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The Best Takeout Spots In Seattle

Where to get a great meal that you can eat on your couch.
The Best Takeout Spots In Seattle image

photo credit: Nate Watters

We obviously love going out to eat, but takeout (from the right place) can be just as good. So for the nights when you’d rather unwrap a sandwich or some dumplings on your coffee table while failing to pick a TV show, you need a list of standby spots. From our favorite teriyaki spot in town to excellent poke, here’s where to turn when you’re stuck at home, in a hurry, or just straight-up feeling lazy.

THE SPOTS


photo credit: Nate Watters

Pizza

Fremont

$$$$Perfect For:KidsSerious Take-Out Operation
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When ordering pizza to go, there’s always the fear that it’ll sit too long in the box and lose its crispy crunch. But the Detroit-style pizza from Derek is so thick and crusty that that’ll never be a problem, and it even tastes great at room temperature. Order a pepperoni pie with castelvetrano olives for a briny punch.


The Chicken Supply specializes in Filipino fried chicken dredged in a blend of tapioca starch, rice flour, and potato starch, and this gluten-free breading is spectacular. From thigh skin that crunches like potato chips, to skewers of cubed white meat juicy enough to make us swear off tenders forever, this poultry has occupied our thoughts more than poultry probably should. The chicken travels extraordinarily well, especially when paired with garlic rice and stewed coconutty collards topped with shrimp oil and roasted peanuts.


Eating various types of tibs and slow-cooked lentils on top of sour injera is a way better rainy day mood-booster than one of those daylight lamps or watching a few episodes of Recess Therapy—and Jebena always hits right when the weather's crummy. The only downside to ordering takeout from this Lake City Ethiopian staple is that you don't get to spend more time with their very friendly owner. But that's a great reason to come back.

The Oklahoma-style smashburgers coming from this mustard-yellow set of wheels parked at Rooftop Brewing every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are not just phenomenal stacks of beef and cheese. They're the best smashburgers in town. Each perfectly seasoned patty wears a snappy meat skirt that drapes over the bun, singed onions, melted cheese that gets gooey without making a total mess, a tangy spice-flecked special sauce, and fat pickle slices to cut through the heft. It's a work of majesty that satisfies any burger itch without leaving your hands full of drips. We recommend going with the classic, but if you enjoy hot peppers, the jalapeño smash has great sweet heat from both pickled and fried jalapeños.


It goes without saying that you should order carnitas at Carnitas Michoacan, but we’ll say it anyway: this pork is fantastic. The result of a tangy marinade paired with a long braise is this happy marriage of tender, melty meat and crispy edge bits, honeymooning together inside tacos or burritos wrapped with fluffy homemade tortillas. Go nuts with any of their tasty salsas (we prefer the hot red). And while you’ll definitely want the carnitas in some form or another, the carne asada is the unsung hero—well-salted and juicy, it's excellent steak, and shines in a city that has a few too many tasteless versions.


There’s a lot of teriyaki in this town, and Manna serves our favorite. Even in transit, the rice stays fluffy, the protein is piping hot, and the salad (packed separately for optimal crunch) is as crisp as a pile of iceberg shreds and cabbage should be. You can also combine your teriyaki with wok-cooked dishes like general tso’s chicken or fried rice, and adding a homemade pork egg roll is a must.


Wait, what's an upscale tasting menu restaurant doing on this guide? It's not a mistake—while Copine hosts a $165-per-person prix fixe, they serve a Sunday night takeout dinner kit that is an absolute standout. In particular, watch for when the weekly menu features their savory lemon-zested buttermilk fried chicken with aged cheddar mashed potatoes, some kind of green vegetable, and thyme brioche rolls with perfect butter.

Call up Sunflower Garden for a quick little takeout order, and don't be surprised if you're quoted an hour wait. Stick it out for some of the best Chinese food in Seattle. Their wontons in chili oil have a white pepper kick, burst of sweetness, and juicy pork that fuses to each dumpling wrapper. We could eat a tub of those alone and call it a meal. But that'd be ignoring the General Tso's chicken, complete with huge thigh pieces that involve more meat than crackly breading. Or the steak in their beef and broccoli, which chews like it's been tenderized by Glinda The Good Witch wielding a sledgehammer. (The Wizard Of Oz would have ended a lot differently if that were part of the book.) Only an hour for that? Worth it.


