Trip the two Line to find AANHPI-owned Eastside companies

May is AANHPI Heritage Month, a time to rejoice the wealthy cultures, histories, and contributions of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. This 12 months’s theme, “Power in Unity, Strengthening Communities Together,” highlights the significance of connection, tradition, and group.

Across the Eastside, AANHPI communities have helped form the colourful character of Bellevue and Redmond by native companies, cultural areas, and group management. In each cities, AANHPI residents make up a good portion of the inhabitants, reflecting the variety that defines the area.

With the prolonged 2 Line making it simpler to journey throughout the Eastside, now is a good alternative to discover and assist native AANHPI-owned small companies in Bellevue and Redmond. From longtime neighborhood favorites to newer group gathering spots, these companies assist inform the story of the Eastside’s numerous communities.

East Main

Copper Kettle Coffee Bar (0.9 miles from station, 23 min stroll) 

Copper Kettle Coffee Bar is a good place for our nature lovers and concrete hikers! Located in Bellevue Botanical Garden close to the Fuchsia Garden and Yao Garde, this quaint home options heat and comfortable seating and a spot for folks to decelerate, calm down, and benefit from the views. While the plush greenery brings you in, the proprietor, Christina Dong, stated the native Pacific Northwest merchandise she consists of are what preserve you coming again. Some of those native merchandise embody espresso from Sleepy Monk in Cannon Beach in addition to pastries and treats from bakeries like Macrina Bakery, Big Apple Bagels, Macadons, Sweet Alchemy Ice Creamery. 

Bellden Cafe (0.6 miles from station, 13 min stroll) 

When the proprietor, Claire Sumadiwirya, was within the hospital for lengthy nights whereas her oldest son turned sick in Shanghai, she longed for consolation for a sizzling cup of espresso. Hospital employees took discover and offered home made meals and heat espresso from a fuel station to assist her by this robust time. The unconditional kindness and love she skilled is what turned the muse for Bellden Cafe. The tempo is welcoming and comfortable, which is an ideal pair to construct human connections over a heat drink. Not solely did she construct a spot for group however generosity as effectively by donating percentages of Bellden Cafe’s gross sales to native charities and foundations. 

Semicolon Cafe (0.8 miles from station, 18 min stroll) 

Like the image itself, Semicolon Cafe represents the facility of a pause – to take a second to relaxation, recharge, and savor. The cafe gives an open area minimalistic design that transports you again to the cafes in South Korea which might be aesthetic, clear, and offering nice foods and drinks choices. If we needed to advocate a couple of objects, we’d recommend first timers indulge of their bulgogi sandwich, matcha lattes, and tiramisu latte. 

Bellevue Downtown 

Cafe Aloe (0.4 miles from station, 10 min stroll) 

With expertise from working at their household’s dim sum enterprise, Julie and John Wu wished to create a house away from dwelling the place they may showcase the distinctive household recipes of Hong Kong with their group. Aside from retailers in Chinatown International District, there aren’t many areas that showcased the traditional pastries and drinks of Hong Kong. Cafe Aloe has classics like their freshly brewed Hong Kong milk tea and occasional drinks in addition to pastries simply pretty much as good as they appear! We loved the ‘Musubi.’ a toasted pineapple bun filled with eggs, spam, furikake, and musubi sauce. 

Yuan Spa (0.8 miles from station, 19 min walk) 

If you’re trying to take a break from the meals indulgences and wish some self-care, Yuan Spa is a good spot to go to. They mix the foundations of Asia’s historical therapeutic philosophies with fashionable spa applied sciences. Packages embody therapeutic massage remedy, natural physique therapies, superior skincare, and hydrotherapy areas like a dry sauna, chilly drench bathe, steam room, and two soaking swimming pools. 

Wilburton 

Uwajimaya Bellevue (0.4 miles from station, 8 min stroll) 

Uwajimaya, as soon as a family-owned small enterprise, is now one of many largest Asian grocery retailers within the Pacific Northwest. Since 1928, the enterprise has grown from a laborer truck promoting Japanese staples and home made fishcakes into the multi-location group hub identified at the moment — enduring wartime internment earlier than reopening in 1945 and rebuilding for generations to return. In 1978, the Bellevue location was opened to cater to the quickly rising Eastside inhabitants. If you’ve by no means been to Uwajimaya, make them your subsequent cease for contemporary Asian produce, sizzling meals and scrumptious bentos, nostalgic childhood traditional snacks, and high quality meat and seafood cuts. 

BelRed 

Young Tea (0.6 miles from station, 13 min stroll) 

Caroline, the founder and proprietor, has at all times cherished tea, the method of tea making, and tea ceremonies, in addition to sharing tea to construct group. Caroline goes on annual journeys to Taiwan to work with native tea farmers to make use of the very best high quality and pure elements to remain true to the genuine Taiwanese tastes and flavors. All of their drinks are improbable methods to beat the summer time warmth but when we needed to decide a couple of favorites, it might embody their Wintermelon Juice, Iron Buddha, and High Mountain Oolong Milk Tea. 

