We teamed up with our friends at Intentionalist to highlight local BIPOC and minority-owned restaurants in our 2022 schedule release video! Intentionalist makes it easy to find and support local small businesses and the diverse people behind them through everyday decisions about where we eat, drink, and shop.
Want more information about the amazing small businesses we featured? We've got you covered.
At Taste of the Caribbean, owners Carlene Comrie and Dwayne Blake give the Central District an authentic taste of Jamaica and its vibrant culture. Carlene partnered with Dwayne in 2013 to open Taste of the Caribbean because they wanted to open a restaurant that celebrated their Jamaican heritage. Taste of the Caribbean showcases Jamaican culture in many ways from the relaxed and stress-free atmosphere to lively music and soul-comforting food. Carlene’s vision was to create a hub that weaves the Caribbean community together and gives people a sense of what it’s like to sit in your grandma’s kitchen in Jamaica, offering delicious dishes like oxtail, jerk chicken, curried goat, and fried plantains. Taste of the Caribbean is Black-owned and Woman-owned.
Originally from El Salvador, sisters Ana Castro and Aminta Elgin founded Salvadorean Bakery and Restaurant in 1996. From pupusas and tamales to conchas and cookies, they provide the El Salvadorean population in Seattle a taste of home, and share their country’s baked goods and culinary traditions with the broader community. Salvadorean Bakery is Latinx-owned and Woman-owned.
Young Tea opened in 2015 and has since amassed a loyal following, and for good reason. Owner Caroline Lee touts the health benefits of tea, and has prioritized the use of high quality, natural ingredients for all of Young Tea’s offerings. Environmentalist at heart? Pick up a reusable container and stainless steel boba straw for your sustainable tea habit. Young Tea is Asian-owned and Woman-owned.
From 1987 to 2018, Phnom Penh Noodle House gathered a robust following around its flavorful Cambodian food and “Phnom(enal)” service. The restaurant was originally opened by Sam Ung, a beloved community member and Cambodian refugee. He passed the restaurant to his daughters, and they continued its legacy. In 2018, sisters Dawn Ung, Diane Le, and Darlene Ung experienced a family tragedy and were forced to close the business. However, the Seattle community has rallied around the Ung family, and with their re-opening in 2020, Phnom Penh Noodle House proves the enormous power of community (and Cambodian noodles). Phnom Penh Noodle House is Asian-owned and Woman-owned.
Kevin Moulder found his passion for baking as a child while in the kitchen with his grandmother, Maw-Maw. He founded Cubes Baking Co. to pay tribute to Maw-Maw and his Mexican-American heritage by putting modern twists on many of her family’s recipes from Coahuila, Mexico. At the end of 2019, the bakeshop rebranded as Tres Lecheria to focus on the Tres Leches cake offerings that had quickly become customer favorites. Fun Fact: Kevin was the winner of the Food Network competition “Winner Cake All” and has been known to create RuPaul’s Drag Race-inspired cakes. Tres Lecheria is LGBTQ-owned and Latinx-owned.
Terrell Jackson is the grandchild of Woodrow and Rosemary Jackson who opened "Seattle's Original" Catfish Corner in 1985. Terrell worked there since he was 14 years old. His grandparents sold the business in 2009. It has since closed its doors. He did not want his grandparents legacy to die which inspired him to reopen and rename the business as "Jackson's" Catfish Corner. He strives to make sure that each and every customer is greeted and treated equally. Jackson's Catfish Corner is a family owned business and we like to think of our customers as family also. Jackson's Catfish Corner is Black-owned.
Harold Fields is putting his spin on Japanese street food at Umami Kushi in Rainier Beach. Umami Kushi is known for their okazu pan — a fried bread stuffed with a savory filling — but Harold also serves other classic Japanese foods like yakitori. In 2009, Harold brought his love of Japanese street food to Seattle after being introduced to the wonders of the curbside cuisine in Tokyo. Odds are, you’ve probably seen his okazu pans all over the city and beyond at places like The Station, Seattle Fish Guys, and Métier Brewing. Umami Kushi is Black-owned.
Monica Di Bartolomeo and her husband Ariel Firpo were inspired to open Seatango after growing up in Buenos Aires and waking up each morning to the delicious smell of the local bakeries around them. The couple opened Seatango in September 2020 to bring the fresh, delicious pastries you’d find in Argentina, including a variety of empanadas. Seatango started as a part of the Food Innovation Network’s Spice Bridge food hall and is known for being the only local business in the area that makes facturas (Argentinian pastries) from scratch. In 2021, the Seatango moved to its permanent location in Lake City. Seatango is Latinx-owned and Woman-owned.
Mark McConnell grew up eating his mom’s cooking at family gatherings and powwows on the Blackfeet Rez in Browning, Montana. In 2019, Mark and his partner Cecilia Rikard opened Off The Rez Cafe at the Burke Museum, building on the success of Seattle’s first Native food truck, serving delicious traditional Blackfeet fry bread, tacos, and other creations inspired by Mark’s family recipes. Off the Rez Cafe is Asian-owned, Native-owned and Woman-owned.