Verified by SPOT · 8.2

Paseo

SoDo, Seattle · Caribbean · $$

Paseo's Caribbean sandwiches became so famous when the original Fremont location opened in 1992 that the lines wrapped the block and the restaurant became shorthand for Seattle food identity. It closed briefly in 2014, was acquired and reopened, and now operates from SoDo - a different building but the same formula: slow-roasted meats, caramelized onions, aioli on a French roll. The Caribbean sandwich tradition Paseo draws from is Cuban and Puerto Rican in origin, adapted over decades into something entirely its own. Seattle food writers still argue about whether it's as good as the original. The line outside doesn't care.