Cafe Suliman occupies a corner of Melrose Market on Capitol Hill, a small, cozy room built around what the kitchen calls the Arabian pantry — tahini, harissa, olive oils, spices, and preserves drawn from cafes and eateries across Egypt, North Africa, and the Arabian Gulf. The format is casual: a menu meant to work for a quick lunch, a coffee and cake, or a long dinner, alongside Arabic coffee, natural wine, and cocktails.
Chef Ahmed Suliman, a Sudanese national who grew up in Abu Dhabi, built the menu on home cooking learned from his mother, and cooked in Seattle at Matt Dillon's Sitka & Spruce before opening his own place. Hummus and lamb dishes have developed a following among regulars, and the vegetarian offerings draw their own praise. The market setting leans into shared plates, with staff steering tables toward eating across dishes rather than alone.
Cafe Suliman was named to Eater's Essential 38 list for Seattle, and Suliman was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Emerging Chef award in 2026.
Chef Ahmed Suliman, a Sudanese national who grew up in Abu Dhabi, built the menu on home cooking learned from his mother, and cooked in Seattle at Matt Dillon's Sitka & Spruce before opening his own place. Hummus and lamb dishes have developed a following among regulars, and the vegetarian offerings draw their own praise. The market setting leans into shared plates, with staff steering tables toward eating across dishes rather than alone.
Cafe Suliman was named to Eater's Essential 38 list for Seattle, and Suliman was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation's Emerging Chef award in 2026.