5 immigrant-run restaurants in Seattle

Owners Gencer and Süreyya Gökeri expanded beyond their first business of Istanbul Imports to open Cafe Turko in 2012. Come here for dinner the next time you want to travel to the other side of the world without leaving Seattle. The homemade ayran is great on a hot day and the menu contains all halal and zabiha products. Their food works great for catering as well.

We can’t do the Phnom Penh owners’ family story justice in this blurb, so be sure to check it out on their website before you visit this wonderful Cambodian restaurant. Their clean and modern space in the International District re-opened a few years ago with a slimmer menu, but favorites like Samlaw Machou soup and all the noodles you could wish for are still available.

Founder Marian Ahmed emigrated from Somalia in 1996, opening Mama Sambusa in 2002 and bringing the restaurant to Seattle in 2009. She is proud to showcase her culture at Mama Sambusa and still makes the sambusas herself, which she recommends you have with the mama sauce. The menu is entirely halal.

The Polish Home Association was established in 1918 as a place for people of Polish nationality and descent to come together for celebrations, festivals, meals, meetings and cultural exploration. Their Friday Night dinners are open to the public, guests just have to pay a nominal fee to become a member for the evening. Come hungry, but check the website as the kitchen occasionally closes down in summers!

Despite this restaurant being in a cozy basement, sometimes if the wind moves the right direction you can smell the mouthwatering Nepalese, Indian and Tibetan spices from blocks away. The food is reasonably priced, cooked perfectly and delivered by friendly staff. Owner Roshita Shrestha cooked her native Nepalese food overseas before bringing it to Seattle.