Pizza and Donuts – Bar del Corso and The Flour Box
Two of Seattle’s prime eateries, one for savory, one for sweet.
For having been around since 2011, it’s impressive that Bar del Corso still has a certain “it factor.” The Italian bistro has lines out the door, and you can regularly find it on Seattle’s “best of” lists – usually toward the top. I get it, though. The pizza and antipasti are legit, and the spot has maintained a distinct atmosphere with friendly and professional service. Local artwork is showcased on the walls. Throughout, Bar del Corso is a welcoming spot.
We sampled a couple of antipasti dishes during a recent visit, where the grilled octopus was a personal favorite. Just the proper bite – not chewy in the slightest – with a salame that added a subtle spiciness. Some fairly intense corona beans flanked both well for balance. Maybe it’s unnecessary to call it a fully realized dish, but I’ll do so anyway – its harmony is the flavor equivalent of Simon & Garfunkel.
Burrata is a crowd pleaser for a reason, and Bar del Corso’s offering stands as a reminder why. The solid outer gives way to a soft texture, something that isn’t always the case with this mozzarella-based cheese. Too often it comes as a mushy mess, which, thankfully, is not the case here.
Finally, the main course – an asparagus-and-salumi-topped pizza that hit all the right notes. A well-charred crust with a flavorful, bready bite, the type I’d gladly sit down and eat by itself. I appreciate that it comes with a pair of scissors – when sharp enough, those make slicing (or cutting, as it is) the pizza that much more precise.
Delectable toppings sit atop a pie that’s the perfect size for two people. What’s not to like?
Whether or not Bar del Corso is Seattle’s best Italian-style bistro is highly subjective. Objectively, it’s absolutely in the running, and the line out the door suggests a consensus. A reservation might not be a bad idea, though the bar is also a good alternative.
Find Bar del Corso on 3057 Beacon Avenue and on the web. If you have some time, give their open letter a read. It is quite interesting.
Meanwhile, in Hillman City.
Sporting over seventy thousand followers, The Flour Box has admirably utilized Instagram for its promotions. It is the one-stop spot to find what’s happening at the donut shop, and if you’re craving their goods, you will want to monitor it. The Flour Box often runs out of donuts quickly and only lists its closing hours as “till sellout.” It’s not uncommon to see a stream of people snaking around the block half an hour before opening. The fact that it is a four-days-a-week operation – Thursday through Sunday – explains the clusters of semi-desperate patrons.
With that, it should come as no surprise that the brioche donuts are pretty outstanding. Made over three days using local ingredients, they contain no preservatives or stabilizers – these are freshly made donuts and should be enjoyed accordingly. Hanging onto them for a day or two will likely result in a letdown.
The menu changes every few weeks. Currently, the Hokey Pokey serves as my pick – honeycomb candy and sweet-cream filling topped with honeycomb chunks. It’s sweet, but in a suitable donut-y way. (I don’t know if that makes sense? It does to me. 🤷)
The whipped cream cheese raspberry donuts fare well, too, made with local berries and all. Fluffy and – again, not surprisingly – natural-tasting.
I could keep throwing out superlatives, but as complex as the process must be, The Flour Box’s donuts are simply capital-G Good. Donuts are rarely my go-to, but these stand as one of the honorable exceptions. Plus, bonus points for good espresso-based drinks, too.
Them’s the Rules
In what can only be described as a Soup-Nazi-esque turn (albeit friendly), The Flour Box has a set of guidelines for you to follow. To wit:
Tell us how many donuts you'd like (so we know which boxes to grab), as well as which flavors. If you need them packaged a certain way, let us know!
Order drinks and pick up your donuts/treats at the register: Donuts will be ready shortly after payment (P.S. cards only).
If you ordered drinks, we will call out your name when they are finished. Feel free to wait outside or by the counter, but stay close!
Help yourself to utensils, napkins, and water - all available on the counter below our menu boards.
Enjoy your treats! Please be sure to clean up after yourselves if dining in our space. Thank you so much for coming!
The Flour Box is located at 5520 Rainier Ave S and is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am until they sell out. Also, find them on the web.
The donut image comes courtesy of The Flour Box’s Instagram page.
I need you to move to one of my cities and dig up some sweet eats, man. I'm living on boiled chicken and salad.