“Before we even named our new restaurant, we knew we wanted a communal table,” says Kristi Brown, acclaimed Seattle chef and founder of the beloved culinary brand That Brown Girl Cooks!. It was only fitting that the new eatery, which Brown and her son, Damon Bomar, opened in Seattle’s Central District, be called Communion.
The duo serves up soul food in a sophisticated yet down-home setting inside the Liberty Bank Building, a development that honors the neighborhood’s African American roots. With the help of designers Michelle Linden and Angela Tam of Atelier Drome, Communion’s warm, welcoming aesthetic combines cozy tufted leather banquette seating with slick touches like copper-plated ceiling tiles and bright teal accents inspired by Bomar’s favorite jazz clubs in Atlanta and D.C.
The result is an approachably swank environment designed to foster community. “Cooking brings people together,” says Brown. “But it’s a big responsibility. People are hungry for more than just food.”
