ʔálʔal Café

The ʔálʔal Café is a restaurant in Pioneer Square, Seattle, in the U.S. state of Washington. It opened in 2022.

Description
The name ʔalʔal (stylized as "ʔálʔal") means "home" in Lushootseed. The café operates on the ground floor of a Chief Seattle Club housing complex for people of Native descent. The interior features Native artworks, including a mural which depicts the transition from the pre-Columbian era to modern society. The restaurant has high ceilings and "rustic" tree-trunk tables. It uses dark blue mugs stamped with the cafe's name.

According to Anthony Monzon of KSTW, the business aims to "[reclaim] and [reintroduce]" Indigenous cuisine of the Americas "in a modern café setting". The menu has included blue corn mush with wojape, wild rice bowls with berry vinaigrette, braised bison tacos with pickled onions, Northwest salmon, cornbread, and coffee. Many ingredients are sourced from Native producers.

History
ʔálʔal Café opened on November 29, 2022. The business is owned and operated by the nonprofit organization Chief Seattle Club, which provides services for Indigenous people living in urban areas. Profits from the café support the organization.

Reception
In Eater Seattle's 2023 overview of the city's ideal eateries for remote work, Harry Cheadle called ʔálʔal a "gem" and a "beautiful" space.