The Seattle Sandwich Shop Anthony Bourdain Said Should Be A Landmark

The late culinary guide Anthony Bourdain remains one of the most beloved figures in the food industry. To this day, he is renowned for the worldly knowledge he shared on his popular television series. From Bourdain's favorite food destination cities to his favorite dishes of all time, fans still cannot get enough of what the "Parts Unknown" host loved most.

Bourdain was a world traveler, but he enjoyed dining at plenty of eateries in the United States, too. In Seattle, there is one particular sandwich shop that he revered: Salumi Artisan Cured Meats. He visited the restaurant on "No Reservations" and praised it in a 2009 interview with The Seattle Times, joking that it should be a landmark or a UNESCO site. He even went so far as to refer to it as a "holy place" for him. A year later, Amazon Books filmed him receiving a custom prosciutto from the restaurant during a book tour. After lovingly placing his cheek against the meat, he gushed, "Is that not the hottest-looking thing you've ever seen?"

Salumi's delicious small plates, sandwiches, and cured meats have absolutely earned it a spot on the list of Bourdain's favorite hidden gems around the United States. He isn't the only celebrity to have endorsed the sandwich shop; American chef Ruth Reichl also gave Salumi high praise after trying its mole salami.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats, sometimes referred to as Salumi Deli or just Salumi, is located in the heart of Seattle. Founded in 1999, Salumi was formerly owned and operated by Armandino Batali, father of celebrity chef Mario Batali (a majority stake of the restaurant was sold to a private equity firm in 2017). Although Salumi has quite a few celebrity connections, the shop's delicious sandwiches, cured meats, and family recipes speak for themselves.

The sandwich menu rotates on a daily and seasonal basis, so no trip to Salumi is ever the same. The menu encompasses a variety of flavors, ranging from porchetta with roasted pork to a crab rangoon sandwich. Salumi's dedication to constantly revolving its menu offerings has led to the shop having a cult following, resulting in its sandwiches consistently selling out at lunchtime. Salumi is also only open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., so the window for getting a sandwich is considerably small — something else to keep in mind if you hope to grab a sandwich there.

Salumi is also famous for its artisanal cured meats, many of which are made using Batali family recipes. Several of the sandwiches feature the shop's cured meats, although you don't necessarily have to order a sandwich to try them for yourself. Salumi has a separate business for ordering just the cured meats. Known as Coro, this service ships Salumi's salamis nationwide, including its famous Salami Gift Box, which was featured on "The Today Show," so you can sample the shop's goods without having to travel to Seattle.