AAPI-owned spots to support on your next date

May is here and brings us Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. A time to celebrate diverse cultures, support our communities, and honor the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders that have shaped who we are today. And as a company founded by three Korean sisters looking to shake up both the dating and entrepreneurial world, it holds a special place in our heart.

So in honor of AAPI Heritage Month, we’ve rounded up some AAPI-owned businesses in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. that you can check out on your next first date. Or third date or anniversary date, or just when you feel like getting something good.

San Francisco Bay Area

Sue’s Gallery Cafe

This mom-and-pop shop with coffee, tea, and pastries is the perfect spot for a casual coffee date. And bonus, you can browse their handmade ceramics while you’re at it.

Home Coffee Roasters

Owners Annie Cheng and In Hwan Heo know a thing or two about coffee dates, as they went on weekly ones together while dreaming of opening a shop of their own. Now, you and your date can follow in their footsteps.

FOB Kitchen

Visit this Oakland spot for delicious Filipino fare and island-inspired cocktails, brought to you by owner and chef Janice Dulce who grew up in the Bay Area and Guam and is now bringing recipes learned from her family to the public.

Cha-Ya

To our non-meat eaters, this one’s for you! Family-owned and operated in San Francisco’s Mission District, this is a great spot if you’re in the mood for Japanese cuisine that’s entirely vegan, too.

Dumpling House

Grab some Chinese bites, beer, and tea from this casual, family-owned spot — with a chef whose twenty-plus years of dim sum expertise hail from Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.

Los Angeles

B Sweet Dessert Bar

Looking for something less formal than dinner, but different from the standard coffee date? Grab something decadent, like their famous banana pudding, from this dessert bar owned and operated by Barb Batiste, who grew up baking sweets for her close-knit Filipino family.

Bopomofo Cafe

Serving Asian American cuisine, co-founders Philip Wang and Eric Wang turned to bo, po, mo, and fo, “the Chinese ABCs,” to come up with the name for their cafe. Stop by for tea, espresso, matcha, and plenty of shareables perfect for a date.

Broken Mouth

Did you know that in Hawaii, “broke da mout” is used by locals to describe food so good you don’t even have time to chew? Owner and Chef Tim Lee, Korean by blood and born and raised on Oahu, serves up homestyle Hawaiian food for Los Angeles. But if you’re on a first date, maybe try to chew a little.

Pine & Crane

Looking for a casual spot? Head over to this Taiwanese spot in Silver Lake for some staples like beef noodle soup and loose-leaf tea. Emphasis on casual, as it’s first come, first serve.

Maru Coffee

You can’t go wrong with a classic coffee date at this spot in the Arts District. The name comes from native Korean San Ma Ru, which means “mountaintop,” to symbolize their high-quality coffee, as the best beans come from high altitudes.

New York City

Kopitiam

Head to this Lower East Side spot, which means “coffee shop” in Hokkien, for a taste of Nyonya cuisine. Chef and owner Kyo Pang uses family recipes and traditions to introduce visitors to this blend of Chinese and Malay flavors.

Soft Swerve

In the mood for something sweet? Soft Swerve has two locations in NYC where you can cool off with Asian-inspired ice cream flavors like matcha and ube purple yam.

Ihawan

Take your date to try the best barbecue in town at this family-owned and operated Filipino spot in Woodside. You’ll find classic dishes from the Philippines, plus their specialty Kapampangan cuisine.

Pasteur Grill & Noodles

Looking for a spot in Chinatown? Head here for authentic Vietnamese food that’s the byproduct of generations’ worth of family recipes.

Té Company

If the casual coffee date isn’t your thing, how about tea instead? This intimate spot in the West Village has a wide variety of teas sourced from Taiwan, plus Taiwanese food to pair with it.

Washington, D.C.

Valley Brook Tea

Another great option if you’re looking for a change of pace from the traditional coffee date, but still want to keep things casual. Get to know each other over a pot of traditional Chinese tea.

Ice Cream Jubilee

What started with owner Victoria Lai making ice cream in her kitchen, this sweet spot has grown into a multiple-location, nine-time best ice cream award winner in the DMV. Keep an eye out for seasonal flavors, like Cherry Blossom Cheesecake.

Maketto

The best thing about a date at this spot? It has a little bit of everything. Grab some coffee and pastries at their cafe, make a reservation for Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking, or get to know each other over a few drinks. The date is your oyster.

Baan Siam

Looking for some authentic Thai food? This spot offers what they say are harder-to-find Thai dishes — and seeing as how Chef Jeeraporn ‘’P’ Boom” Poksupthon draws cooking skills from her mother and grandmother, you know you’ll be in great hands.

Mama Chang

Head to Fairfax City, Virginia to find Hunan, Szechuan, Hubei, and home-style Chinese cooking that’s been passed down through generations. Founded by legendary Chinese chef and restaurateur Peter Chang, this family-owned business honors all of the women of the Chang family and their culinary expertise.

Seattle

Nue

Co-owners Uyen Nguyen and Chris Cvetkovich’s shared passion for international travel led to a menu that takes ingredients found around the world and creates a cohesive experience — which is exactly why they named their restaurant Nue, after a supernatural monster from Japanese mythology with the face of a monkey, the torso of a tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog), the limbs of a tiger, and the tail of a snake.

Hood Famous

Whether you want breakfast, lunch, coffee, or even cocktails, this spot in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District honors its Filipino community’s roots through great food, even better hospitality, and Filipino visibility.

Lucky Envelope Brewing

Going on a date with a fellow brew-lover? Co-founders Barry Chan and Raymond Kwan are the masterminds behind the culturally-inspired beers on tap here, like their Peanut Butter Cream Stout or Lychee Lemonade Sour Ale.

