Koshari started small—with a shared kitchen, limited hours, and limited visibility in Ballard.

Then you found us.

You came for your first bowl of Koshari and returned with friends and family. You told your neighbors, shared our food, left us beautiful reviews, and sometimes drove from far outside Seattle just to eat with us. What began as a small family business became something much bigger: Koshari became a community.

We’ve now found a promising new home in Ballard—just a few blocks from where we started—and we need to close an $8,000 funding gap as soon as possible to help secure it.

On August 15, we served our last meals at Salt & Sugar and moved out of the shared space. Since then, we have been searching for the right permanent home for Koshari.

And we may have found it!!!

We are currently working to secure a promising restaurant space in Ballard, just a few blocks from our former location. It would allow us to stay in the neighborhood where Koshari was built while finally giving us our own kitchen, dining room, storefront and signage, expanded hours, and room to grow.

We have secured part of the funding needed ourselves, and this campaign has already raised more than $2,000 thanks to your support. At this stage, we are short approximately $8,000 in liquid funds needed as soon as possible to put us in a position to secure this space.

That is our immediate goal.

Our complete fundraising target remains $30,000. Beyond securing a location, opening a permanent restaurant requires a significant upfront investment. We are contributing our own funds, already own much of the equipment we need, and are pursuing additional resources.

The funds raised will help cover the major costs of getting Koshari open, including:

• Permits, architectural review, licensing, and health department requirements

• Plumbing, electrical work, and required installations

• Remaining specialized kitchen equipment

• Exterior signage and dining room furnishings

• Opening inventory and other essential opening expenses

We will continue updating the campaign as we move forward so you can follow the journey and see how the funds are being used.

WHY THIS MATTERS

We are not asking you to fund an idea that we hope might work. Koshari is an established business with a loyal customer base that grew despite operating only 15–17 hours per week inside another business, without its own storefront or dedicated exterior signage.

Our customers showed us how much Koshari can grow. Regulars returned with friends and family, and guests traveled from across Seattle and beyond specifically to eat with us. We built that community despite operating only 15–17 hours a week from a shared space with limited visibility.

Now we have the opportunity to build on that foundation in a permanent space of our own, while remaining right here in Ballard.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Every contribution, regardless of size, brings us closer to closing the immediate $8,000 gap and moving forward with this location.

If contributing isn't possible, sharing this campaign can be just as meaningful. Please send it to a friend, neighbor, community group, or anyone who wants to see independent local restaurants continue to have a place in Ballard.

This isn't about starting Koshari—you already helped us do that.

It's about the day when the Koshari sign goes up, the kitchen turns on, and we unlock our own front door for the first time.

We hope that when that day comes, you'll walk through those doors knowing you helped make it possible.

We built Koshari one plate at a time. Now, let's open the doors to its new home together.

With love and gratitude,

Amani & Ayman

Koshari