Sesame Collective

What Sesame Collective does

Sesame Collective is a privately-held, founder-led restaurant group headquartered at 117 SE Taylor St in Portland, Oregon, operating six distinct dining concepts plus an attached cocktail bar (Bar Dolly) and an upcoming seventh concept. The portfolio spans the flagship Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC) in the Pearl District, Italian-inspired Dolly Olive downtown, Mediterranean smokehouse Yalla in Multnomah Village, Levant-focused Shalom Y'all on the east side, casual smash-burger concept Bless Your Heart Burgers in Portland and Vancouver WA, and the announced upscale bar and grill Angelina's (Summer 2026) in Slabtown. The group was founded in 2020 and is owned and operated by Kasey Mills (Owner and Executive Chef), with a Culinary Director (Natalie Gullish), Beverage Director (Joanna Scarpelli), and concept-level Chef de Cuisines leading each kitchen.

The business generates revenue through dine-in service across all concepts (lunch, dinner, brunch, and bar service), catering at Shalom Y'all and Yalla (up to 100 guests), group/private dining (6-20 guests depending on concept), e-gift cards and physical gift cards redeemable across the portfolio, and online pickup ordering via Toast. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer, supported by OpenTable reservations, a blog, Instagram presence, an email newsletter, and a deep community-engagement program (Eat for Education, Love Burger, Negroni Week/Slow Food, and recurring partnerships with Neighborhood House, Grow Portland, Ukandu, Portland Alano Club, ACLU, and others) that has raised tens of thousands of dollars for Portland nonprofits. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and there are no enterprise contracts.

The underlying technology stack is minimal: a Wix-hosted website, OpenTable for reservations, Toast for online ordering, eepurl for email, and standard social media accounts. No proprietary platform, data assets, APIs, or AI/ML capabilities are referenced. The operating model relies on locally-sourced supply relationships with named Oregon farms and purveyors, including Sauvie Island Growers, Our Table Cooperative, Gathering Together Farm, PDX Seedhouse, Portland Microgreens, and Harvest Moon Mushrooms, which differentiate menu quality and seasonality.

Name

Sesame Collective

Legal name

Sesame Collective

Website

https://sesamecollective.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sesame Collective is a privately-held, founder-led Portland restaurant group operating six distinct dining concepts — Mediterranean Exploration Company, Dolly Olive, Yalla, Shalom Y'all, and Bless Your Heart Burgers — plus an upcoming upscale concept, Angelina's (Summer 2026). The group serves individual diners, group events, and catering customers across the Portland metro and Vancouver, WA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: Revenue from food and beverage sales across six restaurant concepts including Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC), Dolly Olive, Bar Dolly, Yalla, Shalom Y'all, and Bless Your Heart Burgers. Each location offers full lunch, dinner, brunch, and bar service with seasonal menus featuring locally-sourced ingredients.
2. Catering Services: Catering services offered at Shalom Y'all and Yalla locations for up to 100 guests with 72-hour notice requirement. Orders over $600 require additional 48 hours notice.
3. Gift Cards: E-gift cards and physical gift cards sold online and in-person at all restaurant locations. Redeemable at any Sesame Collective restaurant.
4. Special Events: Revenue from group dining events, private parties, and corporate catering bookings across restaurant locations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sesame Collective operates a multi-concept restaurant group in the Portland, Oregon metro area, running five active restaurant brands — Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC), Dolly Olive (with attached Bar Dolly cocktail bar), Yalla, Shalom Y'all, and Bless Your Heart Burgers (with locations in Portland and Vancouver). In addition to dine-in service across these venues, the group offers off-premise catering, group dining and private events, and gift cards. The group sources from regional Pacific Northwest farms and producers and runs recurring charity and community partnerships.

