Tucked away in downtown Edison, Slough Food is a delicatessen/cafe specializing in food and drink from both around the world and down the road. If you haven’t discovered its magic yet, an afternoon in the eatery’s idyllic courtyard should be high on your agenda.
“We have a lot of regulars for sure, but we always have new faces,” says Owner R. John DeGloria. “[New visitors] feel like they’ve discovered someplace– this little town, or this oasis in the middle of nowhere, which is really what [Edison] is. It’s a pretty unique spot.”
DeGloria understands Edison’s eclectic spirit on a deep level, having left a Seattle career in restaurants and wine to return to his Skagit roots. Slough Food was first opened in 2004, and for a period of time, DeGloria even lived in the apartment above his business. This meant that the courtyard area (then just a parking lot) doubled as his backyard; as he slowly added furniture, customers started to take note.
“Originally, it just was wine and cheese and specialty grocery,” DeGloria says. “Customers would come back [to the courtyard] and I didn’t even have a menu– I just would say, ‘I’ll pour you a glass of wine!’”
Soon enough Slough Food began offering a small menu of soup, salads, and panini. The courtyard also continued to evolve as DeGloria brought in more seating, lights, and flowers. Over a period of years, the space transformed into a veritable sanctuary along the Edison Slough.
DeGloria, who studied abroad in Italy in the ‘90s, modeled his business after Italian alimentari, or delicatessens, and the international influence shows. The result is a one-of-a-kind hybrid: In addition to showcasing regional culinary offerings, Slough Food would also be right at home in a small-town Tuscan piazza.
“I’ve always blended European specialties and local specialties,” DeGloria says. “So we’ll have some Dalmatian fig spread on the self, and then we’ll also have some strawberry rhubarb jam and some cherry jam that this lovely lady named Anne makes out in Anacortes. We’ll have some pecorino tartufo from Tuscany and then we’ll also have Ladysmith, a delicious fresh cheese from Samish Bay Cheese one mile east.”
The same philosophy applies to wine and liquor; when browsing Slough Food’s vast inventory, it’s not uncommon to see a Portland gin or Yakima Valley cabernet alongside offerings from Spain, Italy, or France.
Customers can certainly pick up goodies to-go, but if you ask us, the best way to enjoy Slough Food is to spend time lingering over drinks and nibbles in the courtyard. From Breadfarm baguette to curated cheese plates, grilled panini, olives, Marcona almonds, and even tinned Matiz octopus, there’s plenty of deliciousness to pair with your vino.
Slough Food occasionally hosts events such as paella parties, oyster parties, or even luaus (no pre-registration is required). But even on a normal Thursday, the courtyard is the perfect venue for catching up with old friends– and perhaps meeting new ones too.
“Something happens almost every single day, it seems,” DeGloria says. “I love it when people come in, and when they’re leaving, they’ve transformed– they feel like their blood pressure has dropped. It’s a very convivial spot, they’ve met someone else… yeah, it’s a real meeting place.”
To experience the magic for yourself, visit Slough Food Wednesday-Sunday from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 5766 Cains Ct., Bow, 360.766.4458, sloughfood.com