As Los Angeles restaurants close in response to numerous fires, others are staying open to provide shelter and food to evacuees and those in need, including three of South L.A. Cafe’s five locations.
(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
L.A. restaurants offering shelter, discounts and food to fire evacuees and first responders
L.A. County is consumed in smoke as multiple wildfires across the Palisades, Pasadena, Altadena and Sylmar remain mostly uncontained, with thousands of acres burned and high-speed winds predicted to exacerbate conditions throughout the day.
As with past natural disasters, L.A.’s chef and restaurant communities are stepping up to provide assistance to those affected by the fires. Humanitarian chef José Andrés has already deployed a relief team from his World Central Kitchen organization to provide sandwiches and water to those in need. Yeastie Boy Bagels and its fleet of food trucks are giving away free bagels at evacuation centers, and other local spots are following suit.
Five people have died, but officials say the death toll is likely to be higher. More than 2,000 structures have burned and at least 130,000 residents are under evacuation orders. Experts say L.A. is not out of danger yet and these fires have the potential to be the costliest wildfire disaster in American history.
Here is our growing list of L.A. food spots staying open to support those displaced or affected by ongoing fires, including one Santa Monica restaurant that’s offering 10% lunch and dinner discounts throughout the week and a Virgil Village walk-up window that’s providing free food to evacuees and first responders.
This list will be updated as new information is provided.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Bé Ù
East Hollywood Vietnamese $
Uyên Lê’s Virgil Village walk-up window is providing free meals to fire evacuees and first responders, including deliveries to local fire stations. The value-minded menu focuses on Vietnam’s Buddhist cuisine, with plenty of vegan options, including Vietnamese street corn, banh mi and noodle, egg and rice plates. The restaurant will close early at 3:30 p.m. in the interest of health and safety for staff.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Guisados
West Hollywood Mexican $$
All Guisados locations are open for dine-in, takeout and delivery with limited staff. The menu includes one of our favorite tacos in L.A., breakfast burritos and tamales, plus sodas and aguas frescas on the beverage side.
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(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)
Huckleberry Café
Santa Monica American Bakery $
The Rustic Canyon Family’s all-day bakery and cafe is offering free coffee to first responders and will remain open for safe shelter with the full food and drink menu available, including pastries, breakfast items, sandwiches, soups, salads and grab-and-go items.
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(Joel Barhamand / For The Times)
Le Great Outdoor
Santa Monica American $$
The open-air restaurant in the Bergamot Station complex is providing support to evacuees and those affected by local fires by offering a 10% discount on lunch and dinner throughout the week. The seasonal menu is centered around locally sourced ingredients cooked over open fire, such as chicken and shrimp skewers, peppers stuffed with albacore tuna and sweet yams drizzled in jalapeño yogurt with cilantro. Note that all seating is outdoors, but takeout is available.
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(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
South L.A. Cafe
Exposition Park Coffee $
Community-oriented South L.A. Cafe, from husband-and-wife owners Joe and Celia Ward-Wallace, is keeping three of its five (including Jefferson and Kaiser) locations open to provide shelter to evacuees and anyone in need. The full coffee menu is available, as well as food such as pastries, toasts and empanadas.
The coffee shop is also providing free groceries, water and masks to anyone impacted by the fires or in need, at the Western location from 12 to 4 p.m. on Thursday.
The coffee shop is also providing free groceries, water and masks to anyone impacted by the fires or in need, at the Western location from 12 to 4 p.m. on Thursday.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Fiorelli Pizza
Venice Pizza $$
On Thursday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., chef Michael Fiorelli will offer free pizzas to first responders and families that have been displaced by the fires.
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(Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times)
Oy Bar
Studio City Jewish American $$
While owner Jeff Strauss has closed Oy Bar and Jeff’s Table for regular business, the chef is offering free soup to those displaced by the fires and power outages or who are housing evacuees. Those impacted can pick up one bowl of free soup — chicken or vegan — at Oy Bar from 3:30 to 5 p.m., or while supplies last.
