Support women’s businesses one delicious bite at a time

Tucked into Japantown, Maneki is more than a great spot for Japanese fare — it’s also the oldest sushi joint in Seattle. Launched in 1904, it’s changed locations only once and survived the devastation of Japanese incarceration during World War II. The historic restaurant’s latest owner is the nonprofit InterImCDA (which works to preserve the International District), but its longtime caretakers are Jean Nakayama and Fusae Yokoyama, whose employment and institutional knowledge of Maneki spans decades. Make a reservation and go all out with a sakana dinner or order your favorite nigiri sushi. Pair your meal with a bottle of sake and, if you’re feeling brave, sign up for karaoke.

Süreyya Gökeri is not only the co-owner of Café Turko with her husband Gencer, but also the chef behind its mix of inventive and traditional dishes. Gökeri’s other gifts? Creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, with splashes of Anatolian and Mediterranean colors and décor throughout the restaurant, complete with lanterns spangled across the ceiling. Start with a nourishing rainbow hummus plate in a variety of flavors, followed by kebabs or falafel. Be sure to save room for dessert — you definitely do not want to skip it here.

Established at the end of 2023, chef Tina Fahnbulleh’s brick and mortar for Gold Coast Ghal Kitchen is a flavor-lover’s delight. Fahnbulleh moved to Seattle in 2016, throwing dinner parties to create connection and make dishes she missed from her childhood in Liberia and Ghana, cooking with her grandmothers. Start by selecting a yaa or ama cocktail then opt for a menu favorite, such as the goat peanut soup. The waakyé is also not to be missed, combining a rich shrimp and fish pepper sauce with fried plantain, spaghetti, black-eyed peas, beef stew and more that can only culminate into one word: yum.