A group of dining experts helped Eater DC compile a list of the restaurants in the region that stepped up for their communities during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Culture Coffee Too, a Black-owned coffee shop at 300 Riggs Road, Northeast, hosted food giveaways and pop-ups for local vendors to sell their products, according to Eater DC.
DC-based Chef Erik Bruner-Yang established Power of 10, a non-profit restaurant relief group that collects donations to re-employ laid-off employees at eateries and keep businesses open. It also provided meals to local workers on the front line of the pandemic, as well as homeless shelters.
Rasa, an Indian restaurant at 1247 First Street, Southeast, partnered with Chef Jose Andrés and his nonprofit World Central Kitchen to provide free meals for elderly communities, at-risk populations, and those in need. In addition, the business raised more than $70,000 to distribute free food to medical workers and school children. They have shared over 30,000 meals, according to Rasa’s website.
Andrés temporarily closed all of his restaurants in the region in March after the pandemic hit the region and turned some of them into community kitchens (operating as part of World Central Kitchen) for those in need. WCK has provided more than 500,000 free meals since the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
Thamee, a Burmese restaurant at 1320 H Street, Northeast, supported healthcare workers on the front lines, farmers of color, and Black Lives Matter protesters.
Mark Bucher, owner of Medium Rare, located at 3500 Connecticut Avenue, Northwest, delivered thousands of free steak dinners to seniors who are alone in quarantine and handed out free Thanksgiving turkeys to local seniors. He also founded Feed the Fridge that provides refrigerators full of free meals for recreation centers around the city.
Among other DC restaurants that supported the community in 2020 according to Eater DC are Hook Hall, at 3400 Georgia Avenue, Northwest and ABC Pony at 2 I Street, Southeast.
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