If you are meat eater the only place to eat in Wallingford (although it might actually be in Fremont) is Paseo. The Cuban sandwiches are like heave on a baguette, if Heaven is smothered in pulled pork, morel mushrooms, banana peppers and special sauce.

Jhanjay Thai in Wallingford --- all vegetarian, huge menu. Also Chutney's Bistro for the Indian buffet and Kozue for Japanese food.

people! the best place hands down (from a Wallyhood res and former UD res) is Guanaco's Tacos in the UD (Brooklyn at 41?)

Cheap (2.10) authentic homecooking salvadorean style.

dont be stupid and get the boring burrito (i dont think they even eat them in el salvador) get the PUPUSAS!!!!!!!!!

yeah, lotsa cheese and beans and nummy pork, maybe some loroco (an herb)

Araya's! Their lunch buffet is great... If only I worked near them.

Big Time, on the Ave. It's the only place on the Ave that's not completely busting its seams with undergrads 100% of the time, and I can go with a group of friends and we can all find something decent to eat. Plus there's beer. Did I mention there's beer?

Rancho Bravo taco truck on 45th in the (now defunct) Winchell's parking lot. Also Musashi's on 45th and Interlake.

Thai Tom is delicious and is so nice and warm if you can get a seat at the bar.

Village Sushi is really good.

The Rusty Pelican Cafe has home-style cooking that's pretty good, and the desert selection is fantastic!

U-District: Thaiger Room and Thai Tom's both are good for Thai, Thai 65 is a popular 3rd choice. For Mexican it's El Charrito, a great hole in the wall place across from the Neptune. The Ugly Mug has excellent homemade soup and sandwiches. The Alladin up past 47th has the best Gyros. The best burgers are at A Burger Place. There really are like 100 restaurants though, more than any other neighborhood, lots of good choices for cheap lunch.

Wallingford: Taco truck in the now defunct Winchell's parking lot hands down. Dick's is the old standby. Julia's and the Blue Star Cafe for American sandwich/diner fare. I find most of the Thai and Indian places middle of the road.

U District: Cedars on 43rd (the Middle Eastern joint with the street window, not the Indian place on Brooklyn).

Wallingford: Chile Pepper, but only if you get one of the especialidades, because that's the only way you're going to get the fantastic lentil soup.

If you don't mind a bit of a wait - Starlife on the Oasis, which is the little cafe attached to Grand Illusion Cinema is great. They have awesome soups and sandwiches.
Korean Tofu house on brooklyn near the starbucks on the ave is my new favorite but the lunch rush is probably soul crushing.

La Casa del Mojito hasn't been mentioned, but it's also fairly new to the U-District, having expanded from its original spot in Lake City. The food here is better because they transferred all the original staff there, and the owners frequent the new place more. lt's not the cheapest, but the portions are HUGE and the food is simply amazing.  Seriously, you MUST try it.  l have yet to take anyone there that didn't love it - any of the shredded pork dishes are wonderful.

Village sushi. The perfect bento box.

I'm weirdly fond of Little Thai, on 42nd between the Ave and Brooklyn. Good (though not mind-blowing) food, great prices, friendly ambiance. Also I've heard the Korean Tofu House next to it highly recommended, though haven't managed to make it there when it was open. Oh! And the Salvadoran place on Brooklyn under 42nd, Guanaco's Tacos Pupuseria.

Oh oh oh and Jack's Tapas Cafe Mainly Chinese up at like 52nd and the Ave, highly lauded in a stranger review years ago.

I'm a vegetarian, so I like Chaco Canyon and Araya's in the U-District. And I've never been there for lunch, but Jahnjay in Wallingford is delicious.

Or skip straight to dessert and go to Molly Moon's (per Collin) or Trophy. Trophy has tasty cupcakes. 

Bella Cosa specialty shop on 45th and Wallingford- I love the caprese panini.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/bella-cosa-foods-seattle

Too many good places. My favorites...

