UPDATE:
We had an amazing community response to our map and hope to update this list once we try some of the fantastic suggestions you all have made! Many folks wanted to highlight Marjorie and Plum Bistro as two black-owned knock-out restaurants! Since we haven’t had the opportunity to try these place they flew under the radar. We’re so grateful for the community input to make this list robust and representative! Keep your suggestions coming by commenting below!
What’s good, Eater HeatMap? I had long relied on Eater’s elite list of “the buzziest restaurants” around our beloved Emerald City, when I realized there was a need for a new kind of map. One with intention that will still lead your tastebuds to nom nom bliss!
The privilege to be able to spend money on restaurants is one that I cherish deeply. I am so grateful to be able to explore the depths of Seattle’s food scene. As such, I am very picky about where and how I spend my food dollars. My philosophy: if I have the power to invest in the restaurant industry why not support my black, brown, and yellow brothers & sisters (or aunties & uncles)?
Coming from a family that ran a mom-and-pop butcher shop and corner store (that, over 40 years later, is still standing tall with my grandfather’s namesake), supporting POC-run family businesses is deeply personal. My grandfather’s shop wouldn’t have survived without the support of his community, which resonates through generations and has led me to the place of privilege I hold today. Something as seemingly small as redirecting money to POC economies has a cumulatively large effect.
So, without further ado…
The Foodways Project’s 30 Favorite POC-Owned Eateries:
The List [In no particular order]:
- Moonlight Cafe
- Hardwok Cafe
- Ping’s Dumpling House
- Guanaco’s Tacos Pupuseria
- Korean Tofu House
- Tacos Chukis
- Adey Abeba
- Cheeky Cafe
- Farvahar Persian Cafe
- Ramen Man
- Tempero do Brasil
- Inay’s Asian Pacific Cuisine
- Island Soul
- Rainier Restaurant and BBQ
- Saigon Deli at 1237 S. Jackson (there’s multiple Saigon Delis around Seattle)
- Sam Choy’s Poke to the Max Truck
- Taqueria el Rincon
- Jemil’s Big Easy
- Little Uncle
- Taste of the Caribbean
- Ma’ono
- Wabi Sabi Sushi Bar and Restaurant
- Chili’s South Indian Restaurant
- Revel
- Tilth Restaurant
- Tsukushinbo
- Marjorie
- Plum Bistro
- The Station
- Q Bakery
- Salvadorean Bakery and Restaurant
- GREAN House Cafe
- Despi Delite Bakery
This is by no means a definitive list (our tummies and wallets can only cover so much ground) We need to know what we missed! Let us know in the comments below what POC-owned cafes, restaurants, and food trucks you love!
So many good places by POC for sure!! These are some of my favorite in addition to what you have listed 🙂
*Fresh Flours (Ballard, Beacon Hill and Phinney Ridge) – Japanese owned/run cafe with great fresh pastries both with and without Japanese twist, and not to forget that you can enjoy Japanese traditional artisanal confectionaries by Tokara!
*Hiroki – Japanese style cakes & pastries
*Mashiko – Japanese, sustainable sushi
*4649 – Japanese, ramen, kushikatsu
*miyabi, miyabi 45th – Japanese, sushi, soba, ramen
*cutting board – Japanese, sushi
*Marination Ma Kai – Hawai’ian/Korean fusion
*Green Leaf – Thai
*Ba Bar – Vietnamese
*Sichuanese Cuisine Restaurant
*Harbor City Restaurant
*Cafe Salem – Ethiopian
*Jebena Cafe – Ethiopian
*Zuma Grocery – Ethiopian
*Kaffa Coffee & Wine Bar – Ethiopian
*Senor Moose Cafe – Mexican
*El Quetzal – Mexican
*El Asadero – Mexican / Taco truck
*El Kiosk (Renton) – Mexican
*Chuck’s Hop Shop (obviously not food place so much, though rotating food trucks come)
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Ah! So many noms, so little time! Thank you so much for the additions! We have yet to try some of these, but will definitely check them out!
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Where’s Marjorie?? One of Seattle’s best restaurants and black owned. Same for Plum bistro too.
