How to Support Wildfire Relief Around LA:
6 Neighborhood Restaurants That Are Giving Back
Words by Kelly Dobkin
When devastating wildfires swept through Los Angeles in early January 2025, LA’s culinary community sprang into action to help those in need. From organizing fundraisers, cooking thousands of meals for organizations such as World Central Kitchen and Feed the Streets, as well as staging pop-up events and donation drives, restaurateurs and chefs are supporting their peers and the broader community in so many ways. The LINE LA in Koreatown has been among the many hospitality establishments to give back as well. In response to the fires, we offered a special rate in support of our community and neighbors. Our restaurant, Openaire offered an F&B credit + LINE LA hotel stay for displaced guests. We set up a specific Fire Relief team that handled the requests so that they could support each request individually.
Beyond our own efforts, we spoke to owners of several other surrounding neighborhood establishments that are making a major impact on wildfire recovery around the city. Here’s how you can continue to support Los Angeles restaurants this spring.
Ggiata
(Various locations including Highland Park and East Hollywood)
Inspired by the neighborhood delis four childhood friends frequented growing up in New Jersey, Ggiata now operates five locations around Los Angeles after launching during the pandemic. Their original location, just north of Koreatown in the evolving Melrose Hill area, has strived to serve its community since launching in 2021. But now, that purpose has a whole new meaning in the aftermath of the devastating wildfires. “At first it was all hands on deck,” partner Noah Holton-Raphael tells us about their initial response to the crisis in January. “There was a pretty broad mandate on our side that anyone that has been displaced or first responder eats for free at all the restaurants,” he adds.
The group also turned their Highland Park location into a donation center, collecting thousands of supplies from water to toiletries to canned goods, and donated those to an evacuee center in Pasadena. At their Venice store, they worked with a Venice family clinic on three different resource drives as well as some additional supplies. As of February, the group is still supporting relief efforts via their rotating specials menu that will benefit the Los Angeles Fire Department, donating a portion of proceeds from four select items like their Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich, The Honeymoon breakfast sandwich, Black & White cookie, and The Kale Salad to the cause. As for the future, the owners are excited to continue to support ongoing relief efforts: “Looking forward, we have a collaboration dinner with Armen from Mini Kabob in March that we’re stoked about. All proceeds will go toward a local org on the east side doing good work in the community,” Holton-Raphael adds. Look out for new specials for March to drop any minute as well.
Genghis Cohen
(Fairfax)
Longtime Chinese-American favorite Genghis Cohen has been the beating heart of the Fairfax neighborhood since opening in 1983. It was revamped in 2015 by restaurateurs and former New Yorkers Marc Rose and Med Abrous of Call Mom, inspired by 1980s New York-style Chinese restaurants they frequented growing up on the East Coast. The throwback style menu is a love letter to Chinese-American classics like Egg Foo Young, Chicken Chow Mein, and of course, Wonton Soup, with a retro-inspired space to match.
In early 2025, however, the destructive wildfires in nearby areas changed the game for the neighborhood staple. “From day one, we jumped into action and started calling around to shelters and fire stations to coordinate meal drops,” Rose tells us. “As relief efforts started to formalize, we’ve worked closely with folks like World Central Kitchen, Feed The Streets, Sorella Collective, and community organizers Madison Poulter and Aron Pobereskin (to name a few) to feed everyone from displaced residents to first responders like the Will Rogers FDLA Base Camp, National Guard and firefighters from out-of-state,” he adds. Recently, they were able to host a very special thank-you dinner at Genghis Cohen for about 40 chefs who have been working tirelessly to feed the city since the fires broke out. “It was incredibly meaningful,” says Rose of the event.
Genghis’ efforts remain ongoing, and you can donate to food drop efforts via their Venmo. Looking to spring, Rose is excited about young, up-and-coming bands who have organized fundraiser shows to be held in the restaurant’s adjacent venue.
Cafe Tropical
(Silver Lake)
A landmark eatery and gathering place in the Silver Lake community reopened in spring 2024 after a year-long closure. Originally opened in 1975 by Cuban immigrant brothers, the cafe became famed for its medianoche sandwiches and traditional pastelitos. It’s been a fixture of the neighborhood ever since, later becoming a hub for those in substance abuse recovery. When he heard of the cafe’s sudden closure in 2023, Danny Khorunzhiy, who at the time was working as a program director of a nearby treatment center, jumped at the chance to try and save it. He brought in chef-partner Ed Cornell of DC’s Milkcult to run the back of house, as well as partner Rene Navarette who brought years of industry expertise. The trio was determined to maintain the cafe as a community space. Khorunzhiy is the co-founder of Feed the Streets, a community-based mutual aid organization that collects food, clothing, and other items for hand-to-hand donation.
