14 Women-Owned Restaurants to Support in Seattle

Celebrate Women's History Month, deliciously.

Super Six
Courtesy of Super Six
Courtesy of Super Six

In recent years, Seattle has established itself as a city home to some seriously good food, and that’s in no small part due to its woman-owned restaurants. These eateries, which are so numerous that it’s almost impossible to name them all, run the gamut, from hole-in-the-wall cafés to delightfully bougie dining rooms. They have both challenged the norms of the food industry, one that has been traditionally dominated by men, and challenged the expectations of their customers, with recipes and flavors that surprise and astound and never, ever disappoint. If there are two worlds of food—the world of industry, and the world of taste—they have properly and thoroughly disrupted both, in the best ways possible. 

Importantly, this is not an exhaustive list. But if we had only 24 hours to eat our way through Seattle (and the appetite of an Olympic athlete), we would do our damndest to visit every single establishment listed below. Prepare yourself: If you’re not hungry yet, you’re about to be. 

Sunny Up Food Truck
Courtesy of Sunny Up Food Truck

If you’ve never ordered a Pastrami Cline or indulged in a Ruth Tater Ginsberg, it’s time to fill that very serious void in your life and pay a visit to Sunny Up. Over-easy eggs complete each of these badass woman-themed sandwiches, and I’d also recommend asking for yours stuffed (aka, topping it off with an all-important hashbrown). Breakfast is the best meal of the day, after all. 
How to order: Sunny Up is pretty all over the place, location-wise; check their calendar to catch ‘em out and about here

Available for Delivery/Takeout
The Station
Courtesy of The Station

The Station

Beacon Hill

The Station is less of a café and more of a community space—yes, they serve coffee, and yes, it’s delicious, but stop by on any given afternoon and you’re bound to come away with so much more than a cup of joe. Dedicated to “revitalizing their community,” The Station is a Black- and Latinx-owned business that puts its money (and time, and storefront) where its mouth is. 
How to order: Call or text the number in their Instagram bio to make an order, or simply visit the café in person, anytime between 7 am and 5 pm.

Marjorie

Capitol Hill

When chef Donna Moodie opened her restaurant, Marjorie, in 2003, it was in honor of her mom. That spirit of mother-daughter kitchen magic has lived on through its transition from Belltown to Capitol Hill, and the food has only gotten better with time. Come for farm-to-table food rooted in Moodie’s Jamaican roots, and stay for the home-sweet-home ambiance that makes it almost impossible to leave. 
How to order: Make a table reservation here for dine-in, or call the restaurant directly via the number on their homepage to place an order for pickup. 

Available for Reservations
The Fat Hen
Courtesy of The Fat Hen

Cozying up in a corner of The Fat Hen with a big cup of coffee is akin to visiting a friend’s house—the food is made with love, the vibes are just right, and, even when you outstay your welcome, you still hate to leave. Unfortunately, The Fat Hen is takeout only right now—so you can’t really get cozy, at all—but we'd still recommend stopping by for some toast and tea to-go. 
How to order: Order online here using the “pickup” button (and keep in mind that they’re closed Monday-Wednesday).

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Available for Reservations
Pho Bac Sup Shop
Coutesy of Phở Bắc Sup Shop

Pho Bac Sup Shop

International District

The folks behind Phở Bắc are unsure about whether their pho is really the best in Seattle (“Maybe. Don’t really know. Who cares, just eat it.”), but we’d venture to say that yes, it is indeed front of the pack. A couple of locations are still closed due to COVID-19, but luckily, the Sup Shop on Jackson Street is ready when you are. Grab a PhoCup to eat ASAP (all ingredients in one) or a takeout pho. 
How to order: Order delivery via Caviar or Uber Eats, or use Clover for in-house pickup (you can see which locations are open on their home page via the link above).

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Westward
Courtesy of Westward

Westward

Northlake

Westward is just one of many restaurants under chef Renee Erickson’s Sea Creatures group. To me, it wins best in class purely because of location (though they are all top notch): sitting right on the water's edge in Northlake, this is the kind of place where you lounge out on the deck overlooking a bunch of boats, and maybe pretend one of them is yours. Like her other spots, the menu is very seafood-focused, but this one is a bit more mediterranean-inspired than, say, The Whale Wins, or Walrus and the Carpenter. 
How to order: Because Westward has a huge, fire pit-laden outdoor deck, we recommend dining in! If that’s not your jam, you can place an order for pickup on Toast

Available for Reservations

Beacon Hill’s first-ever brewery is the obvious choice if you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a pint. Karin Paulsen, alongside her partner (and now head brewer) Les McAuliffe, opened their doors in 2015, and have been serving up a huge range of ales ever since. Pull up a chair on their covered (and heated!) outdoor patio, and stay awhile. 
How to order: Order online here, or grab some grub (and, of course, beer) in person, Wednesday - Sunday.

