I miss the former spot that used to be here. However, I waited nearly four months to finally stop…read moreby The Kite Cafe. It had opened on 5/23/24 right before Memorial Day. I decided to visit for a weekday lunch on this particular warm sunny day (9/16/24). Golden Gardens on a weekend summer day? Uh, no thanks. Sun & sand in Seattle is like shopping after payday at Costco. Still cringing from PTSD getting twacked by a frisbee. Easy peasy getting a nearby parking spot. Approached the entrance to The Kite Cafe, already folks outside sunning themselves before autumn hits and The Big Dark, lol. Yay, no line and beat any potential lunch rush. Welcoming person behind the counter, one of the owners, I presume. I placed an order for The Sunset: Italian meats, provolone (or can select mozzarella), lettuce, tomato, red onion, oregano, evoo & red wine vinegar. It can be prepped cold or warmed up in a panini grill. I opted for the latter. After a brief wait, I wandered off to a more scenic spot with my well wrapped sammie and napkin. No onsite indoor seating, just a few outdoor seating, concrete areas, and of course, Golden Gardens various picnic benches and tables adjacent to the paved sidewalk and beach. Sandwiches, bowls, salads, beverages, chips, and frozen treats are available for purchase. There's also beach gear available like kites, hats, sunglasses, etc. It was a nice sunny day and thankfully no errant frisbees or pesky seagulls to dodge. The plump pigeons also totally ignored me. Fine, that allowed me to fully focus on this sizeable, generous grilled sandwich. Easily shareable (or not, lol). I appreciated the double butcher paper. One encased the sliced sandwich, the other made for a makeshift tablecloth to catch most of the crumbs and shredded lettuce bits. Delicious and not overly salty from start to finish. Got a bit oily towards the end though. Glad to give it a try as my breakfast/lunch meal today. A bit pricey, with tax & tip just under $21. Paying for the overall quality, for sure. But my budget will have to stick to Jersey Mike's Italian #13. It'll be interesting how they keep or adjust their business hours during the upcoming autumn & winter months. And how they compete with Un Bien, Secret Congee, Ray's, and Anthony's also in Ballard/Shilshoe. (Edit - they posted their off season hours on 9/22/24. Closed Mon - Thurs, open only Fri, Sat & Sun) 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for this first visit.

The best panini sandwiches around. All made to order. Excellent!! We'll be back. Beachy…read moreambiance -- right at the beach!

this sandwich was highly impressive as the main part of the…read moresandwich, it was pretty necessary that the pork be cooked to near-perfection, and i have to say it was here it gave off a deep, brown-ish color, which showed the extent of it's cooking and marination. It wasn't quite incredibly tender, but the marinade added an absolute ton of flavor. more importantly, it was present plentifully throughout the sandwich, so practically every bite came filled with pork I also have to mention how packed together the ingredients are between the buns. when you start eating, it's inevitable that a quarter of the ingredients will fall onto the wrap below, leaving a nice secondary meal to finish off after the sandwich is done. the sandwich is packed incredibly tight during the wrapping process, but it unravels a bit while eating. for me, the major highlights of this meal was the onions and the aioli Starting with the onions, these may be the best I've ever had on a sandwich. They're caramelized amazingly, placed onto the sandwich in astoundingly large pieces, are crunchy, and there's just a lot of them. They're just wonderful both texturally and taste-wise. This sandwich is absolutely lathered with aioli - practically dripping with it. This boosted the overall flavor so much, especially because this aioli was addictingly good. In my experience, the amount of sauce has been directly proportional to how much I enjoyed a sandwich, and when the sauce is this good - it's even on the top of the bun! - i absolutely loved it Somehow the lettuce stayed crunchy despite all the otherwise wetness going on in the sandwich. Props for that The jalapenos were great as well for that extra bit of spicy - I would've loved to have more of them while the bread was toasted well, the one downside was i thought it was pretty hard and tough, which made chewing kind of difficult. I found my jaw to be pretty tired at the end after eating this. I would've much preferred a softer roll that's easier to bite into I've had similar sandwiches from Paseo and Bongos, and in my opinion this does edge out both of those Comparing to Paseo, the sandwich there has way more oil, making it more sloppy and I do like the bread there a lot better, but the pork feels richer and better marinated here (although less fatty), and the onions are definitely caramelized better here as well. Bongos has a pretty similar level of pork with more, but onions are definitely a step down What moves this place above those two for me is the amount of aioli used here far exceeds those other places, which just makes the overall eating experience better For the price (about 14 dollars) this is a really filling meal

