These local restaurants selected for $5,000 resilience grants

From pupusas to plant-based, nearly two dozen Central Valley restaurants are getting a $5,000 helping hand.

Born out of the pandemic, the Restaurants Care Resilience Fund has awarded $7.3 million in grants to 1,603 independent California restaurants. Since 2021 dozens of local restaurant has received the $5,000 grants, funded by utilities Pacific Gas & Electric Co., SoCalGas and San Diego Gas & Electric.

Recipients can use the $5,000 assistance for equipment and technology upgrades, unforeseen hardships, employee retention bonuses and employee training

Among the 278 restaurants awarded, 154 are in PG&E’s service area and 90 in SoCalGas’ region. Eighty-eight percent are single-unit establishments, with an average of 10 years in business. Notably, 76 percent of the grant recipients identify as female, and 73 percent identify as people of color. More than 70 percent of this year’s recipients plan to use the $5,000 grants for kitchen equipment or technology upgrades, and 17 percent will dedicate the funds to employee retention bonuses. To qualify, the restaurants and caterers needed to have fewer than five units, and less than $3 million in revenue.

Local winners of the of the latest round of grants include:

Birrieria El Taco Solito, Fresno

CheyAnne’s Steakhouse & Lounge, Kingsburg

Chuck’s BBQ Catering, Inc., Clovis

Karlitas, Clovis

Livingstone’s Restaurant & Pub, Fresno

Loving Seed, Fresno

Mochilicious   Fresno

MOTO Delicatessen & Bodega, Fresno

Namikaze, Fresno

Papas Place, Clovis

Plant Slayer LLC, Fresno

Seventea, Fresno

Smokehouse Bar and Grill, Kingsburg

South Of Shaw Beer Company, Fresno

Taqueria San Mateo, Fresno

The Salty Pickle, Coalinga

Weekend Dreams Burgers & Grill, Fresno

El Pata Salada, Armona

Totis Pupuseria, Hanford

El Epazote, Madera

Pete’s Place, Exeter

Salles Café, Tulare