There’s an odd vacuum in the local hamburger bun market. You like sesame seed buns, right? I do. What I don’t like is a bun so large that it dwarfs my patty or forces me to make a gargantuan meat disc. When I go to the supermarket, however, all I ever see is normal-sized plain buns or huge sesame buns, such as Franz BBQ buns.

But you can get an ideal bun in town, if you’re willing to patronize a top-quality independent local bakery. Oh, you are? Then head to Columbia City Bakery. Their sesame buns (which are used at the excellent Roy’s BBQ–as well as other local restaurants, I’m sure) are five for $3.50, and they’re great. A little sweet, little resistance to the bite, and a dense crumb. I wish they were baked a little longer, but that’s about all I can complain about. You even get to slice them yourself, which means you can avoid the skinny-bottom-bun problem.

Pick some up on a Wednesday afternoon, when you can visit the adjacent farmers market, one of the best in town. You can even get your grass-fed beef patties at Skagit River Ranch.