Product overview

Sesame Collective is a Portland, Oregon-based restaurant group operating six distinct dining concepts offering Mediterranean, Italian, and American cuisines. The portfolio includes flagship restaurant Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC) in the Pearl District, Dolly Olive with its attached Bar Dolly cocktail bar serving Italian-inspired fare downtown, Yalla Mediterranean Smokehouse in Multnomah Village, Shalom Y'all exploring Levant flavors on the east side, and casual burger joint Bless Your Heart Burgers with locations in Portland and Vancouver. An upcoming concept, Angelina's (Summer 2026), will be an upscale neighborhood bar and grill in Slabtown. Beyond dining, the collective offers catering services for up to 100 guests, group dining experiences with coursed family-style menus, and gift cards valid across all locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediterranean Exploration Company (MEC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $40,000 raised for Neighborhood House through Love Burger program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Slow FoodcoreOthers · 16 September 2024Global movement of local communities and activists across 160+ countries seeking to change the world through food and beverage. During Negroni Week 2024, Sesame Collective donated $1 per Negroni sold to Slow Food, raising funds for their sustainable food system initiatives.
• Sauvie Island GrowersminorOthersLocal farm providing high quality fresh cut salad greens and seasonal produce. Soil has been in organic production for over 15 years. Currently supplying salad greens, turnips, squash, and radishes to Shalom Y'all.
• Our Table CooperativeminorOthersWorker- and member-owned cooperative in Sherwood, Oregon dedicated to community supported food systems. Certified organic produce since 2011, working towards Biodynamic Certification. Currently providing seasonal vegetables to Shalom Y'all.
• Gathering Together FarmminorOthersBeloved Oregon mainstay farm in Philomath with over 30 years of growing produce. Provides organic produce to farmers markets, restaurants, and grocery stores throughout Willamette Valley. Supplies salad greens and seasonal vegetables to Yalla.
• PDX SeedhouseminorOthersPortland-based seed company founded in 2014 on a mission to preserve culturally significant seed varieties. Currently supplying rare Makah Ozette potatoes (oldest potato in PNW region, cultivated by Makah people for over 200 years) to MEC.
• Portland MicrogreensminorOthersStarted in November 2021 by Preston Davis in a 250 sqft spare bedroom, now serving over 40 Portland restaurants. Produces micro herbs, sprouts, and edible flowers. Supplies garnishes to MEC.
• Harvest Moon MushroomsminorOthersSmall urban farm in Buckman neighborhood specializing in gourmet mushrooms grown on wood and soy substrate. Recycles spent fruiting blocks to local gardeners for soil amendment. Currently serving Maitaki and Oyster mushrooms at Shalom Y'all.
• Neighborhood HousecoreOthersLongtime Portland nonprofit fighting hunger and supporting families in Southwest Portland. Partner for SW Hope annual food drive (raised $3,881.98 in April 2025). Receives ongoing donations from Bless Your Heart Love Burger sales (over $40,000 total raised).
• Grow PortlandminorOthersNonprofit dedicated to supporting schools and communities through hands-on garden education. Sesame Collective donated $2 from every special beverage sold during Earth Month 2025, raising $2,416 total (including additional donations from Batanga Tequila and Clear Creek Distillery).
• Columbia Little LeagueminorOthersYouth sports organization in Portland. Bless Your Heart made a $1,500 donation to support team uniforms, gear, and field time. Additional $418 raised through fundraising event.
• UkanduminorOthersOrganization providing joy, hope, and connection to families impacted by childhood and adolescent cancer. Programs include Camp Ukandu, Teen Retreats, and Virtual Programs - all free of charge. Sesame Collective team donated time and food for Wine & Dine event that raised $330,000.
• Friends of the ChildrenminorOthersOrganization breaking cycles of generational poverty through long-term professional mentoring. Harvard Business School study found $7 saved in social costs for every $1 invested. Sesame Collective provided food at annual Friend Raiser event.
• Portland Alano Club / The Recovery GymminorOthersOrganization providing recovery services and community support for those breaking cycles of addiction. Sesame Collective donated $1 from each N/A cocktail sold during Dry January 2026, raising $404. Also partnered for Recovery Month in September 2025.
• OpenTablecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRestaurant reservation platform used across all Sesame Collective restaurants for booking tables at MEC, Dolly Olive, Yalla, Shalom Y'all, and Bar Dolly.
• Sacred Sea TunaminorOthersFamily owned and operated tuna supplier providing hand-caught hook and line albacore tuna for MEC's Seared Albacore Tuna dish. Chef Stephanie Arnet comes from three generations of West Coast Canadian fishermen.
• Limited AdditionminorOthersLocal Oregon winery producing Arneis wine aged in chestnut barrels, featured on MEC's by-the-glass menu as a pairing recommendation for the Seared Albacore Tuna dish.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Apiary Restaurant Group: Portland-based independent restaurant group (Apiary, La Moule). Comparable as a Portland chef-driven multi-concept restaurant operator.
• Submarine Hospitality: Portland-based restaurant group operating multiple independent concepts. Comparable as a Portland multi-concept independent restaurant operator.
• Bamboo Sushi: Portland-headquartered sustainable sushi restaurant group with multiple locations across the Pacific Northwest. Comparable as a Portland-rooted independent restaurant group operating multiple locations under a unified brand with a quality/sustainability positioning.
• Higgins Restaurant Group: Portland-based independent restaurant group operating Higgins and Bistro Agnes. Comparable as a chef-led Portland multi-concept operator with strong local sourcing and a reputation for quality hospitality.
• Pok Pok Restaurants: Portland-based multi-concept restaurant group founded by Andy Ricker operating several Southeast Asian concepts (Pok Pok, Whiskey Soda Lounge, Ping). Comparable in operating multiple distinct restaurant brands under one umbrella in the Portland metro, with similar chef-founder leadership and independent ownership.
• Toro Bravo: Portland-based multi-restaurant group founded by John Gorham (Toro Bravo, Tasty n Sons, Tasty n Alder, ¿Por Qué No?). Operates a similar multi-concept independent restaurant portfolio in Portland with chef-founder leadership and emphasis on quality, locally-sourced ingredients.
• Salt & Straw: Portland-based artisanal ice cream brand with multiple locations across multiple states. Comparable as a Portland-rooted independent food brand that has scaled to multiple concepts/locations while maintaining a craft, locally-sourced positioning and strong community ties.
• Russell Street Hospitality: Portland-based restaurant group (Russell Street BBQ and related concepts). Comparable as a Portland-rooted independent restaurant operator with multiple concepts.
• Imperial Restaurant Group: Portland-based independent restaurant group operating multiple dining concepts. Comparable as a Portland multi-concept independent operator with chef-led concepts.

Regional players

• Ethan Stowell Restaurants: Seattle-based multi-concept restaurant group operating numerous Pacific Northwest restaurants. Comparable as a Pacific Northwest chef-driven independent restaurant group with a multi-concept portfolio, though operating in a different metro market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sesame_collective
• Facebookfacebook.com/sesamecollective
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sesame-collective

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sesame Collective