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The News Tribune
$5 burgers, deep-dish pizza, quick Korean, lots of ice cream among new Pierce County eats
By Kristine Sherred,
12 days ago
A popular Vietnamese sandwich shop has expanded in the region with not one but two new locations, and a local Greek restaurant unveiled a food truck on Sixth Avenue.
In University Place, a long-awaited Chicago-style pizza place has finally turned on the ovens, and there’s another option for fast-casual Korean food.
Here’s a look at recently opened restaurants and dessert shops in and around Tacoma as we look toward summer.
In addition to the signature protein-plus-rice, japchae and salad boxes, the menu at Kimchi Box in Tacoma includes ddukkbokki, here in the “rose” sauce with ramen noodles. Kristine Sherred/ksherred@thenewstribune.com
This petite restaurant brings another modern Korean option to Tacoma (near the University Place line). The space is tidy with a handful of tables that filled halfway up during a weekday lunch, but it’s also open through 9 p.m. for a quick and easy dinner. Start with one of the signature boxes with your choice of protein (bulgogi, BBQ chicken, pork, short ribs, tofu), rice, japchae and a little salad. Try the creamy rose ddukbokki “plus san” — served with ramen noodles, a popular Korean street snack, and a side of kimchi. The menu also features fried popcorn chicken, Korean-style fried chicken wings and sandwiches on a brioche bun with pickled onion. No menu posted online, but the restaurant has an Instagram page. Order in-person or call ahead. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Dave Noble and his son Michael Noble, owner of his namesake eye-care center across from Cirque Park, have been working on their Chicago-style pizza project for almost three years. The final hurdle of a hood designed for the ovens that slowly bake the classic deep-dish pies endured numerous delays. The restaurant officially opened April 30. Try any of the nine house pies in deep-dish or tavern-style form — the latter being the more oft-consumed pie of most Chicagoans. You also can build your own, but word to the wise: Don’t overdo the toppings! The menu aptly notes that deep-dish needs 45 minutes or so in the oven. For a caramelized outer edge, try The Quad. The rest of the menu features other Chicago favorites like the Italian beef, Vienna beef hot dogs and a meatball sub. Open daily 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Online ordering available.
The Crafty Beaver Bar opened near downtown Tacoma with great bar pizzas and highly shareable salads. It’s a great stop before Medzo Gelato or a movie at The Grand. Kristine Sherred/ksherred@thenewstribune.com
The Crafty Beaver opened earlier this year next to Medzo Gelato, just a short walk to The Grand Cinema and Wright Park. Head here for a casual hang with an ever-changing regional beer selection, both on-tap and canned, plus a thoughtful collection of cider, wine and seltzer. What you might not expect to find is a very satisfying bar pizza, baked fresh in a TurboChef oven, with ample cheese and toppings ranging from pepperoni to one with goat cheese, arugula, pear and hot honey. Oversized salads, served in a throwback wooden bowl, are worthy accompaniments. In addition to a few booths and bar seating, call or drop by to order takeout. Open Wednesday-Friday at 3 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday at 1 p.m.
Bomb Burger, a new food truck from the owners of It’s Greek To Me, is posted at 2515 6th Ave., serving $5 burgers and crispy fries from a bright yellow truck. Kristine Sherred/ksherred@thenewstribune.com
Look for the bright-yellow food truck parked outside the former Catffeinated building, which closed in 2023 as it moved to a larger Puyallup location. Sixth Avenue neighbors It’s Greek To Me revealed Bomb Burger this spring with a straightforward menu of can’t-beat-it $5 burgers (or $5.50 cheeseburgers). Make it a double for an additional $1.50, and don’t forget a generous pile of fries for $4. The beef is advertised as fresh, never frozen. Enjoy on the hood of your car or grab a table inside the cafe, which has been refreshed and now offers a few tables or counter seating and access to a restroom. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday-Saturday until 10 p.m.
Long a Baskin-Robbins, this shop changed hands a couple of times in recent years. New owners Ileyana Mabone and Timothy Coleman took over in January, keeping the name Dreamer but refreshing the menu to offer more than just scoops. Enjoy ice cream with waffles, in a “waff-noli” (a waffle cone rolled like a cannoli and drizzled with chocolate), in a milkshake and more. Check Instagram for updates and specials. Open daily 1-7 p.m.
Heidi Kinne and her family have been hard at work on their Puyallup dessert shop for more than a year, transforming a barbershop to a family-friendly space that opened in April. The first weekend was such a blast that they sold out entirely. Flavors will rotate frequently but so far have featured the likes of chocolate brownie chip and strawberry blonde with Oreo cookies, Fruity Pebbles and Tangerine Please. They also churn dairy-free sorbets in flavors like Lime in da Coconut and blood orange. Try them in a cup, housemade waffle cones, a cookie sandwich or in a flight, served in a cute baby-blue egg carton. Open Wednesday-Friday 1-9 p.m., Saturday noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Residents of the growing Tehaleh development in Bonney Lake thought The Post, an on-site building that was home to a Caffe d’Arte and the neighborhood’s welcome center for more than a decade, could use a refresh. Melanie Clark and her husband bought the building and refashioned it with an eye toward all-day use and community events. They consulted with a friend and now business partner who operates bottle shops in Seattle and Portland to develop the concept. Post and Pour debuted in April with a full coffee menu, teas, frappés, plus pastries, breakfast sandwiches, lunch-ready paninis and salads. Notably, they also acquired a liquor license and now offer select beer and wine, including a sparkling flight accented with locally made Simple Goodness Sisters craft syrups. Find ample outdoor seating with fire pits and views of Mount Rainier. Open Sunday-Thursday 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
Toast Mi specializes in quick, high-quality bánh mì. Here’s The Mekong of grilled pork with pickled daikon and carrots, house special sauce and pâté. Cheyenne Boone/cboone@thenewstribune.com
▪ 1805 S 316th St., Federal Way, 206-212-6552 (opens May 9)
Banh mi, rice bowls and a concise bubble tea menu have earned Toast Mi a pedestal as one of the best quick meal options in Tacoma since its 2020 debut. Co-owner Nikki Nguyen expanded to Seattle and this year is opening two new shops — in Lacey Federal Way. The bread of each banh mi comes standard with pâté and a house green aioli that separates these Vietnamese sandwiches from its peers. Try any of the proteins over rice with the same pickled fixings, too. Open daily 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
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