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(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Jon & Vinny’s
Fairfax Italian $$
All five locations of the celebrity-favorite, Italian-American spot from chef-owners Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo are open for dine-in, though wait times might be slightly longer as the staff is also preparing meals for first responders.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Danny Boy's
Westwood Pizza $$
Chef-owner Daniel Holzman is offering free slices of his signature New York-style pizza to first responders and those displaced by local fires. Whole pies will be given out on a case-by-case basis. Visit either Danny Boy’s location (also in Downtown L.A.) to pick up a slice.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Coucou
West Hollywood French $$
The West Hollywood location of this French-inspired bistro will be open for dinner service and is offering a free glass of Lillet to every guest. While the Venice location is closed out of precaution, Venice reservations will be accommodated at the West Hollywood outpost.
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Milo & Olive
Santa Monica Italian American $$
The neighborhood bakery and pizzeria from the Rustic Canyon Family group is open for dine-in with its full menu available. Milo & Olive is also offering free coffee to first responders.
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(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)
La Sorted’s Pizza
Silver Lake Pizza $$
LaSorted’s Silver Lake pizza window is open and giving out whole pies to first responders and anyone who has been displaced by local fires.
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Sonoritas Prime Tacos
Sawtelle Mexican $
Today and Thursday, Sonoritas is giving away one free taco per customer to first responders and those displaced by the ongoing fires. More tacos may be given out on a case-by-case basis to those in need. This offer is available at both West L.A. and downtown outposts.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Dudley Market
Venice Seafood $$
One of Venice’s favorite seafood restaurants is offering a respite for those in need. Dudley Market will be open for dinner service with three air filters running and free food for first responders and those displaced by the fires. The restaurant will also donate 20% of end-of-day sales to Community Brigade, a program in partnership with LA County Fire Department that provides support to communities impacted by wildfires and other natural disasters.
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Sora Craft Kitchen
Downtown L.A. Mediterranean $$
In downtown, Sora Craft Kitchen chef-owner Okay Inak is preparing grilled chicken bowls for first responders and fire evacuees. The Mediterranean-inspired bowls can be reserved by sending a DM via Instagram or by calling the restaurant.
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(Kat Thompson)
Otus Thai Kitchen
West Hollywood Thai Coffee $$
This Thai breakfast specialist in West Hollywood is open during regular business hours for dine-in and offering complimentary meals to fire fighters in uniform.
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(Papille Gustative)
Papille Gustative
Santa Monica European Breakfast/Brunch $
This colorful cafe in Santa Monica is offering the comforting combination of cookies and milk, free of charge, to locals displaced by ongoing fires. The offer is ongoing all week long.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Fountain Grains & Greens
East Hollywood Farm-to-table $$
The newly opened walk-up window from chef-founder Aric Attebery is open for takeout and giving out complimentary chicken and rice soup with a side of Bub and Grandma’s bread to first responders and local fire evacuees today and tomorrow, while supplies last.
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(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Zira Uzbek Kitchen
Fairfax Uzbek $$
One of L.A.’s only restaurants dedicated to Uzbek cuisine is open during regular business hours with the full menu available. Zira Uzbek is also offering free food to first responders and firefighters and will deliver if needed. First responders can place orders via Instagram DM or by calling the restaurant directly at (213) 332-4086.
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(Telefèric Barcelona)
Telefèric Barcelona
Spanish $$
The Brentwood location of this Spanish restaurant with locations across California and Spain is near an evacuation site and providing free meals to locals displaced by ongoing fires. Meals can be picked up anytime today until 9:15 p.m.
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(Norm’s)
Norms
Los Angeles County American $
Firefighters and police officers responding to local fires are welcome to a free entree at participating Norms locations, with valid ID, uniform or proof of service required, from Thursday, Jan. 9 through Sunday, Jan. 12. The one-time offer applies to takeout and dine-in orders and taxes and gratuity are not included. In addition, Norm’s will donate $1 of every Bigger Better Breakfast order to LAFD Foundation’s emergency funding.
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(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)
Gasolina Cafe
Woodland Hills Spanish $$
While Sandra Cordero has closed her Santa Monica tapas restaurant due to ongoing fires, the kitchen at Gasolina Cafe in Woodland Hills will remain open until 5 p.m. today, offering its regular Spanish-influenced menu with coffee and tea, conservas, sandwiches and toasts, salads and a few desserts. Customers who have lost power at their homes are welcome to charge devices at the cafe.
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(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)
Dtown Pizzeria
West Hollywood Pizza $$
On Thursday, the West Hollywood destination for Detroit-style pizza will give away free slices of pizza to first responders and evacuees whose homes were destroyed in ongoing fires. The pizzeria will also offer discounted pizza to locals under evacuation orders.
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