Phởcific Standard Time

Sure, you can go out for a standard happy hour date. But why do that when you can sample cocktails made with Vietnamese ingredients at an intimate speakeasy-style bar instead? Look for it upstairs at Pho Bac’s downtown location.

Chengdu Memory

Is your date heating up, or is it just the hot pot? Either way, things are bound to get steamy at this restaurant that offers traditional, spicy Sichuan dishes, customizable hot pots, and a sauce bar.

Chicago

Coffee Lab and Roasters

Owners (and husband-and-wife!) Helen Kim and Peter Moon worked tirelessly to keep Coffee Lab afloat during the pandemic — and the shop remains a highlight of the Lakeview neighborhood to this day. Pop in for their specialty slow-drip cold brew and some light bites.

Siam Noodle and Rice

Looking for a date spot in Uptown? Head over to this family-owned spot that’s been serving Thai cuisine in the area for over 30 years — and don’t skip out on the sticky rice.

Kasama

This bakery and Filipino restaurant offers you a few options for your next date: a casual coffee meetup in the AM, a first-come-first-serve lunch, or a 13-course tasting menu that definitely requires reservations well in advance. But no matter what you choose, it’ll be a date to remember.

Aloha Eats

Head over to Lincoln Park to introduce someone new to Plate Lunch at this family-owned Hawaiian spot. And a date here wouldn’t be complete with an order of SPAM musubi, so be sure to grab a few.

Triple Crown

This Chinatown spot is your number one destination for Dim Sum. Our recommendation? Get a few different dishes, like their mapo tofu or spare ribs with bitter melon, so you can share with your date.

Dallas

Boba Republic

Want a refreshing treat? Stop by this shop for a selection of signature drinks, milk teas, coffees, fruit smoothies, frappuccinos, snowy milks, and fruit teas.

Red Stix

Owner and Chef Uno Immanivong, a first-generation Asian American of Laotian descent born in a Thai refugee camp, left a 16-year banking career to pursue her passion for cooking. It all culminated in Red Stix, where she expresses her heritage with Laos and Thailand-inspired street food.

Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen

Check out this woman-owned & run spot for Vietnamese bites like pho Hanoi, mango salad, and cà ri cooked up by Owner and Chef Carol Nguyen, whose food is a reflection of Hà Nội, Vietnam where she is from.

Sandwich Hag

This date spot is all about bonding over a delicious meal — perfect for getting to know someone new. Owner and Chef Reyna Duong started Sandwich Hag to carry on her mom’s tradition of making everything from scratch, and you can find it in the form of banh mi, curries, salads & Vietnamese coffee.

JingHe Japanese

Head to the heart of Dallas to check out this Asian fusion spot. You can invite your date out for cocktails and split a few small plates, or go out all for a dinner date over some ramen.

Houston

Phat Eatery

This spot in Katy Asian Town was started by James Beard Awards Semifinalist Alex Au-Yeung, whose upbringing in Hong Kong and Malaysian heritage has led to this menu of Malaysian street food and Southeast Asian specialties.

Blood Bros BBQ

It wouldn’t be a Texas date spots list without some BBQ, right? But this eatery doesn’t just have your classic BBQ fare, but more of a mashup to include Asian influences, techniques, and ingredients. Try the sweet & sour fried ribs or the smoked turkey bahn-mi.

burger-chan

Run by husband and wife duo Diane and Willet Feng, this spot is calling your name for a classic first date. After all, what’s more classic than hanging out over a couple of burgers?

The Blind Goat

Fun fact: In 2020, The Blind Goat was a semi-finalist for Best New Restaurant in America! And if that’s not enough to get your attention, know that you and your date can sample Vietnamese cuisine made by MasterChef winner Christine Ha, whose cooking is a way of paying homage to her parents.

Xin Chào

Another award-winning spot in Houston for Vietnamese fare! Stop by this neighborhood eatery with a menu full of mains made for sharing (perfect for a date!), all made with locally sourced ingredients from Texas and the Gulf Coast.

Philadelphia

Queen & Rook Game Cafe

Want to shake things up? Skip the typical dinner date and invite someone to join you for a board game date! Not only does this spot have more than 1,300 board games to choose from, but it also offers coffee, cocktails, and a full food menu. Just try not to get too competitive.

Bánh Mì & Bottles

This tucked-away South Street spot created by Chef and Owner Tuan Phung offers up Vietnamese comfort foods and a cocktail list full of ingredients you’d find at a Vietnamese market, like pho brisket banh mi and pork-belly-infused Old Fashioneds.

Kalaya

Whether you grab a couple of spots at the bar or opt for a traditional dinner date, this spot in Fishtown will offer you a delicious Thai food experience. Fill the table with Chef Nok Suntaranon’s goods, like shaw muang dumplings, wok-cooked dry red curry with crispy tofu, and pickled mustard greens.

Fishtown Social

Looking for a date spot in Fishtown that’s less about the food and more about the drinks? This wine bar is all about natural wine but also has cocktails and beer. And OK, sharable small plates if you’re still wanting a little bit of food.

Grandma’s Philly

This Thai tapas eatery believes that good conversations, love, and food are better when shared. Perfect for a date if you ask us! Donrutai “Chef Locket” Jainon brings authentic Thai flavors thanks to her Chiang Mai upbringing and her grandmother’s recipes—be sure to try her meatballs.

Let’s support our communities together

We know this list is far from complete, so don’t hesitate to branch out and find other AAPI-owned spots in your area, this May and beyond!