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Hi Sara! We haven’t had the opportunity to eat at Marjorie, but now we know we should! Several folks have suggested Marjorie, so once we try it we’ll definitely make an amendment. Thanks for the suggestions!
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Pike Grocery/Thomas Market. Both have delis!
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Hi Juan! We’ll definitely check them out!
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El Quetzal on Beacon Ave and Beacon Ave Sandwiches on Beacon Ave are owned by POC! 🙂
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Tons of Chinese places – more than 30!
>
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Salted Sea in Columbia City is owned by two southend natives
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Oo! Haven’t tried it yet. Thanks for the suggestion!
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How about Marjorie? It definitely qualifies: http://www.marjorierestaurant.com/. Also check out Momiji: http://www.momijiseattle.com/
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Hi R! Many folks have suggested Marjorie, which we haven’t had the opportunity to try first hand, but from the community response it sounds like we need to!
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In the Bowl on Capitol Hill and Tougo Coffee in the CD!
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Hi Any! We love those too spots. It looks like we’re going to need to expand our list!
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Any chance we can get this in a list format, heat map isn’t cooperating on my phone. Thank you for compiling the list.
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Hi Jams–Will do! Thanks for the feedback!
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You missed this cafe called Herbivores vegetarian cuisine and such…the menu is a fresh take on southern cuisine. A full vegetarian menu as well as real Texas style Barbeque.
Located at
7148 Martin Luther king Jr way so Seattle WA 98118
206-722-0460
Check out the yelp reviews…This business is black owned
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Hi Carlos! That sounds amazing! Thank you for the suggestion! We’ve put that spot on the top of our list especially since we could always use more spotlights on the amazing food in the south end!
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https://m.facebook.com/HerbivoresandSuch
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Jackson’s Catfish Corner
https://m.facebook.com/pages/Jacksons-Catfish-Corner/440612852781723
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La Teranga! POC owned, Senegalese food. Delicious!
https://www.facebook.com/LaTerranga
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West Seattle Fish House on 35th SW is my favorite fish and chips joint.
The owners are super nice people.
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Thanks for putting up this map!
My suggestion is Chef at Wok up in North Greenwood! I love this place! They don’t care about decor (and neither should you) and still have red garland up on one wall from the holidays! The homemade chow mein noodles are the absolute best! I order food from there about once or twice a month.
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Awesome! I’m always looking for good Chinese spots that remind me of my Popo’s (grandma’s) cooking! My crew usually travels to The Great Wall Mall in Renton, so we’ll have to make our way north next time!
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Cake Weekend (ID/Judkins Park), Cafe Selam (CD), Baja Bistro (Beacon Hill) , San Fernando’s Peruvian Chicken (ID/Rainier) !!!
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Cafe Weekend***
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Brilliant! Thanks for the contributions! We really need to get a directory up to get everyone’s voices on the map!
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Eastern Cafe in the Chinatown International District!
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Also, check out Pam’s Kitchen (Caribbean food) in Wallingford.
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Please check out Edouardo Jordan…owner and chef ( as in REAL DEAL CHEF) of Salore. You will not be disappointed!
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Will do! Just read about him in The Sauce! Thanks for the suggestion!
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You need to add Simply Soulful on Madison and 29th! Also, Jae’s and Araya in Madison Valley. Thanks for compiling this list. 🙂
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Cortona Cafe in the CD
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In West Seattle, Pearl’s Café (coffee/tea, bubble tea, banh mi, crepes), and West Seattle Fish House for fish and chips, chowder. Mmmmm.
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Modern, Japanese cuisine and especially their pastries and desserts, http://www.modern-seattle.com/
Cafe Soleil. 1400 34th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122. We go for Ethiopian dinners, but I understand they also serve pastas and brunch.
Chili’s, South Indian. http://chilissouthindianrestaurant.com/new_menu
Suika, Japanese izakaya. http://suikaseattle.com/
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Eric and Sophie Banh own Ba Bar, Monsoon, and 7 Beef. Yum!
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Mike’s Noodle House in ID!
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Greenbridge Cafe near White Center, owned by Blanca Rodriguez: Delicious fusion of Latin and other flavors with local ingredients, and don’t skip the hibiscus water.
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Thanks, Barb! It’s on our list of places to try. And we certainly won’t forget the hibiscus water!
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