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    Big John's PFI

    4.3 (171 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    Inside
    Julie E.

    Slipped in this gem just before they closed for the night. We have European stores in Portland but nothing this big. Excellent selection of groceries from Europe. Picked up some organic European flour, pastas I'm dying to try, pasta sauce from Brooklyn, gifts and more. Huge wine and cheese selection. If you're craving something from Europe, they likely have it here. Staff was friendly and attentive. Much bigger inside than you'd expect. We will be returning and can't wait to try our haul of Yums.

    Panforte
    Anne C.

    Every time I go here, I'm more and more enamored of the goodies that can be found at Big John's PFI. Reasonably priced castelvetrano olives in bulk - both pitted and whole? Picholine olives? Greek olives? Soooo many choices and well priced too. Fennel salami? yes! Amazing walnut leaf-wrapped pecorino? Delicious! Came here before the holidays to look for panforte for a dear relative who loves this chewy, nutty, fruit and honey Italian dessert - and they had so many possible options. They also had torrone, panettone, pandoro, gianduiotti - all things on my personal holiday shopping list. And I couldn't resist picking up some calissons, some pate de fruits, and cassis syrup for New Year's kir royales. And a bag of Kolsvart Swedish Fish that was elderflower-flavored and pike shaped. I also come here for my favorite Hengstenberg German pickles, French mustard, and a 5 kilo bag of Italian "00" pizza flour. They also have many specialty flours in bulk, a huge variety of malt balls, that divisive (either you love it or you don't) salted black licorice, bulk spices, and so much more. The only con: parking is extremely difficult and some things are seasonal, so, patience and timing is sometimes required.

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Premium Italian grocery. Going back to slow try everything they have. Great customer service and very knowledgeable about what they carry

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    3 years ago

    Expensive but can find a lot of Italian food items not always easily found in Seattle. The new location much more convenient.

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    Page 2 of 5

    Ask the Community - Big John's PFI

    Review Highlights - Big John's PFI

    I also have to get olive oil, tapenades, cans of crushed tomatoes by the case, bulk spices and grains....

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    Salumi - Grilled Cheese Panini (Build your own)

    Salumi

    4.4(1.6k reviews)
    1.0 miPioneer Square
    $$

    I am glad my brother found this spot for lunch within walking distance of our stay. It is so cute…read moreand quant. The place is simple and clean. I ordered the caprese sandwich and my brother got the porchetta sandwich. The bread is crispy but soft on the inside. I saw the guy cutting up the tomato as we sat to wait for our sandwiches. You order at the kiosk and then sit to eat. The ingredients are super fresh and worth waiting for the sandwich.

    I ordered the Turky club it was delicious. The veggies were fresh (and so was the bread) it had the…read moreperfect mix and amounts of all the ingredients and the vinigrette was so good! I liked their menu is pretty simple and that you can order at the kiosk on your own. If you are running short on time-order ahead the line is long and you will be waiting if you go in during peak hours (like lunchtime). While I loved my sandwich-the service is not great. They call the orders by your name and while they are really busy sometimes with the amount of people in the space and noise level you may miss your name being called. I thought I had heard my name so I went over to peek if it was my order and one of the individuals that was making the sandwiches nearly ripped my head off and YELLED at me and said "its not yours"...."you need to wait for your name to be called"....Well no kidding...I am not new here I was just checking-I did not touch the sandwich. Just plain rude...and I really do not think they care. If you are wiling to ignore getting yelled at and made to feel totally incompetent these are great sandwiches.

