"This Pioneer Square icon may no longer have the Old World cachet that it did during its days as Armandino Batali’s post-retirement passion project, but what it’s missing in paisan cred, it’s gained in user-friendliness. Since Martinique Grigg and Clara Veniard took over ownership in 2018, they’ve streamlined the ordering process, easing the long waits in line that were formerly typical of Salumi’s lunch rush. You could argue that weathering the line was part of the je ne se quois, but it’s really about the meat. And the namesake salumi hasn’t changed, still made using Armandino’s recipes. The braised porchetta here is every bit the unctuous indulgence it’s always been, spiked with a Calabrian chile chimichurri and pickled peppers to pull it back from the brink of heaviness. Though let’s be real, you’ll still likely want to have a power nap after eating it (something you’ll have time for since you didn’t have to spend your entire lunch waiting in line.)" - Mark DeJoy, Harry Cheadle
