Disclaimer: We admittedly have a bit of a Seattle focus, but rest assured we’d love your help growing our list of AAPI-owned businesses throughout the country! That said, a few of our “beyond Seattle” AAPI-owned faves include Himitsu in Washington, DC, Magpies Softserve in Los Angeles, CA, and Either / OR in Portland, OR.
In 2018, approximately 15% of Seattleites self-identified as Asian or Pacific Islander, making them the Emerald City’s largest minority group. And with so many beautiful cultures in one city, May is the perfect time of year to celebrate them all. Why? Because it’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
In honor of Seattle’s vibrant AAPI communities, we’re sharing 10 of our favorite Asian- and Pacific Islander-owned businesses around Puget Sound – 5 you know and 5 you should get to know. (Yep, there are plenty outside the International District, too. 😉) Did we miss your fave? Tell us about it here.
5 AAPI-owned businesses you know
Super Six,Columbia City
Roz Edison and Kamala Saxton have been spreading “everyday Aloha” around Seattle since 2009. Super Six, which is located in a former auto body shop with a cocktail bar and beer garden, is their sixth addition to their Marination restaurant family. The flavor stays true to Hawaiian-Korean fusion and there’s something for everyone on the menu, from furikake popcorn to spicy chicken wings. Their delicious food is complemented by their Aloha spirit and community mentality.
Joule, Fremont
Husband and wife duo Rachel Yang and Seif Chirchi opened Joule, their first restaurant, in 2007. It earned praise for the use nontraditional cuts of beef to create its innovative Korean-fusion steakhouse fare. Since their debut, Yang and Chirchi have become prominent figures in Seattle’s food world, adding Trove and Revel to their group of restaurants.
Visette Boutique, Capitol Hill
Visal Sam’s love of bold fashion and vibrant color stems from her childhood shaped by Cambodia’s civil war. She’s been helping customers find one-of-a-kind dresses from her selection of locally and globally sourced designs since she opened Visette in 2015. Visal curates the dresses in her boutique with great intention, including selections from local designers. By hosting events like Art Walk at the boutique, she hopes to enable more passionate artists and designers to share their craft with the world
Ma’ono, West Seattle
Ma’ono has been serving up Hawaii-inspired comfort food and legendary fried chicken in a casual West Seattle restaurant since 2012. Owned by Mark and Marjorie Fuller, Ma’ono reflects the evolution of their award-winning high-end concept to a more accessible incarnation that showcases the food and flavors Mark enjoyed growing up on Kauai.
Happy Grillmore, Central District
Kryse and Darren McGill first started Happy Grillmore as a Portland food truck in 2010 before relocating to Seattle in 2012. Since then, the McGills replaced their popular food truck with a brick and mortar restaurant, which serves up deluxe burgers, shakes made from Central District Cream Co. small-batch ice cream, and deep-fried hand pies among local art displays.
Moo-Young, Capitol Hill
Francine Moo-Young is a lifelong artist and maker with a desire to create beautiful and functional wearable art. Her concept shop, MOO-YOUNG, is nestled in Chophouse Row and features her, one-of-a-kind pieces using high quality leather and a dying process inspired by Japanese shibori. She creates clothing, bags, wallets, shoes, wall hangings, and jewelry, and is constantly experimenting and following her curiosity to the next creation.
5 AAPI-owned businesses you should get to know
Sémillon Bakery & Café, Capitol Hill
After a career in IT, Debbie Nam now helms the French bakery, Sémillion Bakery & Café. In addition to serving handcrafted pastries, tarts, cakes and cookies, she also offers savory options including sandwiches, crepes, and charcuterie, along with espresso, wine and beer.
FogRose, Bellevue
At FogRose Ice Cream Boutique, Quyen Dang uses liquid nitrogen in her craft, resulting in dense, creamy must-try ice cream deliciousness. As a former civil engineer, Dang now applies her talents to designing visually stunning frozen creations, made to order for each customer.
Perche No, Wallingford
Owned and operated by David and Lily Kong since 1992, Perché No serves authentic Italian fare inspired by the Kong family’s lifelong passion for sharing Italian and Malaysian culture.
House of Teuila, International District
Kirby Teuila Grey is an acupuncturist, herbalist, bodyworker, and spiritual practitioner with big dreams for healthcare innovation. She aims to make acupuncture more accessible and visible to the general public and to transform the stereotypes and superstitions surrounding natural healing.
Barkada, Edmonds
Chef Brian Madayag began his career as a line cook at Tom Douglas’ restaurants, and worked his way up to the role of executive chef. At Barkada, Madayag melds the flavors of his Filipino heritage with others from all around the Pacific with dishes like porky sisig, longanisa, and chicken adobo.
10 AAPI-owned businesses barely enough to whet your appetite? Check out the Intentionalist AAPI Heritage Month page for quick access to all of the Asian-owned businesses on our site along with information on featured businesses and community events.
To learn more about Intentionalist please visit our website, suggest your favorite small businesses, and be sure that you’re following us on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter). Thanks for all you do to #BeIntentional and #SpendLikeItMatters!
Intentionalist is your local guide to small businesses and the diverse people behind them. We believe that where you spend your money matters, and we’re sure glad you do too. Whether you identify as a localist, activist, or just a good neighbor, we make it easy for you to connect with, learn about, and support small businesses in your community through everyday decisions about where you eat, drink, and shop.