    Photos
    Salumi - Inside

    Inside

    Salumi - Braised Porchetta Grindhouse

    Braised Porchetta Grindhouse

    Salumi - Front counter

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    Front counter

    Due' Cucina - Capitol Hill - Mushroom & White Truffle oil - IG: @nelson_eats

    Due' Cucina - Capitol Hill

    4.3(883 reviews)
    1.9 miCapitol Hill
    $$

    We were lured over to Due' Cucina after having a fantastic experience with their fresh porchetta…read moresandwiches at the Camp Yelp event earlier this month. Fatty and tender meat, dripping with juices, on top of the perfect focaccia with an ideal crunchy fried crust and airy interior, not to mention the excellent marinated eggplant, tender and filled with tangy vinegar essence. I couldn't wait to give their actual restaurants a try, and that's where we found ourselves over the rainy weekend. This particular location is open and clean with extremely friendly staff. Ordering is really easy on the 3 kiosks in the front, although the pasta chef/cashier is also happy to take orders, offer suggestions, and help with any questions. The menu displays the level of al dente to expect with each type of pasta but can be adjusted in the order notes. They also have a very convenient monitor up near the kitchen that displays order status, whether in the preparation phase or complete. I especially love how this restaurant has bar seating in front of the fresh pasta making station. We were able to watch as the chef mixed up a batch of fresh spaghetti, measuring out the semolina flour and water (at least, that's all I saw her add to the combo mixer-extruder), preparing the die, and then extruding the pasta. And yes, as with any high quality pasta, they use bronze dies for extrusion here! The pasta is dried on racks for a bit to really give that al dente bite when cooked. Suppli Al Telefono ($3.70) - An order comes with a single piece nestled in a mini fry basket. This is somewhat similar to the more commonly seen (in the US at least) arancini. It's a smaller log-shaped fried croquette, with tender rice cooked in a fragrant tomato based sauce, stuffed with tons of gooey, stretchy cheese, and then deep fried to golden perfection. The breading is fantastically crunchy, contrasting against the much softer interior. It's a great pairing of texture and flavor. (5/5) Short Ribs Ragu w/ Fusilloni ($14.90) - The chef recommended the fusilloni with the ragu. The fusilloni, essentially a larger fusilli that has longer "fins", has plenty of spirals and crevices to catch onto the sauce. The extrusion is a little inconsistent, with some pieces being longer than others and others being more spirally, a sign of manual hand cutting rather than being machine sliced. Per the menu, the fusilloni is cooked until a "2" al dente level. This is actually more al dente than most Italian restaurants, meaning the pasta has a very firm bite, yet remains slightly chewy. It's definitely cooked through and pleasant to eat, although trending towards the too al dente side. The pasta is only lightly sauced, but what sauce there is clings perfectly onto the micro rough surface of the pasta. Each bite is consistent in taste with all the rich umami and tangy notes from the red wine tomato sauce. The parmigiano reggiano adds an additional burst of savory saltiness and the short rib, rendered perfectly tender, is given in enough quantity to satisfy. Due Cucina really does serve some great pasta. (5/5) Rustic Porchetta Sandwich ($11.90) - With how great the porchetta sandwich was at Camp Yelp, this is a disappointment. The porchetta, while still flavorful with somewhat anise-like and garlicky aromas, is completely dried out and tough. It's like the pork had been pre-sliced in the morning at a central kitchen, shipped to the restaurant, then placed in a dry heat tray for service. After the meal I confirmed my suspicions with the chef - the porchetta is prepared off site and and driven over every morning. The focaccia, so airy and crisp at Camp Yelp, is also subpar in store. It's floppy, completely saturated with oil, yet feels dried out on the interior. At least the eggplant hasn't degraded in quality too much. While still having a bite (e.g. not super tender), it's grilled and marinated until tangy and savory in a vinaigrette. Interestingly they serve the sandwich on top of a bed of lettuce tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette. The oils in the sandwich drip down while eating to add even more flavor. (3/5) I know that their porchetta is high quality when fresh, but I think the way they have it set up now makes a sandwich that's still tasty, but definitely could be much better. If they choose to open a specialty sandwich shop that roasts the porchetta in house, I'd definitely be a regular. With Due' Cucina, though, I'd stick with the excellent pasta. At the end of the day, pricing is very reasonable. For less than $40 after tax/tip, we both left satisfied. What a rarity for Seattle nowadays. And as a bonus, apparently they refresh the menu often. According to the chef, starting on Monday, Due Cucina will be introducing new pasta shapes, sauces, and different sandwiches. I'll be back for more pasta in the near future! Bathrooms - Two unisex rooms that require a code to enter.

    The good: portions are large and prices are lower than expected. Financial and tiramisu were very…read moregood. Takeout was quick. The meh: carbona focaccia sandwich was a salt lick. The short rib ragu and bolognese were 2x pasta to sauce, which was surprisingly dry given they were swimming in oil. Pasta is obviously homemade and tasty. Next time we'd plan to eat in the restaurant rather than doing takeout.

