It’s that time of year again. The sun is getting less and less shy, people are dining out more, and restaurants are opening right and left. It can be a lot to keep up with, but here are a few to give a try this weekend. Queen Nzinga is bringing Angolan food to the Chinatown-International District, buzz is growing in Fremont for Balandra Tapas, and The Counter Shoppe in Capitol Hill has a can’t-miss Cubano.

That was the appetizer, now onto the entrée.

Mom and daughter make Malay food

Meet Masakan, a pop-up from Safira Ezani and her mother, Masitah Hamzah, that specializes in Malay dishes like char kway teow (flat stir-fried rice noodles with bean sprouts, Chinese chives, and chiles) or nasi lemak (coconut milk rice cooked with anchovies and peanuts). You can find their food (it’s all halal) at Seahawks games and the Ballard Farmers Market, and the duo also teaches cooking classes and workshops to share their Malaysian culture.

Help the Hopvine

A hub for music, arts, and of course local beer is in a tough spot—Hopvine Pub & Pizza has started a GoFundMe page to raise $50,000 in order to cover slipping payroll, insurance, and rent costs during a rocky period. The neighborhood hub for conversation and pepperoni pies celebrated 30 years last year.

High spirits

Take a bow, Westland and Woodinville Whiskey. The two local distillers landed in Robb Report’s “50 Greatest Whiskeys of the 21st Century” list, with their Garryana (No. 46) and Straight Bourbon (No. 47) respectively, earning the adoration of the luxury-lifestyle magazine. It’s quite the achievement and an accessible way for whiskey lovers to taste the top shelf—higher up the list you’ll find bottles like the Yamazaki 50 running for the eye-watering price of $80,000. 

A year of free wine tastings

That’s how legendary winemaker and former European rock band manager Charles Smith is celebrating the 25th anniversary of House of Smith, whose brands have sold the second most bottles of Washington wine, outdone only by Chateau Ste. Michelle. Guests can enjoy the complimentary sips at Jet City in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood—tickets are also available for its Spring Release Party this Saturday, May 9—or at its two locations in Walla Walla.

No more Cafe Suliman

Cafe Suliman’s sudden closure, along with allegations of unpaid employees, is a head-scratcher considering chef/owner Ahmed Suliman’s recent James Beard semifinalist nomination, but the fact remains—the Capitol Hill eatery is closed. The “casual cafe serving the home-cooked flavors of the Arabian pantry” opened in Melrose Market three years ago; its success seemingly provided Suliman the platform to plan a new cocktail lounge in the neighborhood called Shib Shib, although the recent financial troubles cast its future into doubt.

Work hard, eat better

Following a pandemic-related halt in operations, Fooda, a “workplace food platform that connects employers, employees, and restaurants,” is set for a return to the Seattle market, partnering with local businesses like Arosa Cafe, Domani, Evergreens, Mirch Masala, and Zylberschtein’s Delicatessen & Bakery. The company also increased the number of its corporate clients to 47 in the metro area, providing logistics and communication to open pathways to customers that would have been out of reach previously.

Out with a whisper

An Eastside spot to watch the Seahawks owned by two members of the Super Bowl XLVIII-winning team is closed. Legion Sports Bar in Bellevue, which was founded in 2023 by Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman, announced via social media that it was closing its doors to “focus back to where it all started at Lumen Field Stadium.” The message did cause some confusion, however, as there is not another Legion at the venue, only food items served with the name attached to them.