Roast park sandwich here was awesome! I had gone to Paseo way back in the day, maybe 2007 or 2008,…read moreand the sandwich tasted very similar to what I remember. The rice and beans are also amazing. I think you could probably go with any sandwich that has your preferred protein source and it would be great. The guy working the register taking the orders was super friendly as well. Lots of street parking in the area. They have one bathroom and a good amount of seating. Definitely worth a visit for a great sandwich.

I love this store. The owner and his workers are so warm and inviting. It's my go-to place for…read morewine.

Been coming here since they opened. They have a great selection of almost anything you would need…read morelast minute. The staff is lovely. Good food trucks. great all around.

I love this cafe! Location is amazing right at the top of the Golden Gardens stairs and next to…read moreSunny Hill pizza. Americanos are excellent there and the staff is awesome. My favorite coffee shop in the area!

I found out about this place when I was walking a dog in the neighborhood. I tried going in during…read morethe walk, but the dog became quite restless indoor so I had to go before ordering. This time, I was walking on my own so I was able to get a cup of coffee. I had the orange Madeleine latte (Madeleine cookie syrup, orange zest, espresso, and sea salt on top) but it tasted artificial and wasn't my cup of tea. The barista sounded indifferent and seemed done for the day as well, which was not great. Looking at the menu pic that I took, I realize now that the price is pretty steep at $7.25 for 8 oz drink. It's already pretty far away from me, so I probably wouldn't visit again.

The dream of the 90s is alive at La Copa! It's a great spot that reminds me of all of the cozy…read morecoffee shops I loved in my youth before everything got so sterile and austere. Laid back vibe, a real neighborhood joint, a mix of people, always great music playing, good coffee and savory and sweet options for food (I love the ginger cookie!). I came here several times before I realized they have a lovely back patio, where I plan to spend many summer mornings!

I was house sitting in the neighborhood and I wanted some coffee so I stopped by. I wish this…read moreneighborhood had more coffee shops because I still had to walk ten minutes (with hills smh) to get here. Anyways, their latte was good and the grinder sandwich was ok. I chose Black Forest ham for the grinder sandwich and I liked how they put a lot of ham inside. I wish the sandwich was constructed with more thought because they put the tomato closest to the bread and toasted the sandwich, so the bread started becoming soggy really quickly. I would've been more understanding had been sandwich was cheaper, like you get what you paid for. I saw someone wrote in their review that the coffee is too hot. I could already feel that my drink was also extra hot just by holding it. But it worked for me because I waited to drink it until I got home. After the ten minute walk home, I was able to enjoy the latte at the right temperature.

I had an early dinner here with a group of friends and enjoyed everything I had! It happened to be…read morea beautiful day and we were able to get a table outside too. I didn't go inside so can't speak to that, but on nice day it's a lively corner in a quiet neighborhood. We got there around 4:30 and were easily able to get a table, around 5:15 it began to pick up quickly so definitely recommend getting there early. Appetizers: Snap Pea/Arugula Salad/Chickpea, Waffle Fries, Broccoli My callouts were the broccoli with miso, ginger, tahini sauce. The sauce had a smokiness that was really delicious. The salad was fresh/crisp and waffle fries are what you'd expect but both good! Mains: Loyal Round with Pepperoni, Funky Crime Round I love the funky from round, I loved the morel mushrooms on this pizza! If you like white sauce pizza this is great one! Pepperoni was good too especially with some hot honey!

