Layers

Once upon a time at the school cafeteria, sandwiches were used as currency. Peanut butter and jelly sold for ham and swiss, bologna was handed over for marshmallow fluff, and let's face it, the kid with tuna got left out.

Layers is a casual counter in Green Lake where you’ll find fancy sandwiches that would dominate a lunchroom trading floor. And while you will need real money to pay, these between-bread beauties are totally worth the chaotic line and upscale price tag.

Sure, customers are constantly crammed from the register to the sidewalk come noon. But when Layers' spectacular sandwiches are at the finish line, it's easy to wait it out—and spend upwards of $17. Their finest work is the Ave & Morty, piled high with salame rosa on a Dutch crunch roll that looks more like a piece of art than a pillowy carbohydrate. We're also fans of The Notorious P.I.G., with delicate slabs of pork belly and a sticky Fresno pepper jelly. And tuna salad gets its revenge on griddled pullman with herbs, aioli, and a handful of BBQ-flavored potato chips that add smoke and crunch. 

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

It’s not just the handhelds here that stand out—the sides deserve equal praise, too. We could eat the smashed-and-fried fingerling potatoes dunked in creamy green goddess by the bucket. The house-fermented cucumbers are perfectly briny pickle chunks that complement every sandwich bite. A display case shows off baked goods that could easily hold their own among some of Seattle’s best bakeries, like grilled banana bread, flaky buttermilk biscuits with honey butter, and a malted macadamia nut cookie that has an anatomically perfect crisp edge and soft center.

With comfortable nooks to hang out in and a prime location along the lake, there isn’t much a meal at Layers isn't perfect for—except for dinner. (They close at 3pm.) Whether you need a lazy weekday lunch that involves your closest friends and a bowl of fried potatoes, a quick morning pastry on the way to work, or a snack to look forward to after walking the loop and fawning over every doodle mix you see, Layers is the place. Good thing sandwiches aren’t actually currency, because there's no way we’re giving these up.

Food Rundown

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

House Fermented Cucumbers

"House-fermented cucumbers" just means pickles, and you should order these bite-size hunks every time you come.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Captain Rick

This tuna sandwich has a thick, herby smear of albacore salad topped with a handful of BBQ chips. It's proof that chips belong on the sandwich, not in a bag on the side. Get this one if they have it.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

The Notorious P.I.G.

The slow-roasted pork belly on this sandwich falls apart faster than a married couple after a trip to Costco and Ikea on the same day.

Ave & Morty

This sandwich has so many layers of thinly sliced salame it looks like someone cut open a wasp nest, but just with more sweet pickled peppers and fewer vengeful insects. Get this sandwich every time.

photo credit: Brooke Fitts

Spuds

These excellent crispy fingerlings get sprinkled with a puckering salt and vinegar seasoning and are served with a tasty green goddess dressing. Make sure to add on a side of calabrian chili aioli and double-dip those suckers.

I’d Date A Jalapeño

This grilled cheese is gooey, rich, and cut into perfect isosceles triangles. We only wish that the cheddar was a lot saltier and sharper to balance out the sweetness of the dates. We also wish that the jalapeños weren't raw.