Fat’s Chicken & Waffles opened in 2015 in the space previously occupied by Central District landmark, Catfish Corner. Thanks to the community-forward leadership of owners Erika White and Marcus Lalario, Fat’s has quickly become a neighborhood gem, known for its delicious Southern fare and casual vibe. Pro tip: Order the Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit with a side of grits. You’re welcome.

Owned by Kenneth Dillon, Footprint Wine Tap is Seattle’s first and only sustainable keg wine on-tap bar. Sourcing fine wines from the Pacific Northwest, Footprint specializes in biodynamic and organic wines. From wine production and transport, to the furnishings in their space, the wine bar aims to reduce their carbon footprint on all fronts. Bonus: Enjoy a bite to eat with your glass of red, white, or rose! Footprint serves delicious pâté, crostini, charcuterie, and more.

Fifth-generation Costa Rican coffee farmer Blas Alfaro builds lasting relationships with farmers around the world and hand-selects the coffee for Fulcrum Coffee. At Fulcrum Cafe, together with founding partners Lee Falck and Brian Jurus, he delivers responsibly sourced, high quality coffee in a modern space that features contemporary art and design. Fun fact: Fulcrum provides the coffee for a variety of Seattle coffee shops and cafes including The Station and Hood Famous Cafe + Bar.

At their walk-up window, Frelard Tamales serves up tamales that are handmade from scratch, using a family recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Hernandez family. They are always working to make their food, hand crafted by Osbaldo’s mother, taste even better by using high-quality, fresh ingredients. As a proud interracial gay couple, owners Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey are passionate about supporting immigrant and LGBTQ rights.

Queer Bar’s name is intentionally to the point. Joey Burgess opened the bar and lounge in 2017 to provide a safe and welcoming space for all. The Capitol Hill bar hosts drag performances on the weekends and features DJs during the week.

In 2021 Nat Stratton-Clarke expanded the Cafe Flora family to the Beacon Hill neighborhood, opening The Flora Bakehouse. Nat serves up his beloved freshly baked sweet and savory pastries, croissants, muffins, pies, quiches, brownies, cookies and many gluten-free and vegan options, such as Cafe Flora’s famous vegan cinnamon rolls. As with all of his endeavors, Nat has put his heart into The Flora Bakehouse, which is obvious in the beautiful decor and friendly service.

Founded in 1985, The Wildrose Bar is one of the country’s longest-running lesbian bars, and the only dedicated lesbian bar in Seattle. Current owners Shelley Brothers and Martha Manning maintain the Rose as a fun and safe space for Seattle’s lesbian community. Fun fact: Martha first began working at the bar in 1997 as a bartender before becoming an owner in 2000.

Since 2009, Kamala Saxton and Roz Edison have been serving their Hawaiian-Korean fusion cuisine with the motto “Everyday Aloha.” At Marination – Columbia City, customers can grab their signature tacos, tots, or sliders paired with a refreshing cocktail or beverage inside, out on the patio, or on the go.

The first Black-owned brewery in Washington state, Métier’s Brewing Company was founded in 2018 by Rodney Hines and Todd Herriott with the mission to brew damn good beer and build stronger community to inspire bigger dreams for all. At their Central District location, Rodney and Todd offer 12-16 distinctive beers on tap.

Hana Yohannes has always loved pastry making and wanted to use her passion as a way to uplift and support her community. In 2020, Hana opened Shikorina Pastries to bring people together and spread a little happiness through cookies, cakes, tarts, and more! For Hana, it’s a priority that her business does good by the community and she’s put a lot of effort into making the business a community-oriented and inclusive space.