Spend a day exploring Seattle's Filipinotown
Within Seattle's International District there's Chinatown, Japantown, and Little Saigon. But did you know, right in the heart is Filipinotown?
Dating back to the early 1900s, the neighborhood was home to 88 Filipino-owned and operated businesses. Since the early 2000s, however, the number of Filipino-owned spaces and establishments has declined significantly.
Urban development reshaped much of the historic enclave, dispersing businesses throughout the International District. While the original hub of Filipinotown looks different today, the community remains vibrant, present, and growing.
October is Filipino American History Month. It commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental U.S. and is a time to honor the history, culture, and contributions of Filipino Americans.
Join us for a day in Filipinotown as we celebrate businesses reclaiming space, elevating voices, and shaping the next chapter of Filipino identity in Seattle's International District.
First, caffeine and a bit of history!
Hood Famous
504 5th Ave S #107a, Seattle, WA 98104
https://www.hoodfamousbakeshop.com/
What started out as a fun pop-up to raise funds for Philippines progressive trips for local families in 2013 developed into a deep passion to provide opportunities to bring people together with Hood Famous.
Co-owner Chera Amlag doesn't have a background in baking or food but rather in education and youth engagement. She never thought that the ube cheesecake she made for their second pop-up would touch so many individuals; that seeing representation in flavors that were familiar to her culture but not to the broader population at the time helped celebrate Filipino history and culture rooted in Seattle's International District.
This blossomed into wholesaling their cheesecake and baked goods out of a production kitchen in Ballard with Uwajimaya to opening up a cafe in 2019 in the heart of historic Filipinotown.
Co-owners, Chera and Gio, knew that if they ever opened a place of their own, it needed to be in Seattle’s International District where they grew as artists, creatives, and community members. Hood Famous became the first Filipino business to come back to the community after 35 years.
Their goal for the space was to honor the folks that came before them as well as educate on the history of the area but has developed even further into a community events space that is beyond just food.
Whether you’re coming in for a longanisa breakfast sandwich and ube latte, shopping the art and goods at the Sari Sari store from local artists and makers, or stopping in for music and creative events – Hood Famous is truly a pillar that brings community, culture, and history together.
Next, walk off breakfast and coffee with some shopping and creativity!
Sairen
600 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
https://shopsairen.com/
Owners Kaitlin Madriaga Wong and Kaitlin Uemura have a long history together. They're both from Hawai'i, went to the University of Washington, were roommates for over a decade, and fell in love with creative artistry involving fabrics and sewing. It all started when Madriaga Wong came home with a sewing machine, which turned into a time for them to make clothes together.
They launched Morning Siren, their small-batch clothing brand, in 2017. In 2020, an opportunity arose to take over the storefront that had previously housed Momo, a beloved shop where Uemura once worked. After the former owners retired, they reimagined the space as Sairen, a name that references both their design label and the community around them.
Sairen's mission is to highlight design-driven products sourced from independent Asian and Asian American artists and makers in the area. While there, you can find stickers and stationary items, ceramics and dishware, clothes and jewelry, and even dog attire, some of which is inspired by their shop dogs Nala and Kimiko.
If you're looking for specific one-of-a-kind pieces from their personal brand, Morning Siren, check out the dog bandanas and sweatshirts, Asian food charms, and greeting cards.
Tita Bun Co
616 S Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104
https://www.titabunco.com/
As owner Nikki Lorenzo would put it, Tita Bun Collect creates "tattoos for your clothes." It all started during her junior year in college during the pandemic when Lorenzo became interested in embroidery. Her boyfriend's dad bought the wrong machine for his business and offered it to Lorenzo to use. After teaching herself how to embroider, she gained respect and passion for the art.
Lorenzo believes that embroidery is the most beautiful form of art and it's dying because no one seems to do direct fabric anymore. This invigorated her to start hosting live demos, events, and pop ups that focused on highlighting creativity and self-expression while also providing moments to build community.
Tita Bun Collective was selected earlier this year as a participant for the Seattle Restored Program. The location couldn't have been any better in the heart of Filipinotown and Japantown as she felt like her work has been heavily influenced by her upbringing in Hawai'i and her family ties to the Philippines. Not only did she have a permanent home for her business but also a place to share her love for embroidery and foster deeper creative relationships with community members.
Since her storefront opened, Lorenzo not only has created custom embroidery and flash embroidery for customers but also developed seasonal rotating patch collections to choose from and hosted multiple events each month with other small businesses and creators.
Here are the upcoming event she has for the rest of October you can RSVP to:
- Saturday, Oct. 10 – Sip & Stitch: Cookbook Swap with Matcha Muna
- Sunday, Oct. 11 – Concha + Cortadillo Decorating with Big Bush Co
- Saturday, Oct. 17 – Bag Swap and Charm Bar with Nonda Matcha
- Sunday, Oct. 25 – Sizzle & Stitch (Monthly potluck series)
Take a break from shopping with some friendly competition
Tabletop Village
616 8th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
https://tabletopvillage.com/
Owner Brian Myers has centered his experiences on one important aspect. From growing up in Hawai’i, graduating high school in Silverdale, joining the Marine Corps, touring the country with Blue Scholars, and opening a family business; fostering community has always been a central pillar.
The idea for Tabletop Village began with Myers' son and a growing collection of Pokémon cards. His hobby eventually led to a semi-professional competitive career, with tournaments taking him around the world. Inspired by the positive impact gaming had on their family, Myers and his wife opened Tabletop Village in May 2020.
Many people think Myers is in it for the characters and cards, but it’s actually truly about the community. He’s always been an organizer, and the people in the Pokémon community fully embrace each other. As he phrases it, “the space is tied to the moral and ethics that Filipinos and all people need to come together, work together, and build community rather than take advantage of each other.”
Myers also uses his counseling background to host school enrichment programs on how to play Pokémon. Some of his favorite memories are the small moments in Tabletop Village where kindness shines – where kids give or trade things with other kids.
Come stop by Tabletop Village for the Pokémon cards, stay for the community. Click here for a schedule of their daily events.
End with a comfort meal for lunch or dinner
Kilig
710 8th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104
https://kiligseattle.com/
Melissa Miranda grew up spending a lot of time in Seattle's International District, making fond memories with her dad while eating Chinese food every Sunday.
It's always been her goal to provide a homey space, and what better place to bring people together than in historic Filipinotown – an homage to her cultural background mixed with the casual foods and flavors she loves. It became a full circle moment for her. She wanted Kilig to be focused on a couple of things, like how there are restaurants just for pho, teriyaki, and chicken wings.
Even though Kilig is considered more of a fast casual hangout for quick lunch meals, Miranda wanted to make sure that the food was still bursting with flavor and satiating. The main staples are Pancit, a Filipino noodle dish, and Bulalo, a slow-cooked beef soup. If you don’t pick either of these, you’ll be wowed by any of their dishes and comfort classics like pork belly adobo, sizzling sisig, and lumpiang shanghai.
Kilig in Talagalog loosely translates to the giddiness and butterflies you feel when you experience something exciting or romantic. That’s exactly what you’ll experience entering Miranda’s space and leaving with a full belly.
Ready to explore Filipino Town?
Whether you're craving Filipino comfort food, looking for a unique local shop, or hoping to learn more about the neighborhood's history, getting there is easy. Hop aboard the 1 or 2 Line and ride to International District/Chinatown Station. From there, Filipinotown is just a short stroll away.
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