U District’s New Takeout-Driven ‘Market’ Revives Meg’s Hamburgers and Tacos de la Noche

Two popular fast-casual spots that closed in 2020 have some new life in the U District. A new takeout and delivery-driven business called Urban Dinner Market has opened at 5201 University Way N, offering the menus for seven different restaurants, including the former Pioneer Square place Meg’s Hamburgers and Tacos de la Noche (a takeout window that took up residency at Capitol Hill’s Bar Sue before it closed). There’s also a mini-mart with the not-so-subtle name Yo Stoney, which features candy, salty snacks, microwavable meals, eye drops, and condoms.

Urban Dinner Market operates out of a fixed location, and there is a window from which customers can walk up and order off the menu from any of the restaurants listed. But delivery and curbside pickup options are also available via DoorDash, GrubHub, and Chownow, with Uber Eats coming down the line. Diners can mix and match items for online orders, grabbing a burger from Meg’s along with some Red Vines from Yo Stoney, for instance. Owner and restaurateur Lex Petras — known for the Pioneer Square German brewpub Altstadt — says Urban Dinner Market will also have a downloadable app soon.

Meg’s Hamburgers had a brief but admirable run as a full-fledged restaurant in Pioneer Square, paying homage to old-school burger joints, while serving a pretty solid smash burger and some stellar fries. Tacos de la Noche drew fans during its time at Bar Sue for its well-crafted tacos, burritos, tortas, and quesadillas. All those items will be available on the Urban Dinner Market menu.

There are also five other restaurants in the mix, including poke purveyor Gimme Poke, a make-your-own salad bar called Grabbit Rabbit, the seafood-focused PNW Fish Fry (which offers Ivar’s clam chowder), sandwich spot Vessel, and Pete’s, a cheesesteak specialist.

• Urban Dinner Market [Official]