The Seattle Medium in partnership with
The Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and
Byrd Barr Place
Supporting Black-owned restaurants
& coffee shops. One week at a time.
About the campaign
Pack the House is a ten-week campaign from The Seattle Medium, in partnership with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and Byrd Barr Place.
Every week for ten weeks, we feature one Black-owned restaurant — in the paper and here. The ask is simple: show up. Dine in or order direct, bring someone with you and tell people where you went.
These restaurants are more than places to eat. They create jobs, strengthen our community and provide spaces where people connect and celebrate. What helps most isn’t just a good review — it’s becoming a regular.
Show up. Spend money. Come back. Support Black-owned restaurants, one meal at a time.
Now serving
Featured restaurant
A small, family-owned and operated Columbia City staple. Tess Thomas-Anderson and her granddaughters, Miceala and Rasheena Thomas, keep the legacy of Emma alive through love, family and food — a recipe passed down from Emma and her mother before her.
Established in 2016 with the help of countless family members and the support of our community, we have been beyond blessed to share over one hundred years of our history through food.
Passed down from Emma and her mother before her, the Thomas women are proud to be celebrating ten years of turning customers into family this October.
Come in and put some South in your mouth.
I’ve traveled to almost every state in the USA for NFL games and personal travel. I make it a point to try barbecues wherever I go just to see how others barbecue and compare to my grandmother’s recipe. Her recipe is next to none — it is the mixture of spices and the smoking technique that sets her barbecue apart.
How to take part
The campaign only works if seats get filled. Pick whichever one fits your week.
Take a seat. Bring someone. A full dining room is the whole point — it’s what a packed house looks like.
Reserve this week’s table →Can’t make it in? Ordering direct from the restaurant — not a delivery app — keeps the most money on the block.
Find a number to call →Post the meal. Tag the restaurant. Tell one person who hasn’t been. Word of mouth is what fills the next ten weeks.
Follow @theseattlemedium →All 10 restaurants
The full roster is live from day one — you don’t have to wait for a restaurant’s week to come around to go. Filter to find one near you.
Plus three coffee shops
These three aren’t on the weekly rotation — they’re here for the whole run. Buy a coffee, hold a meeting, get a few hours of work done.
The schedule
Each week brings a new feature article, a new at-a-glance, and a new neighbor saying why they love the place. Everything else on this page stays put.
Special thanks to our sponsors & community partners
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