If we lived in an alternate universe where subs were the only food left on earth, we’d probably choose to eat at Tubs for every meal. Here, you’ll find 36 different types of sandwiches on anatomically-perfect baguettes, with fillings ranging from an excellent cross between a Philly-style cheesesteak and a french dip. Our favorite just might be the Chicken Amiga, though, a toasty sliced chicken sandwich with cheddar, bacon, a shake of barbecue spice that you'd typically find on potato chips, Tapatio, and a cup of outrageously delicious ranch for dunking. These subs travel tremendously well, which makes them great for everything from a beach picnic to a boat adventure.


The bánh mì is one of the greatest takeout items in existence, but when it's filled with cumbersome hunks of grilled meat, you're bound to have some kind of mess. Not at this Vietnamese cafe in Georgetown. Their best sandwiches involve one long lemongrass-studded sausage patty—that way, the protein stays in place among the crackly bread, creamy mayo, and snips of fresh herbs. As for the tangy pickled carrot strands and countless baguette particles? Good luck if your car interior is made of fabric.


Would you rather wait for dumplings at Din Tai Fung for 45 minutes, surrounded by a vortex of shrieking children, or get through a couple episodes of your favorite show on the sofa while you wait for the dumplings to get delivered? Yeah, we’d pick the second option, too. The best part about getting a selection of boiled wontons, pork buns, spicy noodles, and soup dumplings from this place is that they’ll be packed perfectly, and they’re easily reheatable in case the delivery driver types a NE address instead of NW on the GPS.


Damoori Kitchen in Magnolia has some very tasty Lebanese food, and they run a speedy takeout operation, too. In addition to mezze and za’atar-dusted fries with tzatziki dip, you can get falafel and chicken pita sandwiches, spiced beef rice plates with pine nuts, and the best portable snack they serve: crusty wheat toast slathered in muhamarra, walnuts, olive oil, and earthy oregano.


This spot is Permanently Closed.

King Philly in Rainier Valley serves the most takeout-friendly cheesesteaks we’ve had yet. The beef’s salted well, the velvety white american whiz becomes one with the meat without soaking into the Amoroso roll too much, and they even have a great vegan version filled with fried Beyond crumbles and creamy non-dairy cheese. Exemplary side dishes like crunchy fries with tangy sriracha ranch and chicken Philly egg rolls dunked in sweet chili sauce are key complements to your sandwich. King Philly Cheesesteak’s greatest hit, however, is not steak at all— it’s the spicy chicken Philly. If you’re here to order one thing, get this.


There are plenty of places in town where you can grab a cheeseburger and be on your way, but the best takeout burger comes from a dive bar that doesn't specialize in to-go orders at all. That's because Loretta's incredible double tavern burger comes snuggled up in wax paper by default—allowing the charred patties, gooey american, and pink special sauce to combine forces for a few minutes before promptly making you a very happy human. One of these along with a side of thick hand-cut fries travels well, whether you're strolling across the street to eat at Left Bank with a glass of chilled red bubbles or driving it home.


Annapurna serves the best Himalayan food in town. Their creamy fish korma and chicken momo with peanut chutney is a must-order, and their slow-cooked lamb curry is proven to cure the common cold (we’re not doctors, but we’re pretty confident in that assertion). Eating saag paneer and tikka masala straight from the tub while cuddled up on the couch is one of the most therapeutic acts of self-care we can think of.


G.H. Pasta Co. makes Italian takeout food exciting. At this casual South Lake Union lunch restaurant, your delicious plate of carbs will contain things like truffled cacio e pepe, pomodoro rigatoni with burrata, or gemelli chicken bianco ragu with cream and fennel. And if for some reason you stopped by and don't want pasta, the cayenne-soaked Nashville-style hot chicken sandwich should be your order.


Poke travels well to begin with, and Sam Choy's is our favorite spot in Seattle to grab some. Their marinades are full of shoyu-blasted flavor, with tender salmon cubes and furikake-sprinkled rice to soak it all up. And if you're truly on the go, you could grab some spam musubi for the road.


When it comes to portable pockets of delicious stuff, Umami Kushi in Seward Park has it all. Their okasu pan are glorious fried pastry puffs filled with everything from BBQ pork to smoked salmon with bacon and potato. They make an excellent snack or lunch, especially when followed by homemade beignets loaded with powdered sugar.


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