Cafe Suliman
Middle Eastern restaurant · Capitol Hill ·
Middle Eastern fare & curated wines in a cozy market setting
Middle Eastern fare & curated wines in a cozy market setting
"Tucked away in Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market, this can be whatever you want it to be: a stop for a glass of wine and a happy hour snack before a night out; a dinner built out of small plates with flavors ranging from North Africa to the Gulf; or even a place to work remotely with WiFi and a cup of aromatic Arabic coffee or a glass of wine at your elbow. Sharing space with Cantina Sauvage brings a tightly curated wine-by-the-glass list where whatever they’re pouring is on point. The menu rotates with the seasons but always seems to feature fantastic vegetables, like slightly sweet carrots topped with spicy harissa or a charred, satisfyingly crunchy cabbage in soothing cucumber yogurt. For a full meal, look to thick slices of Ben’s Bread sourdough (the sturdiest crusts in Seattle), generally topped with something hearty like tuna and brightened with pickled veggies. Its best trait is versatility: intimate without being romantic for a first or early date, welcoming for solo bar dining where the knowledgeable staff will tell you what’s good, and ideal for being the coolest remote worker in town. Parking around Melrose Market is sometimes available during the day but nigh impossible by dinnertime, so consider public transit — you want to have a couple of glasses of wine anyway, right?" - Harry Cheadle
"A perpetually charming counter run by Ahmed Suliman, presented in a small-plates format that can serve anything from a snack to a multi-course meal. The reviewer opted for halloumi with seasonal vegetables: the cheese was snappy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and what really stood out was the combination of dukkah and a quince dressing, which made the dish a little sweet but also deeply savory. If I was a vegetarian I’d eat here even more than I already do." - Harry Cheadle
"An Eater Award–winning lunch and dinner counter that was omitted from the new window coverings' tenant list during the renovation controversy but remains open." - Harry Cheadle
"A market café located in the shared main hall, its owner reports a roughly 50% drop in lunch sales since opaque window coverings and ongoing construction went up beside its storefront; he also says crews sometimes worked at night during peak dinner service, that his own prior renovation was not allowed the same visual disruptions, and that an international chain occupying market space feels like a poor fit for a venue that has historically favored locally owned businesses." - Harry Cheadle
"This cozy spot inside Melrose Market is run by chef Ahmed Suliman and wine maven Marc Papineau, who make you feel like you’ve walked into an ongoing brunch-lunch-dinner party. You can treat it like a wine bar (ask for Papineau’s advice), or assemble yourself a nice meal of small plates. If you’re hungry, don’t miss the seasonal toasts on thick-cut slices of Ben’s Bread or the charred cabbage in yogurt sauce. –Harry Cheadle" - Sophie Grossman