Cafe Suliman Makes the Casual Feel Special
Tucked away in Capitol Hill’s Melrose Market, Cafe Suliman is 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; even a place to work remotely with a cup of aromatic Arabic coffee or glass of wine at your elbow.
What to order
- Cafe Suliman shares the space with Cantina Sauvage, a wine bar and bottle shop from legendary local wine guy Marc Papineau; the wine-by-the-glass list is tightly curated, and you can be sure that whatever they’re pouring will be on point.
- The food menu rotates with the seasons, but there’s always some fantastic vegetables on offer, like slightly sweet carrots topped with spicy harissa, or a charred, satisfyingly crunchy cabbage in soothing cucumber yogurt.
- If you want a full meal look to the toasts, which are thick slices of Ben’s Bread sourdough (the sturdiest crusts in Seattle), and generally topped with something hearty like tuna, with some pickled veggies thrown on for a bit of brightness.
Best for
The best thing about Cafe Suliman is its versatility — there’s WiFi here so you could be the coolest remote worker in town. It’s also intimate without being romantic in a way that makes it work as a first/early date location (you can get drinks, then have dinner here if you’re both vibing). Or you want to just eat alone with a book, sit at the bar and ask the knowledgeable staff what’s good on the latest menu.
Insider tip
Parking around Melrose Market is sometimes available during the day, but nigh impossible by dinnertime. Consider public transit — you want to have a couple of glasses of wine anyway, right?