When the wildfires hit in January, Cafe Tropical began using its space to mass-produce meals that would be donated to fire victims and first responders via Feed the Streets. “We had just had the same reaction that most people had; it felt like the right thing to do,” Cornell tells us of the motivation to give back. “But we happened to have the space and the resources to do something on day one,” he adds. During January, Cafe Tropical was pumping out between 200-500 meals a day via a massive volunteer effort that operated five nights a week, and is still producing meals three nights a week well into February. (You can still sign up to volunteer if you’re in the area).
Looking ahead, it’s the cafe’s 50th anniversary this year so stay tuned for specials and/or events coming this spring.
Cafe Telegrama/Etra
(Melrose Hill)
Located just north of Koreatown and south of Thai Town in the developing Melrose Hill area, All-day spot Cafe Telegrama became a social media darling after opening in November 2023 thanks to its chic design, photo-worthy egg sandwiches, chopped salads, and more. Soon after, Ètra, the Italian-inspired sibling concept caused a fair amount of buzz as well after opening next door.
When the wildfires began in January of 2025, the crisis hit all too close to home for both teams. “My business partner and our chef Evan Algorri and his family were evacuated from their home in Pasadena for three weeks,” partner Andrew Lawson tells us. “Another employee of ours was displaced from her home in Topanga for the same amount of time.”
Despite the personal setbacks they faced, Lawson and his team were committed to aiding in relief efforts. “We’ve had a standing offer at both restaurants since the fires started: If you are displaced or if you are a first responder, come on in and we’ll take care of you,” he says emphatically. They’ve also been working with friends at the Mad Collective to produce meals for folks in need. To date, they have sent out around 150 meals from Café Telegrama. They also hosted a fundraiser at both restaurants in collaboration with their friends at La Morra Pizzeria in which all proceeds went to GoFundMe’s Wildfire Relief Fund, raising a total of $4000.
Looking forward, they are hosting a dinner with buzzy Los Olivos restaurant Bar Le Côte at Ètra in March. A portion of proceeds from that evening will go to World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts. Additionally, they hosted a takeover of Café Telegrama during the weekend of February 21-23 with brand partner ILIA, who will match sales from the weekend for donation. Also look out for new spring menus to drop at both restaurants in the coming month.
Holbox
(Historic South Central/DTLA)
Just south of downtown LA over the 10 in Historic South Central lies Mercado La Paloma, a food court and community hub that’s home to Holbox, chef Gilberto Cetina’s homage to coastal Mexican seafood. Taking inspiration from his parents, who have operated neighboring stall Chichen Itza for the last 24 years, Holbox is a labor of love that showcases the best of SoCal seafood purveyors in dishes like ceviches, tostadas, tacos, and aguachiles.
When the devastating fires hit in January 2025, Cetina was determined to help out. “Holbox has been inspired by the incredible resilience and unity of the LA community, coming together to support first responders and those displaced,” he tells us. “We were able to provide meals to those in need, and we donated a portion of our proceeds from our entire menu to World Central Kitchen, who have been instrumental in relief efforts across LA, which resulted in a $10K donation.”
As for what’s next, Cetina is excited for Spiny Lobster season at the restaurant, integrating it into dishes like Langosta al Carbón.
Helms Bakery
(Culver City)
A 14,000-square foot bakery, grocer, and cafe decades in the making, Helms Bakery opened in early November 2024 with veteran Los Angeles chef Sang Yoon (Father’s Office, Lukshon) heading the stoves, serving everything from Korean kimbap to fried chicken to homemade cherry pie. Located in Culver City, the establishment previously thrived as an industrial bakery from 1931 until it closed in 1969. The space was purchased in the 1970s and turned into mixed-use retail and the return of the bakery itself has been long anticipated since being announced in 2011.
When the wildfires ravaged the city in January of 2025, Yoon, an LA restaurant veteran, wasted no time. “Soon after the weight of this tragedy really became known, my team at Helms and I put together a “Doughnation Drive” to support fire relief,” Yoon tells us. “For every dozen doughnuts purchased, we donated a portion of proceeds to recovery efforts with the Red Cross, the LA Fire Foundation, Cal Fire Foundation and Eaton Canyon Fire Relief. We ran the drive for most of the weekends in January, as the fires proved their persistence,” he adds.
While most of their relief efforts have now wrapped, Yoon is looking forward to the upcoming Oscars season to drop some new specials. “We’re extremely excited about our awards season offerings. For the Oscars, we’re baking up theatre-popcorn inspired (and shaped) cupcakes with a salted caramel center and popped sorghum topping. Pre-order is available on our website or through Instagram, so lock them in while you can,” he urges.
As part of ongoing efforts to support wildfire relief, the LINE LA is continuing to offer personalized concierge services with a hosted stay to support those displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires, ensuring they had everything they needed during a difficult time. Those still in need can email welovela@thelinhotel.com for support. Additionally, the hotel will also host a dedicated Family Photo Day in April with photographer Thalía Gochez, offering those affected the opportunity to recreate cherished photos lost in the fire.
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