A Chinese Food Megastore and Restaurant Will Open at Seattle’s Amazon HQ in Early 2021
The new China Live in Seattle will play host to 13,000 square feet of dining, drinking, groceries, gifts, and cooking demos
Patricia Chang
China Live, called the “Chinese version of Eataly,” is expanding its presence from San Francisco to Seattle. The large-format food emporium, designed by Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors, will open to the public at Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle in early 2021, taking up a whopping 13,000 feet at the AWS Tower at 2107 Westlake Avenue (at the corner of 8th Ave and Lenora), near another Amazon landmark, The Spheres.
Owners George Chen and Cindy Wong-Chen will reprise their modern Chinese fine-dining restaurant Eight Tables by George Chen, adding a hidden bar featuring cocktails by the SF Cold Drinks Bar team, along with beer, kombucha, and hard soda. The Chens will feature a variety of Chinese cuisines at their bar and retail market, sourced from local and regional Washington food purveyors.
“China Live Seattle will share some design and cuisine visions of the San Francisco location but will not be a replica,” Chen said. “Instead, it will reflect the terroir of the Pacific Northwest, utilizing the bounty of culinary products from local farms, fisheries, and ranches.”
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The restaurant will recreate San Francisco favorites like China Live’s signature dim sum dish, crackling chicken, as well as pan-fried pork buns (Sheng Jian Bao, or SJB) and Chinese BBQ and charcuterie such as Peking duck pockets.
It will also feature dishes like salmon corn fritters with samba chili, applewood-smoked five-spice ribs, and fresh sashimi prepared from local, sustainable fish. The Seattle marketplace will have over 300 seats for guests to dine and enjoy.
The space will also make use of open kitchens, displaying interactive cooking demonstrations and classes that teach guests to prepare stir-fries, craft unique desserts, and slow-cook clay pot meals.
China Live’s Retail Market will sell artisanal, house-made condiments, spices, teas, jams, granola, snacks, and unique Asian seeds and produce. The kitchen supplies will include a curated selection of cookware, cutlery, and gifts. Four television screens will stream videos of multiple Chinese cooking techniques and culinary discovery for added entertainment.
“Our Retail Market offerings are meant to inspire culinary exploration,” said co-founder Cindy Wong-Chen. “Our goal is for our customers to bring a piece of Chinese culinary culture into their own homes by showcasing exclusive products that have been personally selected by me and George from our travels in China, other parts of Asia, and beyond.”
The Market Restaurant will be open from daily from 10am to 10pm and the Retail Market/Oolong Cafe & Bar from 8am to midnight daily.
