One of the most-hyped food trucks of the spring landed in the Maple Leaf parking lot of Project 9 Brewing in early May. Originating in Oregon but with its heart somewhere between Chicago and Texas, Sammich specializes in meaty, messy sandwiches like the Italian Beef, which is loaded with peppers and best enjoyed with beef drippings poured all over everything. Sammich sandwiches pair nicely with beer, but also with an afternoon nap.

The innovative sandwich artists behind this food truck opened their permanent location in early July and immediately drew immense crowds, selling out regularly before 3 p.m. Not only do they have sandwiches like the Notorious P.I.G. (slow roasted pork belly and fresno pepper jelly with chicories and aioli), they’ve added non-sandwich fare like biscuits, salads, Stamp Act coffee, and a range of non-alcoholic drinks, wine, and beer. Did we mention it’s right next to Green Lake?

Even for a town that loves its bakeries, the July opening of the brick-and-mortar location of Ben Campbell’s beloved pop-up was highly anticipated. We’re here to say that the hype (and the lines) are justified. Campbell’s bread is one of the best sourdough loaves in Seattle, crispy and dark on the outside and marvelously chewy on the inside. The pastries are great as well, but the can’t-miss item here are the “Cheez-Isnts,” a grown-up Cheez-it with a soft interior and some heat from cayenne pepper. Just bring a book for the line.

Ballard has more dinner restaurants than anyone could ask for, but where in the neighborhood do you go for a fast casual lunch? As of May, the answer is Bapshim, a Korean lunch bowl restaurant from WeRo owner Wes Yoo. The bulgogi ribeye is downright juicy, the pickled cucumbers and onions satisfy your vinegar craving, and the mayak (soy-marinated) egg is an extra three bucks but mandatory if you ask us. The entrance is on 20th Avenue NW, between Leary and Ballard, a.k.a. the back door of WeRo.

If you stop by this out-of-the-way residential street on Montlake on a weekend morning, you’ll see a long line of people snaking around the block. For bagels. Not even bagel sandwiches: They don’t slice the bagels at Mt. Bagel, they don’t sell anything but whole bagels and cream cheese. But if you’re on the fence about braving that line, it’s worth it. These bagels are big enough to be breakfasts on their own, chewy and airy inside, that toothsome resistance on the outside. Since Roan Hartzog returned to town in June, his team can’t make these bagels fast enough for those gluten-obsessed line-standers. Go ahead, see what the fuss is about for yourself. We’re betting you’ll come back for more.    

Owner Trey Lamont is still trying to reopen the original Jerk Shack via a crowdfunding campaign, but for now we’ll settle for the counter-service version in the Central District’s Midtown Square development. “Settle” is actually the wrong word, because this is one of the best takeout operations going right now. Two highlights for us are rich jerk chicken — with a fair amount of heat — and the plantains, which are juicy and tender and sweet, the perfect snacks to eat in the car while you’re driving home.    

In June, this Filipino diner reopened in a new downtown location blocks away from its former home. It already feels like a permanent part of the breakfast-into-lunch landscape, and weeks after opening it’s bustling with people looking to get their fix of lumpia, garlic fried rice, and photogenic ube pancakes. The best thing on the menu, though, might be the longganisa — eating these as part of a classic diner breakfast plate makes you wonder why all diners aren’t Filipino diners. 

When Daniel Rojo was a vegetarian he noticed a hole in the Seattle dining scene: There were very few vegan or even vegetarian-friendly Mexican restaurants around. So he started experimenting in his garage during the beginning of the pandemic, selling his plant-based burritos and tacos to family and friends at first. In March, he opened his own brick-and-mortar in Pioneer Square, and vegan schmegan, the plant-based al pastor is crispy and crunchy and addictive, cooked with pineapple for a bit of extra sweetness. Come here if you want to get excited about the future of food without dead animals in it.

Seattle has a lot of Thai places but not many that serve pak mor, a dumpling-like dish consisting of a filling wrapped in a delicate rice noodle skin. At E-Jae Pak Mor, which opened in April across the street from Uwajimaya, these are the star attraction — earthy and complicated, with a sweet sauce that pairs perfectly with it. The noodle soups here aren’t as takeout-friendly, so why not sit in the colorful dining room and have some combo of slow-cooked beef, fish balls, and pork shoulder? You won’t be disappointed.

This longtime pop-up finally found a permanent location in Beacon Hill in March. Owner Matthew Segal takes a lot of pride in his New York–style bagels, but might take even more pride in his smoked fish, which is some of the best in the city. This summer Loxsmith is rolling out a partnership with Kelly’s Fresh Fish, which is supplying the shop with lox made from line-caught king salmon.

The West Seattle Bridge has been open now for a little while, but the trip across the water didn’t feel the same while the Luna Park Cafe was closed for some R&R. That hiatus has thankfully ended in March, and the diner is once again a beacon of kitschy retro fun. The menu is that timeless diner stuff, the only innovation here being that they’ll serve your breakfast items in a “pile” (on hashbrowns and topped with eggs) or a “hobo” (mixed up with hashbrowns and eggs). They have a whole vegan menu here, and Rainier tall boys (that famous local vegan speciality) are like $5. What else do you want?