With flavors from the heights of Nepal, Annapurna Cafe has grown into a foundation of the Broadway restaurant scene. It is marking 20 years on Capitol Hill this summer in its below-the-surface restaurant down the stairs at Broadway and Denny.

Roshita Shrestha and Sujan Sharma started Annapurna in May 2003 as a small venture to introduce the cuisine to Broadway and the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Shrestha said that she wanted to bring flavors that she had grown up with to Seattle, in the form of scrumptious meals.

“I noticed many restaurants serving South Asian food, but I primarily wanted to introduce the concept of Nepalese dishes to the city,” Shrestha said.

Like any good climb, Annapurna faced its biggest challenges as it neared its 20-year summit, first in the form of the massive Capitol Hill Station construction project across the street and, then, near the crest, sorting out how to keep the business thriving during the COVID-19 pandemic. Street closures and infrastructure disruptions outweighed even the virus.

“The light rail construction was the biggest challenge, for the last six years”, Shrestha said. “We were basically hidden and wrapped in blue tarp for a very long time.”

They did manage to find some things to celebrate during the tumult. In 2015, Annapurna expanded to the surface, adding its upstairs Yeti Bar above the lower level Broadway restaurant.

Shrestha believes that the beloved restaurant lived through those difficult years with the help of support pouring in from the neighborhood. When the pandemic hit, they closed down the restaurant for three months, after which they offered pick-up orders over parts of the next two years. They finally reopened fully in July 2022.

Along the way, they also faced the prospect of possibly needing to move out of the 1905-built-building the restaurant calls home as it was readied for redevelopment. That project was put on ice due to landmarks protections but the extra time has given Annapurna time to prepare. The owners now have a back-up plan firmly in place after purchasing a new location in the neighborhood that they currently lease to another business.

Staying on Capitol Hill has been a key part of Annapurna’s journey.

Shrestha said that Capitol Hill was initially a prime location to start the family-owned restaurant, as it supported small business owners to establish units at a reasonable price.

“At that time, the community and demand was small, and rent was cheap,” Shrestha said. “It was easier to find loyal customers because there were just small businesses and houses.”

Even as the Capitol Hill neighborhood has grown, Annapurna continues to serve the community with Tibetan, Indian and Nepalese delicacies. Shrestha said that as rent increased, they lost many regulars who couldn’t afford to stay within the neighborhood and eventually moved out.

As a small business owner, Shrestha believes that she needs to listen to customer feedback carefully. She said that they have made efforts to create a menu that is suitable for everyone, while bringing good quality and flavorful meals to the table.

“Our menu is designed to grow, and I’m always inspired by change,” Shrestha said. “We create food with traditional and seasonal flavors, and build on three different cultures.”

She said that she is always looking for interesting flavor combinations to add to the menu, which gives customers more options.

Along with serving traditional South Asian flavors, Shrestha said she plans to introduce a line of spice mixes and pickles. Ranging from masala chai to mixed curry sauces, she plans to sell these at the restaurant to bring in the concept of spice blends, promoting “simple cooking”.

Speaking of future goals, Shrestha said that the restaurant has no plans of moving and expanding as of now. The staffing is within the family. No matter what happens next, they know they can stay on Capitol Hill.

“Capitol Hill is our home, and we want to stay small and care for customers here,” Shrestha said.

Annapurna Cafe is located at 1833 Broadway. Learn more at annapurnacafe.com.

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