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Layers Sandwich Co.
Photo by Ryan Thrower

Owners Avery Hardin and Ashley Hardin come from eclectic food backgrounds—think El Paso, Texas to Santa Barbara, California—so it should come as no surprise that their take on the sandwich isn’t a “regular” one. Instead, Layers Sandwich Co.’s menu is full of surprises, with ingredients like harissa, pickled jalapeno, and pepper jelly constantly appearing to spice things up.  
How to order: The Layers food truck has a pretty regular traveling schedule; check their calendar here to find out when they’ll next be at your neighborhood brewery.

Tsukushinbo

International District

In terms of hidden gems, you won’t find a restaurant more literally hidden than Tsukushinbo—without a single sign (on their building, or otherwise) to point you in the right direction, this restaurant puts a lot of faith in word of mouth. Rightly so—the Japanese-based menu is second to none, and whether you order sushi or ramen, you’ll probably feel the urge to tell all of your friends. 
How to order: Tsukushinbo doesn’t deliver, but you can call to place a takeout order, or try your luck dining in (it’s quite small, and Seattle restaurants are still limited to 25% capacity). 

Two Doors Down
Courtesy of Two Doors Down

Two Doors Down

Central District

From the owners of BottleNeck Lounge (which, according to a reviewer on Yelp, is the best bar in Seattle) comes Two Doors Down: the burger joint that doesn’t make you compromise on ethics in order to enjoy a good meal. Since 2015, owners Erin Nestor and Rebecca Denk have been serving up regionally sourced, hormone-free, antibiotic-free beef burgers, plus vegans options too. 
How to order: Order online via DoorDash, or directly with the restaurant here (for curbside pickup only). 

Available for Delivery/Takeout
Super Six
Courtesy of Super Six

Super Six

Columbia City

The Super Six building is actually a former auto-body-shop-turned-eatery, so it’s fitting that the namesake of this restaurant is an old car—the early 20th century Super Six model of the Hudson Motor Company. Nowadays, this spot is home to a full cocktail bar and beer garden, and a menu that combines the best of Asian and Pacific Northwest staples. If you’re a fan of Super Six, you’ll also probably enjoy the owners’ other restaurants: Marination Mobile, Marination Station, Marination ma kai, and the Big Blue food truck.
How to order: Dine in on the patio (covered tent seating!) or order food to-go here

Available for Delivery/Takeout
The Pink Door
Courtesy of Pink Door

I wouldn’t typically recommend paying a visit to Post Alley (unless, of course, you’re playing tour guide for a friend in town), but Pink Door makes the trip worth it. It’s sort of hidden away, which feels fun and secretive, but more importantly, the menu is killer and the ambiance is on point. Plus, you get views of Elliot Bay, which never hurts. 
How to order: Make a reservation to dine-in (it’s a small space, so I wouldn’t bother going unless you have one), or place an order for either pick-up or delivery via Toast.

Available for Reservations
North Star Diner
Courtesy of North Star Diner

Diner food never gets old. Enter North Star: specializing in breakfast (which is, as previously mentioned, the best meal of the day), this diner is very much about the classics—think buttermilk pancakes, chicken-fried steaks, and homemade biscuits and jam. And then, of course, there’s the Shanghai Room, which, when life returns to some version of “normal,” will once again host nightly karaoke and cocktails. 
How to order: Dine-in on the patio (when the weather cooperates) or order to-go—either in-person, or via DoorDash, Grubhub, or Seamless

Available for Delivery/Takeout

Terra Plata

Capitol Hill

Terra Plata’s menu is the essence of farm-to-table cooking, and their rooftop patio is well worth spending an evening on. Get in on the Monday night paella club, and consider supporting their Food is Love project, which is feeding families in need. 
How to order: Schedule a curbside pickup here, or get your food delivered via Caviar. Oh, and for all the paella lovers out there: Sign up for the Monday night pickup here

Available for Reservations
Emma Banks is a contributor for Thrillist.