and Jeff Robinette introduced a full-service tasting room and bar on Bridgeport Way West in December. Enjoy cocktails featuring house spirits — old fashioned, Manhattan, whiskey sour, martini, even a cosmopolitan — or sample with a flight of sippers. There’s also select beer and wine as well as a menu of flatbreads, bar snacks and charcuterie boards designed by local chef Hudson Slater. Currently open at 4 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 3 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
SOULBERRY COFFEE ROASTERS & DRY SPEAKEASY
▪ 2310 Court A, Tacoma, instagram.com/soulberrycoffeehouse
On the south side of downtown, Soulberry Coffee House quietly opened just before the new year. Owner Terri Quintana Jessen has been roasting at the shared Roasterworks in Auburn for a few years now but the Tacoma cafe is her first brick-and-mortar. Wood ceilings and white brick line the airy space with plenty of room to study or spread out. There’s also a piano, with plans for open mics and live music — starting Saturday, Jan. 13 with pianist and singer Brittany Danielle (doors at 6 p.m., music at 7 p.m.). Another reason to go out of your way? Soulberry is also angling to be a dry speakeasy. Jessen has already stocked the shelves with a swath of nonalcoholic spirits, wines and other packaged drinks to sip on their own, in a spritz, or let the bartender whip up something special. It’s also a perfect pit stop for your Dry (or Damp) January and beyond. Currently open for coffee 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, with expanded hours expected soon.
BUFFALO WILD WINGS ‘GO’ - LAKEWOOD
▪ 10011 Bridgeport Way SW, Lakewood, 253-528-5273, buffalowildwings.com
In 2020, Buffalo Wild Wings began rolling out takeout-only spots — an answer both to pandemic-related requests but also an ongoing decrease in customer traffic to casual dining chains. From the Lakewood location, you can order wings, tenders, sandwiches, burgers and wraps plus bottle sauces. Need a last-minute party platter? Order online, pick up and be on your way.
This story was originally published January 12, 2024 at 5:45 AM.