Originally published on September 4, 2020.
Every year around back-to-school time, The Stranger staff puts together a list of spots near Seattle’s colleges where broke and new-to-town students can find easy and reliable eats. Things are a little different this year, obviously, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a takeout banh mi for five bucks.
This list is not exhaustive or exhausting. We were probably too hungry to remember your favorite spot. Please yell about it in the comments.
Chinatown-International District
The BBQ pork banh mi at this Vietnamese deli in Jackson Square has made top-ten lists for years for good reason: it’s probably the best $5.00 you can spend in the city. Sweet, salty, tender pork topped with a bright little salad of carrot, daikon, cucumber, and cilantro all wrapped in colonial bread that’s soft on the inside and slightly crunchy on the outside. If you need sriracha, you can buy a little bottle in the store. If you don’t want anything too heavy, you can’t go wrong with the ready-to-go spring rolls with a side of their addicting chili-peanut sauce. Pick up a zip-lock bag of shrimp chips and a massive steamed hum bao cloud for $4.00 while you’re it. If you’re a good Catholic at Seattle University on a budget, take the 5-minute walk to the edge of the ID and get the $6.00 steamed rice lunch special with caramelized shrimp and stir-fry vegetables. You’ll pay a little extra for the shrimp, but the money’s worth it and you’ll eat for a day. The place draws a diverse crowd—construction workers, people from the neighborhood, students—and sees pretty constant foot traffic during lunch, but the women who run the joint do brisk business. Few places in Seattle make you feel like you live in an actual city. Saigon Deli is one of them. —R.S.
