Celebrate Black History Month in Seattle with New Restaurants, Tasting Rooms, and Exhibit Openings

SEATTLE – Seattle celebrates Black History Month this February, honoring the city’s Black community members and recognizing their rich cultures, invaluable contributions, and ongoing impact locally and beyond. Visit Seattle encourages visitors and locals alike to support and learn about Seattle’s Black communities this February.  

Experience Seattle’s Expanding Restaurant Community 

Try the Black-owned restaurants and tasting rooms that recently joined the city’s vibrant food and beverage scene.  

Lil’ Brown Girl, opened in October by James Beard Award nominee Chef Kristi Brown, is a quick-serve restaurant offering a menu inspired by family traditions and the Black heritage of Seattle’s Central District. 

Lenox is a new Afro-Latin restaurant by Jhonny Reyes, a Caribbean-heritage chef and winner of Food Network’s “Chopped.” Lenox opened in June 2024 in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood and highlights cuisines from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Seattle. 

WeRise Wines, downtown’s new tasting room features wines from Black and other BIPOC winemakers from the Pacific Northwest.  

“We are proud to represent our heritage and small business as one of the many fabulous Black-owned businesses in Seattle,” said Ken Dillon, owner of Footprint Wine Tap, which has wines featured at WeRise Wines. “When we partner with other Black-owned businesses like WeRise Wines, we are not only bringing more visibility to them and highlighting their mission and values, but it supports us, all of us, too. Small businesses often have to lean on each other and our communities to keep our doors open and lights on. When we say “it takes a community” we mean it and it’s a win-win. Or what I also like to say in this industry, a ‘Wine-Win.’” 

Support Black-Owned Businesses and Artists

Give back to Seattle’s Black food and beverage and artist communities by supporting these fundraising events and artist collectives.  

On Feb. 8, join the fourth annual Soul of Seattle, an event featuring Black-owned food vendors, live music, and a silent auction. This annual fundraiser aims to foster connections in the city’s Black food and beverage community while raising funds for local businesses and the local nonprofit Mentoring Urban Students and Teens (MUST). 

Support Seattle’s Black arts community by shopping at ARTE NOIR, a nonprofit gallery and retail space in Seattle’s historic Central District. ARTE NOIR provides educational resources and opportunities for local artists.  

“ARTE NOIR champions the richness of Black creativity while fostering meaningful connections within the community,” said Jazmyn Scott, Executive Director of ARTE NOIR. “Our gallery and retail spaces provide a permanent home for Black art and artists, while our makerspace and recording studio create opportunities for artistic training and creation. Through thoughtfully programmed activities and events in the adjacent public square, we continue to build strong community connections.” 

More Events and Exhibitions

• The Northwest African American Musuem (NAAM) celebrates Black American experiences year-round. Unearth powerful perspectives about Black identity and collective action at the museum’s new exhibits: “Where Do We Go From Here?” by AshaAung and “Recognition, Love, and Healing,” by Myron Curry. 

• Bainbridge Island Museum of Art offers a range of Black History Month events and exhibitions in February like the art exhibit “Radiant Reflections: Celebrating the Beauty of the African Diaspora,” which is showcased from now until Feb. 23, and the annual Celebrating Black Voices Film Fest on Feb. 9. Reference this calendar for more programming. 

• “Call to Conscience” A Black History Month Museum: For February, Rainier Avenue Radio transforms Columbia City Theater into a museum celebrating the achievements of Seattle’s Black community. Advance registration is encouraged.  

• “Blues for an Alabama Sky”: From Jan. 30 to Feb. 23, the Bagley Wright Theater by Seattle Rep presents “Blues for an Alabama Sky.” A classic drama set in 1930s in New York is about two best friends navigating the jazz club scene and their Harlem Renaissance dreams. 

• Songs of Soul – A Black History Month Sing-Along: Join Crowdsource Choir for a soul music sing-along on Feb. 13 at Fremont Abbey Arts Center.  

• Living Voices: The Right to Dream: Free First Thursday performance at the Museum of History and Industry on Feb. 6, Living Voices brings “The Right to Dream,” a mixed-media performance of theater and archival footage, portraying the struggle for Black civil rights in Mississippi from the 1950s to 1960s. 

Plan Ahead for Upcoming Events 

• Seattle Black Film Festival: From Apr. 24-27 at LANGSTON, the Seattle Black Film Festival will showcase films by Black filmmakers and celebrate stories from the African diaspora. 

• Festival Sundiata: Annual Black arts festival at Seattle Center, will take place Aug. 23-25. This family-friendly festival aims to promote traditional and contemporary African American heritage by showcasing art and historical exhibits, live performances, and food vendors. 

Heritage Sites 

• Jimi Hendrix Park 

• Fort Lawton Historic District 

• E.A. Lawson Resource Center 

• Seattle Art Museum – The Gwendolyn Knight and Jacob Lawrence Gallery  

• James & Janie Washington Cultural Center 

• Washington Hall  

• Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Park 

• Columbia City Landmark District 

Eat and Shop Black-Owned Businesses 

• Boon Boona – Coffee shop inspired by traditional coffee ceremonies in Eritrea and Ethiopia  

• BLMF Literary Saloon – Lovingly curated bookstore in Pike Place Market 

• Cafe Selam – Authentic Ethiopian restaurant in the Central District 

• Cafe Champagne – Classic Parisian-style Cafe in Pike Place Market’s Post Alley 

• Central Cafe and Juice Bar – Eco-conscious cafe with coffees, smoothies, and deli items 

• The Comfort Zone – Soul food restaurant run by a mother-daughter team 

• Footprint Wine Tap – Wine-on-tap bar sourcing Pacific Northwest wines 

• Flora and Fauna – Retail shop selling houseplants and plant products 

• Jerk Shack Kitchen – Caribbean restaurant and catering services 

• The Lemon Grove – Vintage retail store selling clothes, accessories, and art 

• Métier Brewing – Purpose-driven craft brewery 

• Noir Lux Candle Bar – Self-care studio and apothecary 

• Pass D Jollof – Authentic Nigerian cuisine  

• The ReSole 206 – Specializing in cleaning, restoring, and customizing athletic footwear 

• The Scene in South Park – Community space and cafe  

• Simply Soulful Cafe – Soul food restaurant focused on simple ingredients 

• Sugar Plum Waxing – Skin treatment services using organic methods 

• The Station – Coffee house and wine bar  

• QueenCare – Natural body care products 

• Wonder of Women International (WOW Gallery) – Art sanctuary and cultural institution for holistic healing 

Additional Resources and Content 

• Visit Seattle’s African American Cultural Heritage Guide 

• The Intentionalist 

• Urban League Black Business Directory 

• Seattle Bookmarked with Chef Kristi Brown 

• Seattle (Un)Covered with Alto Moon 

• Community Partner County Map | WA State Commission on African American Affairs 

• “What’s Good Seattle?” with Phil the Culture 

For more information about Black History Month in Seattle, go to visitseattle.org 

Do you have a recommendation for how to celebrate Black History Month in Seattle? Please submit your ideas to [email protected]. We would love to hear from you! 

About Visit Seattle:
Visit Seattle has served as the official destination marketing organization (DMO) for Seattle and King County for more than 50 years. A 501(c)(6) organization, Visit Seattle enhances the economic prosperity of the region through global destination branding along with competitive programs and campaigns in leisure travel marketing, convention sales and overseas tourism development. Visit visitseattle.org.