Seattle City Wire

Visitors to Seattle's Pioneer Square may feel surrounded with international cuisine as they encounter the mingling aromas of savory Vietnamese Banh Mi, a whiff of a sizzling Cubana sandwich and the buttery smell of Parisian Croque Monsieur.

While it may seem like many eateries from across the world have congregated in the square, it is actually just one restaurant bringing diners worldly options from across the pond and beyond.

Appropriately named The Stop, this new restaurant is the one-stop shop for fresh foods from faraway lands. 

"The concept is the most popular sandwich from different countries," explains owner Laurent Gabriel. 

The breakfast and lunch cafe offers eight sandwiches all hailing from a different country of origin. For breakfast, visitors can choose from various pastries and sandwiches, and lunch brings a variety of sandwiches, soups and salads as well. 

From America's own Deep South, The Stop offers slow-cooked barbecue chicken heaped with cheddar cheese on fresh-baked brioche. 

Or take a trip to the food capital of Europe and enjoy a "Dolce Vita" sandwich with prosciutto di Parma, fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and arugula on a baguette, as if you were dining al fresco in Italy. 

The Stop uses the perfect combination of locally sourced ingredients, including produce and bakery items from small businesses, and authentic products from the countries that the dish calls home. 

"The prosciutto is from Italy, the butter is from France," Gabriel told the Seattle City Wire. "But the vegetables are from right here. It's a good combination."

The Stop opened in January of last year, which the owner woefully recognizes in hindsight as a terrible time to open a restaurant, especially in an office complex. 

"The timing was terrible," Gabriel lamented. "In all my years in this business, I have not experienced that."

The Stop had barely two months of business under its belt before being forced to shut down as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the country. Even now, with Pioneer Square's six floors of office space, things are quiet at the new international sandwich shop, but Gabriel is hopeful that things will be looking up soon as tourism picks up and companies are bringing their staff back to the office complex.

Gabriel encourages Seattle's locals and visitors to come check out The Stop's unique concept. 

"A lot of people are probably familiar with the sandwiches we make, but we put everything under one roof," Gabriel said. "The fact that we put everything under the same roof as a high-quality product, I think it's pretty unique for Seattle."

The Stop is located at 616 1st Ave., just a few blocks from Seattle's iconic waterfront. The restaurant is open Monday through Friday during lunch hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Delivery via DoorDash is also available.