Great vibe. Come in, sit down, have a glass a wine and the meat combo plate and boom you're having one of the best lunches in the country. Nothing to it. Bring someone in from out of town and they'll think they're in a real city. Take a tub of ragu to go for the weekend.

So there's this place in Pioneer Square, run by the father of that "Mario Batali" guy from Food Network... Anyway, Salumi is run by Marios dad, a former engineer. It really is a salami place first and oh-by-the way, a sandwich place. Supposedly they serve dinners there. How one actually gets invited to dinner is a mystery to me. You used to be able to "adopt" a Prosciutto and visit it. To cut to the chase, the meats are absolutely fantastic. The salamis, cured meats, and chef staples are unique and delicious. The flavors and textures are on another planet. Supposedly DeLaurenti's has some great meats now but I have yet to try them. As far as lunch... I try to go every once in a while but the place is really packed. You have to visualize the fact that the storefront is a tiny space and the line is always out the door. Service is great, efficient and to the point (there's no air of being over-the-top nice like most Seattle places) Make sure you get at least 1/2 pound to go. Honestly the sandwiches are really good, but what is satisfying is what is in them... The also have hot sandwiches - like a meatball one, for instance. Yum. Like people have noted the seating is communal but it's fun to sit at a table with strangers (how novel for Seattle). ...and you MUST take some to go! Make your own Salumi sandwich and enjoy in a park.

Skip the sandwich (too much bread), get the meat and cheese plate (cold or hot). Order wine, sit down in the back and share your surplus food with others.

This is one the few places that Seattle can be proud of. In Chicago they have those Italian beef sandwiches. But do they have Salumi? No, they do not. In Toronto they have actual French bakeries. But they have no Salumi. The communal tables, the wine with lunch (no dinner here) and of course, the fucking fantastic food take you to another state of being. I had oxtails there that blew my little mind. And once you take home some salami, you'll have a hard time getting it anywhere else.