INTRODUCING OUR FUND TO BRING BACK AMERICAN RESTAURANTS

“ At Goldbelly we’ve always taken great pride in celebrating America’s food makers. Since our founding, it’s been part of our DNA. We believe that the country’s greatest foods are made by passionate, talented local chefs, families and artisans - in every town and every region, all across the country. 

The last few years have been unprecedented times for the restaurant industry. According to the National Restaurant Association, 1 in 6 restaurants have closed, with a disproportionate amount of small, family-owned, independent shops forced to shut their doors for the last time.

When we lose these beloved neighborhood gems, or local legends, we lose the history, the traditions and the rituals that meant so much to the people in those communities and admirers from afar - not only threatening the identity and character of the places in which they existed, but also robbing the next generation of these treasures.

These restaurants aren’t just landmarks of our cities and towns, they have become core to our culture and an irreplaceable part of the history of food in America. We want to do our part to preserve them. 

Today, we’re announcing the Goldbelly Local Legends Fund.

The fund’s mission is to bring 100 restaurants back to life, to resurrect beloved local shops that have had to close due to unexpected challenges, including the pandemic, and make them even stronger than they were before.

joe letter4.png

If you’re a food maker…

APPLY FOR
LOCAL LEGENDS

If you’re a food lover…

NOMINATE A LOCAL LEGEND

 
 

WE ARE HONORED TO ANNOUNCE THE FUND’S BENEFICIARIES…

circle merchant tall-jonesbbq1.jpg

JONES’ BAR-B-Q 


ARKANSAS’ OLDEST BLACK-OWNED RESTAURANT CLOSED IN EARLY 2021

After a horrible fire earlier this year, the Jones family was unsure when or even if they could ever reopen, but with a groundswell of community support & new smokers donated by Goldbelly, the historic Arkansas restaurant opened its doors again this week.

“Thanks to the folks at Goldbelly for our new smokers—we're able to rebuild and reopen. And begin our new journey of shipping a taste of Arkansas’ finest barbecue all over the country for the first time.”


JAMES HAROLD JONES, aka MR. HAROLD
THIRD-GENERATION OWNER
MARIANNA, AR

SUPPORT JONES’ BAR-B-Q

FranklinBBQ.jpg

ROTIER’S RESTAURANT 


NASHVILLE’S BELOVED BURGER SHOP CLOSES AFTER 75 YEARS

A casualty of the pandemic, the Rotier family stopped service after 75 years in business, but now, the legendary French-bread burger lives on with a brand new e-commerce shop on Goldbelly, straight from Nashville to you!

”Having been a family-run shop for 75 years, we were devastated to close our doors this year. We are thrilled to work with Goldbelly to reopen online and share a taste of Nashville with people nationwide by shipping our famous cheeseburgers.”


MARGARET ANN ROTIER
SECOND-GENERATION OWNER
NASHVILLE, TN

SUPPORT ROTIER’S RESTAURANT

circle merchant tall_jones bbq copy.jpg

GOJO STEAK HOUSE 


KC’S 1st JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19

Burdened by an uncertain future, the 40-year-old restaurant with Japanese roots served its final meal last fall. But with Goldbelly’s support, the Yamanaka family legacy is kept alive with a revitalized e-commerce shop and hibachi dinner experiences shipped nationwide.



“My father’s dream was to serve traditional steakhouse meats with authentic Japanese flavors in the heart of the Midwest. Thanks to Goldbelly, his vision can be enjoyed across the nation, a hibachi experience in people’s own kitchens!”


KYO YAMANAKA
SECOND-GENERATION OWNER
KANSAS CITY, MO

LLOYD’S CARROT CAKE


CLOSED IN 2020 DUE TO PASSING OF OWNER BETTY CAMPBELL-ADAMS

The unexpected loss of owner Betty Campbell-Adams in the midst of the pandemic threw the future of Lloyd's into question. But with a Goldbelly donation for much-needed equipment and store updates, NYC’s most famous carrot cake will be around for years to come, shipping right to your door!

”It’s been an extremely challenging year for us, between the pandemic and sudden passing of our mother. Goldbelly has been pivotal in keeping our parents' legacies alive, as we serve the best carrot cake from the Bronx, NYC to people around the country.”

BRANDON ADAMS
SECOND-GENERATION OWNER
BRONX, NY

SUPPORT LLOYD’S CARROT CAKE

circle merchant tall_roastpork.jpg

JOHN’S ROAST PORK 


PHILLY'S LEGENDARY SHOP FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO PANDEMIC
 
Third-generation family-owned sandwich shop scrambles to stay in business,
but with a donation from Goldbelly for shipping infrastructure and on-site storage, the fate of John's iconic roast pork sandwiches is secure for generations to come!



