Twenty-one restaurants and food businesses in the North Bay received $5,000 grants this year from the California Restaurant Foundation to help pay for equipment, technology, employee training and other business needs.
The recipients include nine businesses in Marin County, eight in Sonoma County, two in Napa County and one each in Mendocino and Lake counties. None were in Solano County this year.
The North Bay awards are among 282 grants totaling $1.41 million statewide through the foundation’s sixth annual Restaurants Care Resilience Fund disbursement. Of those recipients, 239 are in Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s service territory, which includes the North Bay, and 43 are in Southern California Gas Co.’s territory.
The North Bay recipients are Rosey Cooks, Kelseyville; Sorella Caffe Inc., Fairfax; Squared Pizza, Greenbrae; Madrona Bakery, Mill Valley; Armida’s Bakery & Cafe, Hot Italian, LJ’s Deli and MaruJun Japanese cuisine, all in San Rafael; Suzette Cafe & Bistro, Sausalito; Debonair Events, Stinson Beach; Sobo Sake Bar, Boonville; The Q Restaurant & Bar and Wilfred’s Lounge, Napa; Wolf House Brewing Company, Cloverdale; Drewish Deli, Healdsburg; Mama J’s, Penngrove; Sarmentine Inc., Petaluma; Sam’s Mediterranean Deli & Cafe, Rohnert Park; Norm’s Kitchen, Santa Rosa; and The Punchdown Sebastopol and Viet House, Sebastopol.
Suzette Cafe and Bistro in Sausalito on Aug. 15, 2024. (California Restaurant Foundation)
Mama J’s in the Sonoma County community of Penngrove. (California Restaurant Foundation)
Norm’s Kitchen in Petaluma on June 30, 2026. (California Restaurant Foundation)
LJ’s Deli in San Rafael on Feb. 13, 2026. (California Restaurant Foundation)
Madrona Bakery in Mill Valley on May 18, 2023. (California Restaurant Foundation)
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Suzette Cafe and Bistro in Sausalito on Aug. 15, 2024. (California Restaurant Foundation)
Recipients most commonly plan to put the grants toward kitchen equipment upgrades, cited by 69%, followed by technology upgrades, 15%, and employee training, 8%. Other uses include retention bonuses and unforeseen hardships.
“Independent restaurants are the heart of California’s communities, and these grants provide meaningful support where it can have an immediate and lasting impact,” foundation President Alycia Harshfield said.
Eligible restaurants and caterers have fewer than five locations and less than $3 million in annual revenue. Created in 2021 to help an industry hard hit by the pandemic lockdowns, the fund has since provided financial assistance to 2,369 independent restaurants and caterers statewide.
Jeff Quackenbush joined North Bay Business Journal in May 1999. Reach him at jeff@nbbj.news or 707-521-4256.