Cafe Paloma

Mediterranean comfort food in Pioneer Square

by Lisa Kennelly , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

Hang a right off busy 1st Ave in Pioneer Square to find your way to Cafe Paloma, an oasis of friendly service and simple but satisfying Middle Eastern dining. The walls are hung with a mix of funky sculptures and paintings from local elementary school students. Paninis are among the popular items here, but the soup of the day is often your best bet, with offerings like homemade lamb stew. The meze plates of dips are perfect for sharing over a bittersweet Turkish coffee pick-me-up in the late afternoon. Lunch dishes may set you back $10, which keeps Paloma from being an everyday thing, but it's still one of the most reliable sit-down lunch options in the neighborhood.

• Pros: Friendly service, light and fresh tasting food
• Cons: On the expensive side for lunch

A taste of the Mediterranean in Seattle

by Wesley M , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

This Mediterranean eatery, located in the heart of old town Seattle (Pioneer Square), offers a host of sandwich and pita selections accompanied by a short list of classic Greek appetizers. In addition to their freshly prepared food, you’ll also find an extensive wine list and coffee options. It’s perfect for a quick gourmet bite or a family evening. With an ambiance closer your hip grandmother’s dining room, the café is complete with a stage for musical guests and walls adorned with local and owner created art. In addition, for those rare sunny days in Seattle, Café Paloma offers outdoor seating. A short walking distance from the Seattle waterfront and underground tour, this is a perfect spot to feed your need after a day of exploration.

• Pros: Fresh Food, Festive Decor, Polite Staff,
• Cons: Small Venue, Limited Menu

Great paninnis and soup, questionable food safety...

by sowhatamiherefor at Citysearch

I worked here for a while.

Don't eat the seafood, especially shell fish, it will be kept and just drowned in sauces to cover up fishy smells of spoilage.

Nothing gets thrown out, so if an item you want hasn't sold well, you could be eating it a week old (this is so with many restaurants, but is especially gross in the sometimes mushy dolmas, which are amazing fresh, and the various salads served with the mezze plate).

Paninnis go fast, and their preschutto one is delicious.

Coffee is awful.

Almost none of the soups are vegetarian, and though they may not contain meat, do contain chicken fat/grease and stock, so vegetarians beware.

Nice place to grab a spot of lunch, but if you're in the area, a pastry or sandwich from the Grand Central Bakery and a cup of coffee from Cafe Umbria promises to be fresher and more satisfying, in my opinion.

• Pros: interesting area, great paninnis and sweets, good service, great atmosphere in the summers
• Cons: overpriced items that are less than fresh on slow weeks

Expensive for what you get.

by seattlebased at Citysearch

Thought I would try a different place for lunch, so I tired Cafe Paloma. Wow, what a disappointment! I am pretty easy going and it takes something pretty extreme to get me to post something about a place and guess what...Paloma has stepped up to the plate. I ordered Tabouli salad....it was listed as $6.00 so one would think that you would get a decent amount of salad for that price but that was not the case. I recieved less than a cup of Tabouli salad and a pita for lunch. To top it all off this was not even good Tabouli, it was heavy and I am not sure how that happens with Tabouli. Anyway, a good lesson learned.....check that restaurant off my list, not worth the money and there are so many other great restaurants around in downtown Seattle to try.

• Pros: Nothing

The best humus and the last of great Seattle personal cafes

by babyscottie1 at Citysearch

THANK GOD CAFE PALOMA IS NOT FOR EVERYONE. WHEN WOULD YOU LIKE TO MEET THERE?

Whats with the separate checks, are you still in high school?May I suggest dividing the total check by the number of persons and all pay equally. Small cafes can't afford the staff to sit at the cash register. Are you afraid to pay for your friends iced tea?

• Pros: Supporters of local art
• Cons: none