It’s been such a tough year for us, but Goldbelly helped us out when we needed it most. We had to close our doors a few times, but making the decision to ship has been a lifesaver. We love being able to share our sandwiches with people nationwide.


JOHN BUCCI
THIRD-GENERATION OWNER
PHILADELPHIA, PA

SUPPORT JOHN’S ROAST PORK

circle merchant tall-mschi.jpg

MS CHI CAFE


ARTISAN DUMPLING SHOP FIGHTS TO PRESERVE ITS LA ROOTS

After a challenging 2020, Chef Shirley wasn’t sure if Ms Chi would survive the pandemic. With an investment from Goldbelly in their physical location, Chef Shirley’s LA shop can keep its doors open for years to come! 

"When the pandemic started, we were forced to close Ms Chi, and didn't know if we would ever open our doors again. Our consistent revenue stream from Goldbelly saved our little Ms Chi family. The Local Legends Fund not only helped us plant deeper roots in LA but has allowed for future growth."


CHEF SHIRLEY CHUNG
MS CHI CAFE
LOS ANGELES, CA

SUPPORT MS CHI

JOHN’S ROAST PORK 


PHILLY'S LEGENDARY SHOP FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO PANDEMIC
 
Third-generation family-owned sandwich shop scrambles to stay in business,
but with a donation from Goldbelly for shipping infrastructure and on-site storage, the fate of John's iconic roast pork sandwiches is secure for generations to come!



It’s been such a tough year for us, but Goldbelly helped us out when we needed it most. We had to close our doors a few times, but making the decision to ship has been a lifesaver. We love being able to share our sandwiches with people nationwide.


JOHN BUCCI
THIRD-GENERATION OWNER
PHILADELPHIA, PA

SUPPORT JOHN’S ROAST PORK

FranklinBBQ.jpg

LLOYD’S CARROT CAKE


CLOSED IN 2020 DUE TO PASSING OF OWNER BETTY CAMPBELL-ADAMS

The unexpected loss of owner Betty Campbell-Adams in the midst of the pandemic threw the future of Lloyd's into question. But with a Goldbelly donation for much-needed equipment and store updates, NYC’s most famous carrot cake will be around for years to come, shipping right to your door!

”It’s been an extremely challenging year for us, between the pandemic and sudden passing of our mother. Goldbelly has been pivotal in keeping our parents' legacies alive, as we serve the best carrot cake from the Bronx, NYC to people around the country.”

BRANDON ADAMS
SECOND-GENERATION OWNER
BRONX, NY

SUPPORT LLOYD’S CARROT CAKE

JOHN’S ROAST PORK 


PHILLY'S LEGENDARY SHOP FORCED TO CLOSE DUE TO PANDEMIC
 
Third-generation family-owned sandwich shop scrambles to stay in business,
but with a donation from Goldbelly for shipping infrastructure and on-site storage, the fate of John's iconic roast pork sandwiches is secure for generations to come!



It’s been such a tough year for us, but Goldbelly helped us out when we needed it most. We had to close our doors a few times, but making the decision to ship has been a lifesaver. We love being able to share our sandwiches with people nationwide.


JOHN BUCCI
THIRD-GENERATION OWNER
PHILADELPHIA, PA

SUPPORT JOHN’S ROAST PORK

ROTIER’S RESTAURANT 


NASHVILLE’S BELOVED BURGER SHOP CLOSES AFTER 75 YEARS

A casualty of the pandemic, the Rotier family stopped service after 75 years in business, but now, the legendary French-bread burger lives on with a brand new e-commerce shop on Goldbelly, straight from Nashville to you!

”Having been a family-run shop for 75 years, we were devastated to close our doors this year. We are thrilled to work with Goldbelly to reopen online and share a taste of Nashville with people nationwide by shipping our famous cheeseburgers.”


MARGARET ANN ROTIER
SECOND-GENERATION OWNER
NASHVILLE, TN

SUPPORT ROTIER’S RESTAURANT

MS CHI CAFE


ARTISAN DUMPLING SHOP FIGHTS TO PRESERVE ITS LA ROOTS

After a challenging 2020, Chef Shirley wasn’t sure if Ms Chi would survive the pandemic. With an investment from Goldbelly in their physical location, Chef Shirley’s LA shop can keep its doors open for years to come! 

"When the pandemic started, we were forced to close Ms Chi, and didn't know if we would ever open our doors again. Our consistent revenue stream from Goldbelly saved our little Ms Chi family. The Local Legends Fund not only helped us plant deeper roots in LA but has allowed for future growth."


CHEF SHIRLEY CHUNG
MS CHI CAFE
LOS ANGELES, CA

SUPPORT MS CHI