“ 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. ”