-Thanh Vi @ 42nd & U-Way

-Gyrocery @ 41st & U-Way

-Thai Thom's @ 45th & U-Way

-Hawaiian BBQ @ 50th & U-Way

-Pam's Kitchen @ 50th & U-Way

-Arraya's @ 45th & 12th

-Rancho Brava @ 45th in W'Ford

-Dick's @ 45th in W'Ford

-Musashi's @ 45th in W'Ford

Than Bros for pho, as well as Schultzy's when I need a meat fix.

the mandarin chef across from the udistrict farmers market parking lot. so good and cheap!

Mi Charrito taqueria on 45th is great and relatively inexpensive.

Schultzy's has great burgers and sausages. They're on University Avenue, near 42nd. A little pricey, though.

If I'm in the mood for a pint with my lunch I go to the Big Time Brewery. The pizza is so-so but the sandwiches and nachos are both good.

wallingford:
rancho bravo is king
mushashis is a great suggestion
meridian market for a sandwhich is 2nd place
diggity dog is not bad either
chutenys buffet is nice
jhanjay, may and djans are nice, but i prefer the first two for dinner over lunch. djans has the best lunch.
paseo for lunch is terriffic but the lines are outrageous and its also definitely in fremont

u-district:
agua verde (better for lunch than it is dinner)
than vi or however its spelled
arayas
chaco canyon is also awesome

taco truck on 45th!

or Hillside Quickies at 41st and Brooklyn for amazing vegan sandwiches. the jamaican jerk tofu with plantains is my favorite.

Either of the Malabar locations on the Ave.

A +++++

A lot of people would disagree I'm sure, but I still miss the Houmos Vegetarian Sandwich (no cucumbers) that I would get from Costas in the U-District. Oh man, what I wouldn't give for one of those sandwiches right now!!!

I don't eat out as much as I used to (and I've eaten at a wide variety of restaurants over the years), but I did live in the U District for a long while and can vouch for the following places (with price ranges for a typical meal included):

- Memo's Mexican Food (Ave just south of 50th). $3-6 Mexican food. I love the bacon and egg burrito, but the crispy tacos are as close as I've found to the greasy SW taqueria style tacos I used to love back in Vegas.

- A Burger Place (Ave just south of 43rd): Make your own burger, or more specifically, pick the desired toppings and sides out on an order slip and let the staff cook it up for you. Fresh ingredients. $6-9

(I'll add that Brooklyn Burger on... well... Brooklyn north of 41st... practices a very similar approach, and their burgers are excellent as well. They're a fine alternative if A Burger Place and other locations are packed)

- Continental Greek Restaurant (Ave just south of 47th): The Greek lunch/dinner is okay but the breakfast here is the absolute best. Anything off the breakfast menu is awesome. $7-10

- Ruzhen Mongolian Grill (Ave between 45th and 47th): Pick your raw ingredients, watch the staff grill it up and add sauces afterward if you wish. $8-9

- Thanh Vi (Ave south of 43rd): Pho and more Vietnamese restaurant. The food's a little fancier than your typical Pho/Viet joint, and the wait-staff is SUPER nice. $8-12

I'll add that the nachos are Mi Taqueria Charrito (45th west of the Ave) are the best I've had in the city but your mileage may vary.

As for Wallyworld... I can't think of a place there I'd go out of my way to go to. I used to love the rice/bean bowls from the Rancho Bravo taco truck (45th west of Latona near the Winchell's) on my way home from nights out, and I suppose it's nice to have a Taco Time and Pudge Brothers location nearby, but I can take or leave the rest. I know many love Djan's, but I can find overpriced Thai food at any number of other restaurants.

In the U Dist - Agua Verde or China First (and sometimes the Mongolian place or Indian).

In Wallingford - Varsity Inn. Really nice place. Or that nice Thai place a few blocks west of the QFC.

But I really like Qazi's in Fremont the most.

Molly Moons. Thats right. I said it.