Sunny Hill Pizza is hitting on almost all cylinders, and when it's good, it is good. The pizza?…read moreDelicious. The waffle fries? Absolutely excellent ... don't sleep on them. The salads are solid too, though I'm still mourning the loss of the green salad. Bring it back, please! Now, the staff for the most part, they are the heart and soul of this place. Warm, welcoming, and genuinely a reason I keep walking through that door. So it genuinely pains me to say that there is one staff member who gives off a deeply uncomfortable energy. We're talking lingering stares, a passive-aggressive undertone that's hard to ignore, and an overall ick factor that follows you through your entire meal. It's an unsettling contrast to the warmth of everyone else on the team and honestly, that contrast makes it stand out even more. Look, the location is convenient, the food slaps, and 95% of the staff deserves a raise and so yes, I'll keep coming back. And, keep putting up with the passive-aggressive woman. But Sunny Hill, if you're reading this, a little check-in with your full team could go a long way toward making this place absolutely flawless.

Food: where to begin?! We had the pate, Camembert cheese, roasted beets, potato gratin,…read morecheeseburger, and Wagyu ribeye. We didn't care for the cheeseburger, but everything else blew our socks off. We went to Japan last year, and I'm pretty sure the Wagyu was on par with what we had there. Service: friendly, timely, and attentive Ambiance: it's a casual and comfortable bistro inside a butcher shop

Good meat, but not a place to sit and eat. No meals available except one sandwich - you have to…read moreorder meat by half pound. Barbecue sauce was surprisingly good. No sides available in meal size (for example, side kale salad is $19 and huge). I would return only to get meat to bring elsewhere.

Have been to Picolino's but didn't realize that this cafe is separate and open during the day! Went…read morefor lunch w/ a few friends on a nice summer day so we got to sit outside in the peaceful garden in the back -- such a hidden gem! Can't beat the relaxing atmosphere. This place is counter service and then you take your number to a table (be sure to indicate if you want to sit in the garden when you place your order, so they know to look for you there). I ordered the Italian Trio Baguette as the cashier mentioned it was pretty tasty. It was just ok. The bread was too hard/crusty and the sandwich was a bit dry (I would have liked a bit more Italian vinaigrette flavor. It wasn't terrible but not something I'd order again. Maybe next time I should stick w/ a pizza, as I have heard pretty good things about them. The pastries in the case looked really tasty, so I think next time I'll come back and order a pastry (or quiche) and coffee. Definitely a cute neighborhood spot that I want to like, so hopefully the next time will be better!

Why have not been here before? A step up for coffee and brunch dishes. It's more a sit-down…read morerestaurant though - food orders are prepped by the Picolino kitchen, I think.

First time here while visiting family in Seattle. Love the concept of having a cafe while shopping…read morefor all of your plant needs. The food here was so delicious and plentiful. We all tried something different and everyone pretty much licked their plates clean. Service was pretty quick considering it's made to order. Also loved eating my meal next to the koi pond. Would definitely visit here again when I'm back!

This place is super cute! The cafe is located in the nursery in one of the greenhouses. There was a…read morekoi pond which was really cool. I got the breakfast sandwich with tomato jam and it was delicious. I enjoyed the crispy potatoes and the flavor of the sandwich. My friend got a strawberry short cake parfait . I enjoyed my time here and would definitely come back

WOW! I'll ever go to another place for a shawarma in Ballard. We finally got a solid shawarma stop!…read moreLocated on the corner near Ballad High and Top Banana puts this at a very high traffic, busy area, but they still have a few parking spots next to their shop. We used to order take away, but honestly, dining in isn't a bad experience. It's a deli vibe, nothing fancy, but the food does all the talking!!! The workers there are incredibly friendly, always serving with smiles. We typically order chicken shawarma, which is loaded with flavor, but recently I ordered the chicken shawarma plate and loved it! Their rice is so soft and flavorful. And don't get me started on their garlic sauce, it's divine! I'd bathe all the food in it if I could, haha. You could definitely split the plate with 2 people by the way, very generous portions, and you get their hummus with a few pita slices. Just a great way to sample alot of their flavors. You won't be let down by trying this place!

My review is solely based on a pickup order. I was looking for a kabob/shawarma place and happened…read moreto come across this spot. The shawarma looked very appetizing, so I decided to go with a chicken shawarma sandwich. The price was very reasonable. I ordered by phone, and the server was friendly and patient. It took about 15 minutes for the order to be ready. The salad was very fresh and refreshing with a great dressing, and the shawarma wrap was really enjoyable as well. I liked it! I'll most likely try it again, but next time I might go for the shawarma salad because I really liked the dressing and freshness.