By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
At Black & Tan Hall in Hillman City, Chef Tay Proctor-Mills Jr. isn’t particularly interested in putting traditional labels on the food coming out of his kitchen.
His menu moves comfortably between Southern influences and contemporary cooking, with fresh hush puppies paired with homemade strawberry jam, pan-seared coho salmon cakes, orange pepper wings tossed in a house-made dry rub and the Homage Burger, built around an 8-ounce patty made with brisket, chuck and ribeye.
There are also Cajun-rubbed loaded grit bowls, jerk-infused shrimp and grits and house-made tofu fries, part of a menu Proctor-Mills has deliberately built to offer something for meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike.
“It’s important for me to have a well-balanced menu so everybody feels welcome,” said Proctor-Mills. “I try to make sure I have at least three to five vegan and vegetarian dishes.”
Proctor-Mills, a Central District native and Franklin High School graduate, is Black & Tan Hall’s first resident chef and 22nd cooperative partner. His responsibilities stretch well beyond preparing what’s on the plate.
“I’m the first-ever resident chef, so you can put me down as resident chef slash part-owner,” said Proctor-Mills. “For whatever needs to be done under that building, I’m pretty sure I have my hand in it.”
This week, Proctor-Mills and Black & Tan Hall are in the spotlight as the Hillman City restaurant becomes the third business featured in the Pack the House campaign, a 10-week initiative presented by The Seattle Medium, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Byrd Barr Place and the Central Area Collaborative to encourage the community to intentionally support local Black-owned restaurants.
Located on Rainier Avenue just south of Columbia City, Black & Tan Hall brings something different to the campaign. In addition to its restaurant, the Hall serves as an event and performance space where food, live music, art and community gatherings come together under one roof.
But at the center of the experience is the food.
On service days, Proctor-Mills checks schedules and party reservations before heading out to source fresh, local ingredients. Running the kitchen largely on his own requires him to balance quality with the realities of getting food to customers in a timely manner.
“Off top, I knew I’d build a menu where my cooking time for food would be no more than 15 to 20 minutes max just to get food out at a fast pace,” said Proctor-Mills.
Speed, however, isn’t his only consideration. Having maintained a vegetarian lifestyle for nearly three years, Proctor-Mills has incorporated that experience into a menu that gives customers different ways to eat without sacrificing flavor.
“As a chef, I feel like it’s my job to educate the community on a healthier way to eat to sustain your lifestyle,” said Proctor-Mills.
That philosophy can be seen throughout the menu. The Hall’s hush puppies are made fresh, never frozen, with a golden, crispy exterior and tender interior and are served with homemade strawberry jam. Salmon cakes are pan-seared and made with fresh coho salmon, herbs and seasoning before being served with spicy mayo.
The orange pepper wings are marinated in a house brine, fried and tossed in a house-made dry orange pepper rub. For those looking for something heartier, the Homage Burger combines an 8-ounce Lil Red’s patty made from beef brisket, chuck and ribeye with cheddar cheese, a Lil Red’s beef hot link, beef bacon, a fried egg, arugula and comeback sauce on a toasted bun.
For patron Shaun Kemp, it is the combination of Proctor-Mills’ food and the intimate atmosphere of Black & Tan Hall that makes the experience stand out.
“The place is small and intimate. Food is really good and not your normal soul food. [Chef Tay] always has his own twist. Food comes out piping hot, seasoned well, and drinks are really good,” said Kemp. “The ambience is really nice and they have live music.”
That combination of food and entertainment is part of what makes Black & Tan Hall unique. In addition to dining, the Hall serves as a gathering and event space, offering craft cocktails and curated beverages, local art, live performances, community gatherings and private events.
Proctor-Mills also uses the space to create experiences centered specifically around food. Each month, he curates “Flavors of the Northwest,” a five-course dinner that brings together local chefs, bartenders and farmers. The Hall also hosts weekly Sunday brunches along with other dining and special events.
The combination of food, music and community gathering isn’t incidental to Black & Tan Hall. It is part of the idea behind the space itself and part of why its founders chose a name connected to an earlier chapter of Seattle’s cultural history.
The original Black and Tan Club was part of Seattle’s legendary Jackson Street nightlife scene. Located near 12th Avenue and South Jackson Street, the venue traced its roots to the Alhambra Cabaret, which opened in 1920 under Black entrepreneur Harry Legg and was later operated by local nightlife figures E. Russell “Noodles” Smith and Burr “Blackie” Williams.
By the early 1930s, the venue was known as the Black and Tan Club, a name associated with establishments where people could gather across racial lines during an era when segregation restricted where Black musicians and patrons could perform and socialize.
Jackson Street would become a center of Seattle’s music and nightlife scene, with clubs hosting local musicians and touring performers during late-night and after-hours sessions. The scene played an important role in the development of artists including Quincy Jones, Ernestine Anderson and Ray Charles during their formative years in Seattle.
Although the original Black and Tan Club eventually closed, the history and inclusive spirit associated with its name would later help inspire today’s Black & Tan Hall.
Established roughly a decade ago by a group of organizers and artists, including Ben and Seph Park, Black & Tan Hall was envisioned as a cooperatively owned arts, dining and community space that could support artists, preserve cultural traditions and provide a gathering place rooted in community.
That cooperative model remains central to the Hall today. For Proctor-Mills, ownership is particularly meaningful at a time when rising costs and displacement have made it increasingly difficult for Black-owned businesses and cultural spaces to maintain a presence in Seattle.
“In my eyes, we’re one of the few Black-owned businesses that actually owns our building,” said Proctor-Mills.
His approach to food is tied to that larger sense of community as well.
“We offer the healthy version of soul food… simple ingredients you can count on one finger, pronounce, and everything is going to taste good,” said Proctor-Mills.
For visitors like Jamie Elmore, the combination of food and gathering space is what makes Black & Tan Hall stand out.
“I recently attended an event at Black & Tan Hall and had a wonderful experience!” said Elmore. “The venue was beautiful, welcoming, and a great space for bringing people together. And the food was AMAZING!”
Elmore said supporting the Hall can take many forms, from dining there to using the space for an event or catering.
“If you’re looking for a way to support Black & Tan Hall, there are several ways to do it,” said Elmore. “Consider them when you need an event space, catering, or simply want to enjoy some great food.”
As Black & Tan Hall welcomes new customers through Pack the House, Proctor-Mills said there is one thing he particularly wants people to understand. Despite assumptions some people may make based on the Hall’s name, everyone is welcome.
“A lot of different people from the community, based off our name, aren’t sure if they’re welcome there,” said Proctor-Mills.
For him, the answer is simple.
“Black & Tan Hall is the place for everyone,” said Proctor-Mills. “Our community is filled with different races, from all different walks of life, and we serve everyone.”
Black & Tan Hall is a participating restaurant in the Pack the House campaign, a 10-week community initiative presented by The Seattle Medium, the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, Byrd Barr Place and the Central Area Collaborative to encourage the community to intentionally support local Black-owned restaurants. For more information about the campaign, participating restaurants and weekly schedule, visit PackTheHouseSeattle.com.