Yuan Ru Art Center (0.5 miles from station, 10 min stroll) 

Yuan Ru Art Center was established in 2022 and proudly presents work from Taiwan and different worldwide artists in addition to Pacific Northwest AANHPI artists. During the time of our go to, there was an exhibition run by Margie Ye of Ye Fine Arts to rejoice cross-cultural artwork to interrupt down obstacles, foster cultural storytelling, and domesticate a deep sense of group belonging.  The displays and artwork modifications each few months so make certain to go to their web site to see what’s developing! 

Luandong Herbs (0.4 miles from station, 8 min from station) 

Luandong Herbs is a more recent small enterprise focusing on conventional Chinese medication and tea. You are capable of purchase dried elements like ginseng, ginger, shiitake mushrooms, and jujubes to make your individual teas and medicines or work with the staff there to assist put together mixtures that will enhance your well being wants. Luandong felt like part of Chinatown positioned on the Eastside! 

Lucky Claww (0.7 miles from station, 16 min stroll) 

Lucky Claww is for people who get pleasure from video games and a problem. If you’ve ever visited Asia, you already know that claw machines are extraordinarily addicting with the possibility to grow to be completely glad or pissed off. This is a good escape for all ages as you’ll be capable to discover pleasure within the problem and hopefully acquire some enjoyable toys alongside the way in which! 

Overlake Village 

LUMI Dessert Cafe (0.7 miles from station, 16 min stroll) 

LUMI Dessert Cafe is based on the imaginative and prescient to construct an area the place guests can get pleasure from lovely and scrumptious desserts. Their aim with the menu is to have totally different distinctive flavors from all over the world that individuals can get pleasure from. Some of their extremely wanted desserts embody their Korean Bingsu that has contemporary snow ice and varied toppings in addition to their Golden Toast which is crispy toast stuffed with honey and topped with toppings. Both are nice to indulge with a couple of buddies or as a candy deal with in the summertime warmth!

Dosa House (0.7 miles from station, 17 min stroll) 

Dosa House is an off-the-cuff cafeteria countertop-style South Indian vegetarian restaurant. Even although the area provides off no frills, the meals is unquestionably bursting with influence and taste. They present all kinds of dosa choices, Hakka type delicacies, and curries. What we’d advocate you do is to go to with a buddy and have one in every of you order their dosa and one other orders their naans and curries or bhatura and poori to share so that you’re capable of get a bit of style of the whole lot. 

Marymoor Village 

Izakaya Supa Banana (0.2 miles from station, 5 min stroll) 

In November 2024, Chef Wing Lam had a imaginative and prescient of opening an area that celebrates fusion delicacies and custom. Izakaya Supa Banana takes conventional Japanese izakaya and infuses it with a contemporary twist. Some revolutionary dishes on their menu embody foie gras “spam” sushi, XO butter clams, and coconut laksa crab and scallop sushi. If you like the idea of Japanese staples and wish distinctive flavors bursting in your mouth, give Izakaya Supa Banana a strive! 

Downtown Redmond 

A Ma Chicken Rice (0.2 miles from station, 3 min stroll) 

A Ma Chicken Rice is a well-liked staple within the downtown Redmond space. The house owners, Marynet Seng and Thearith Thy, mix their ardour for meals blended with wealthy life and culinary experiences handed from household family members to current scrumptious Hainanese hen rice and conventional Cambodian soups on the Eastside. There positively might be a line whenever you go to, however it’s effectively definitely worth the wait. If you need a bit of little bit of the whole lot, the combo hen rice plates are a terrific starter. Also notable choices are their ā mā dried noodles and ā mā beef loc lac! 

Kids Magic Lab (0.2 miles from station, 4 min stroll) 

For households which might be escaping the rain, warmth, or chilly fronts all through the seasons, Kids Magic Lab is a good choice for play time and studying. The area consists of drop-in play instances, camps and occasions, and reservations for events. For an additional deal this month, on May 26, Kids Magic Lab might be celebrating their two-year anniversary with a photograph sales space and all children open play day passes being $20! 

Kanishka Cuisine of India (0.2 miles from station, 4 min stroll) 

Kanishka Cuisine of India is taken into account to group members as a long-time beacon of genuine Indian flavors since 1999. The founders centered on honoring the varied traditions of Indian cooking as a result of of their eyes, meals isn’t only for sustenance but additionally a method to rejoice tradition and heritage. With this in thoughts, the elements are extraordinarily contemporary because it’s sourced from native farmers and artisans. The menu options all kinds of conventional Indian recipes and specialties which might be blended with fashionable strategies as a method to share with Redmond part of Indian tradition.

Plan your journey now! 

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