10 Local NYC Restaurants Giving Back
May 4, 2020
Do good, feel good. Although COVID-19 has caused many of our local restaurants to close their doors, some have reopened with a strong mission to support our community in this difficult time. Here are 10 restaurants and organizations taking impressive strides to feed frontline workers and vulnerable communities. If you are able, we urge you to make a contribution to their efforts.
Dumplings for Doctors
Mimi Cheng’s Dumplings owners Hannah and Marian Cheng launched Dumplings for Doctors through a GoFundMe page, where they have raised almost $50k to feed hospital workers. So far, the team has delivered thousands of meals to health care workers in hospitals including Bellevue, Harlem Hospital, and Elmhurst Hospital. Each delivery includes a special handwritten note thanking workers for their service. Donate now.
Feed the Frontlines NYC
The owners of Tarallucci e Vino organized Feed the Frontlines NYC to feed healthcare professionals across New York City and create opportunities for the restaurant’s employees to prepare and distribute meals. The organization has delivered over 37,000 free meals to hundreds of healthcare workers, and as a result, brought 99 restaurant employees back to work. Donate now.
Bento Essential
East Village hotspots 886, Ho Foods, and Raku have teamed up to donate Bento Boxes to emergency workers throughout New York City. All extra income goes to support their kitchen staff. As of April 23rd, they have delivered over 7,423 bento boxes to local hospitals. Munchies recently released a video documenting their project. Donate now.
The Jewish Food Society
The Jewish Food Society is a non-profit organization that honors and revitalized diverse Jewish culinary traditions. They collaborated with a community of restaurants to feed the healthcare heroes. So far, they have committed to deliver over 50,000 meals. Participating restaurants include Katz’s Delicatessen, Happy Cooking Hospitality, Miznon, Russ & Daughters, Taim, Modern Bread & Bagel, La Newyorkina, Nur, Lamalo, with more to come. Donate now.
Tacombi Community Kitchen
To offer help to those displaced by the global COVID-19 crisis, Tacombi has reopened one of their kitchens to deliver simple, delicious Mexican meals. By partnering with community organizations such as LSA (East Harlem), Mercey Center (Bronx), MASA (Bronx), Mixteca Organization (Brooklyn) the team has prepared and delivered over 1,600 meals a week to vulnerable families in need. They hope to build upon the initiative and reopen more of their kitchens to reach more communities. Donate now.
Rethink’s Restaurant Response Program
Rethink Food NYC is a non-profit organization that utilizes food excess from restaurants, grocery stores, and corporate kitchens to create new and nutritious meals for those in need. Rethink’s Restaurant Response Program has provided up to $40,000 to local NYC restaurants to stay open during the COVID-19 outbreak and help feed those in need. Current program participants include Eleven Madison Park (who reopened as a commissary kitchen), Little Tong Noodle Shop, Collective Fare, Kopitiam, Taco Mix, Katie O’s, and Esme. Donate now.
Coffee Donations for Healthcare Workers
The loyal baristas at Birch Coffee have been traveling to hospitals around NYC in their Birch Mobile Truck to set up an espresso station outside for the medical workers. As of April 18th, they have donated over 800 pounds of coffee and countless cappuccinos to local hospitals. Donate coffee.
Sauce Pizzeria Loves NYC
After Adam Elzer, owner of local favorite Sauce Pizzeria, got an email from a nurse friend asking for pizza delivery, he decided to devote two of his locations to making free food for health care workers. Donations purchase pizzas for health care workers and Sauce matches each purchase, pie for pie. Donate now.
resourcED Hospital Box
The team at Blue Hill Farm is preparing and delivering a box of prepared food filled with local, organic, fresh and preserved vegetables and grains to community hospitals and their teams. Each donation box serves 10 hospital employees. Donate now.
Feed the Frontline
Adda Indian Canteen initiated Feed the Frontline to provide frontline workers with meals and to give their staff income. Each meal is $10 and Adda takes care of the logistics, food, preparation, and delivery. Donors can also sponsor an entire medical team, and choose their own hospital to send the meals to. Donate now.
