OAKLAND –– A total of 77 locally-owned Northern and Central California restaurants will receive a financial boost from the California Restaurant Foundation (CRF) and The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) through grants to invest in equipment upgrades, workforce training and more — all intended to help increase their longevity and business success.
The PG&E Foundation’s $900,000 charitable contribution to CRF this year will fund $5,000 grants to 77 hometown restaurants in 23 counties in Pacific Gas and Electric Company’s (PG&E) service area, as well as operating support for CRF. The funding will also support a second round of grants to be announced in the fall.
The Foundation’s contribution to CRF’s Restaurants Care Resilience Fund current grant cycle will help grantees pay for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardship, employee retention bonuses and training to help restaurant owners invest in their business and people. Grants were made available to California resident restaurant owners with fewer than five units and less than $3 million in revenue, and prioritized minority- and women-owned businesses.
“With the generosity of The PG&E Corporation Foundation, the Resilience Fund helped California’s independent restaurant community for a third consecutive year,” said Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director of CRF. “It’s apparent that there is still a significant need for restaurant assistance, as we received 25 percent more applications this year than last. While these grants will allow local restaurant owners to build more resilient businesses, we also hope to inspire Californians to support their vibrant local restaurant community in any way they can, whether that’s through dining, sharing on social media or spreading the word to friends and family.”
“Our hometown restaurants are the hearts and souls of our communities, and many are family-owned or operated by local residents with deep roots in the neighborhoods they serve. We’re grateful for the California Restaurant Foundation’s partnership and leadership in helping to ensure our local restaurants can continue to be the gathering spots for friends and families. When our small businesses thrive, our communities thrive,” said PG&E Corporation Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer Carla Peterman.
Here is the complete list of 77 restaurants by county receiving grants in 2023:
Alameda County (9 recipients):
Bacogai – Alameda
Casa de Mole Inc., DBA Agave Uptown – Oakland
Estrellas de Sinaloa Restaurant – Oakland
Federicos Grill – Fremont
Ikaros Greek Restaurant – Castro Valley
La Huasteca Taqueria – Newark
Monkey Thai Restaurant (Main Street) – Alameda
Much Ado About Pizza – Pleasanton
Viridian – Oakland
Butte County (2 recipients)
Big Chico Burger – Chico
Unwined Kitchen and Bar – Chico
Contra Costa County (3 recipients):
PanCoast Pizza – Walnut Creek
Tellus Coffee – Walnut Creek
The Rising Loafer Cafe and Bakery – Lafayette
El Dorado County (2 recipients)
Hog Wild Bar-B-Que – Placerville
Sierra Rizing – Lotus
Fresno County (4 recipients):
Cafe Leon Mexican Restaurant – Fresno
La Elegante Taqueria – Fresno
Mi Linda Tierra – Sanger
Señor Aji – Fresno
Humboldt County (1 recipient)
Sammy’s BBQ & Catering – Eureka
Kern County (5 recipients)
Better Bowls – Bakersfield
Carla’s Drive-In – Bakersfield
Locale Farm to Table – Bakersfield
Panchito’s Cocina Mexican – Bakersfield
Tokyo Garden – Bakersfield
Marin County (2 recipients)
Aroma Café – San Rafael
Banh Mi Zon – San Rafael
Mendocino County (1 recipient)
Café Beaujoalis – Mendocino
Monterey County ( 1 recipient)
Winston’s – Pacific Grove
Napa County ( 1 recipient)
La Cheve Bakery and Brews – Napa
Nevada County (1 recipient)
Java Johns – Nevada City
Sacramento County (5 recipients)
Dubplate kitchen – Sacramento
Louisiana Heaven – Sacramento
Manny’s Barzzeria – Isleton
Our Family BBQ & Pies – Sacramento
Tablevine – Sacramento
San Francisco County (13 recipients)
707 Sutter – San Francisco
Chile Lindo – San Francisco
Deccan House – San Francisco
El Pipila – San Francisco
Hon’s Wun-Tun House – San Francisco
Kufuya Japanese Restaurant – San Francisco
Mikawa Japanese Curry – San Francisco
Ocean Beach Café – San Francisco
Outer Orbit – San Francisco
Reem’s California Mission – San Francisco
Sweet Glory – San Francisco
Tabita’s Café – San Francisco
Tulan Vietnamese Restaurant – San Francisco
San Joaquin County (1 recipient)
Zoku Company – Tracy
San Luis Obispo County (8 recipients)
Beachin’ Biscuits – Pismo Beach
Central Coast Distillery – Atascadero
Gino’s Pizza – San Luis Obispo
Les Petites Canailles – Paso Robles
Paso Robles Wine Merchant – Paso Robles
Pizza Republic – San Luis Obispo
Stokehouse Grill – Paso Robles
The Rib Line – Pismo Beach
San Mateo County (1 recipient)
Farm House – Belmont
Santa Clara County (2 recipients)
CreAsian Cuisine – Morgan Hill
Orange Square – Santa Clara
Santa Cruz County (1 recipient)
Copal – Santa Cruz
Solano County (1 recipient)
Taco’s Jalisco – Vallejo
Sonoma County (11 recipients)
Azalo – Rohnert Park
Cocina Mexicana El Milagro – Cloverdale
El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine – Santa Rosa
Ginochio’s Kitchen, LLC – Bodega Bay
Piner Café – Santa Rosa
Portico Italian Social Food – Sebastopol
Quinua Restaurant Cocina Peruana – Petaluma
Saucy Mama’s’s Jook Joint – Guerneville
Street Social – Petaluma
Table Culture Provisions – Petaluma
The Spinster Sisters – Santa Rosa
Stanislaus County (1 recipient)
Angelini’s Italian Restaurant – Turlock
Yolo County (1 recipient)
Steady Eddy’s Coffee House – Winters