    Photos
    Due' Cucina - Capitol Hill - Ambience

    Ambience

    Due' Cucina - Capitol Hill - Suppli Al Telefono

    Suppli Al Telefono

    Due' Cucina - Capitol Hill - Suppli Al Telefono

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    Suppli Al Telefono

    Beecher's Handmade Cheese - Flagship - Basil & Tomato

    Beecher's Handmade Cheese

    3.6(158 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    $$

    I love that Beecher's is like the only place in this state other than the airport where you can buy…read moreDeep River snacks' mini bags of jalapeño chips. I'd been looking for them everywhere, and I was so glad when I spotted them at Beecher's a few years ago. Whenever I have a craving, I can just stop by the mall and pick up a bag! Regarding their food, I wish they listed all ingredients on the menu. I love their lasagna, but it has spinach in it, which I'm intolerant to, so the first and last time I ordered lasagna at Beecher's was a pretty painful experience. During my most recent Beecher's trip a few weeks ago, my boyfriend ordered a grilled cheese and their salmon mac and cheese. I had a few bites of both, and they were delicious. The grilled cheese was perfectly crispy, and I loved the crunch it made when I first bit into it. The gooey-ness of the cheese in the macaroni was also incredible, and I loved the texture. I'm sure I'll come back soon! I would probably be more inclined to drop by during every mall trip if they had better coffee. Every time I order an iced mocha, it's overpriced and absolutely disgusting. The flavours are never incorporated, and every time I think it will be different, it's the same.

    I finally get to try Beecher's, The famous cheese shop, a beloved institution known for its…read morehandcrafted cheeses and cheese sandwiches. I first found out about Beecher's when I was at Pike's Place and noticed the super long line for Beecher's. I didn't have time to stand in the line so I skipped it during March 25 visit. My daughter tried and mentioned how good mac was. Yay. fast forward to this recent visit to Bellevue Square and what a bonus & treat! Beecher's was here at the mall, but the junk part is I was full from snacking at the other mall and we are having a late dinner in about 11/2 hours. I want to try everything which I couldn't, I went for the mac & cheese that everyone raves about, but I couldn't do the grilled sandwiches, this will have to wait til next trip. The mac & cheese is available in classic, meat ball & salmon and comes in 2 sizes , 8 oz and 16 oz. I wanted to try the meat ball but they were sold out. I got the salmon, happy dance before I took my first bite & the verdict: That was some good mac & cheese, this is what I call mac & cheese. I can't compare other mac & cheese to this. Its my first time trying mac & cheese with salmon and it was actually unique and so good, loved the flavors, the hint of lime, dill, cheese, penne pasta, smoky salmon, & sauce. Tip., there's no bread crumbs on mac & cheese but ask for the fresh croutons to add to your mac & cheese. **Remember stop by here instead of dealing with the lines at Pike's Place. This is the best impromptu, unplanned visit ever!

    Photos
    Beecher's Handmade Cheese - Bellevue Square Location

    Bellevue Square Location

    Beecher's Handmade Cheese - World's Best Mac & Cheese

    World's Best Mac & Cheese

    Beecher's Handmade Cheese - Mac and cheese

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    Mac and cheese

    Flight Wine + Chocolate - S'mores chocolate

    Flight Wine + Chocolate

    4.9(43 reviews)
    1.3 miCapitol Hill

    This has been on my list of places to go for years. Decided to make an excuse (anniversary) and…read morewent all in. Inside has a clean, more modern feel, but still comfortable. You can choose to sit on the main floor, outside, or upstairs. Got a flight of red wine, a flight of whites, and a flight of chocolate (which comes with a glass of wine specifically as a pairing. This was my favorite wine). AND a free snack bowl was provided! The workers did an excellent job. They brought out the wines one at a time- describing each one in detail, even pointing out which were their favorites. The service was very personable, which is something I don't always get at other places that do wine tastings. The chocolates were melt in your mouth, with unique flavors, making it extra fun. I must note- getting the flights that we did was pricey, but I know, most wine tastings and fancy chocolates are going to be expensive. I also wish there was a little more chocolate in the flight. It was difficult to cut up and share. However, this was a wonderful experience that I'm happy to have tried once, and they deserve the 5 stars!

    Flight is an intimate wine bar in a quieter part of Capitol Hill. The decor is chic with red…read moreaccents and comfortable seating throughout. When we were seated we were given menus and the staff walked us through each flight offered. They even provide complimentary gluten free snack mix! We ordered two first class flights and a chocolate flight. The first class is a red flight, but starts with champagne (yes real champagne). I've never had champagne to start a flight and I absolutely loved it. The flight was well placed with each wine growing bolder. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and took time to explain each wine to every table. The chocolate flight was the best chocolate I have ever had, the chocolatier was even serving our wine and brought out the chocolates as well. He explained every piece and where each ingredient was from. The chocolate flight came with a port that paired well with every chocolate. This wine tasting room is thoughtfully curated and you can tell with every glass and piece of chocolate.

    Photos
    Flight Wine + Chocolate - Chocolate flight

    Chocolate flight

    Flight Wine + Chocolate
    Flight Wine + Chocolate

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    Big John's PFI - cheese - Updated May 2026

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