Backing Historic Small Restaurants
This year, 50 historic small restaurants across the country will each receive a $50,000 grant.
Now in its fifth year, American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation are once again supporting 50 small or independently owned restaurants across the country through the Backing Historic Small Restaurants grant program. Each restaurant—all places that contribute to their neighborhood's unique history and identity—will receive $50,000 in funding to help them improve their businesses and positively impact their communities.
Since it began, the Backing Historic Small Restaurants program has helped preserve America’s culinary heritage and beloved neighborhood buildings by awarding over $8 million in grants to 180 historic small restaurants across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024). These grantees—resilient, community-rooted establishments—have not only survived but thrived, becoming powerful symbols of cultural pride and local impact.
2025 “Backing Historic Small Restaurants” Grantees
- Al's Restaurant, St. Louis, MO
- Anita Street Market, Tucson, AZ
- Bertha's Kitchen, Charleston, SC
- Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
- Black Bass Hotel, Lumberville, PA
- Bluenose Gopher Public House, Granite Falls, MN
- Casa Adela Restaurant, New York, NY
- Casales Halfway Club, Reno, NV
- Community Grocery, Woodville, MS
- Corner Kitchen, Asheville, NC
- Corner Station Deli, Fairview, UT
- Drew’s Place Restaurant and Catering, Fort Worth, TX
- Dupuy's Seafood and Steak, Abbeville, LA
- El Paseo Inn, Los Angeles, CA
- Florence’s Restaurant, Oklahoma City, OK
- Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats, Alexandria, VA
- Haring's Noank, Noank, CT
- Hillsboro General Store Cafe', Hillsboro, NM
- Ike’s Chili, Tulsa, OK
- Kimball House, Decatur, GA
- Later Alligator, Wheeling, WV
- Lavalettes at Hotel 1829, St. Thomas, VI
- Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub, Louisville, KY
- Lorene's Fish House, St. Petersburg, FL
- Manory’s Restaurant, Troy, NY
- Mee Heng Low Noodle House, San Luis Obispo, CA
- New Delhi Restaurant, San Francisco, CA
- One Shot Charlies, Harrison, ID
- Pheasant Restaurant & Lounge, Brookings, SD
- Poppy Cafe & Market, Burlington, VT
- Qusqo Bistro & Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
- Restaurant Barrachina, San Juan, PR
- Reynolds Tavern and 1747 Pub, Annapolis, MD
- Snappers Key Largo, Key Largo, FL
- South Side Soda Shop, Goshen, IN
- Spotted Horse Bar and Grill, Arvada, WY
- Svea, Chicago, IL
- The Antique Sandwich Company, Tacoma, WA
- The Barn - Route 66, Newberry Springs, CA
- The Bull Run Restaurant, Shirley, MA
- The Famous Chicken Hut, Durham, NC
- The Florentine Hotel, Germantown, OH
- The Rock Cafe, Stroud, OK
- The Summit Diner, Summit, NJ
- The Trolley Stop Restaurant, Ellicott City, MD
- The Vasquez 1935, Uvalde, TX
- The Wandering Goose, Tokeland, WA
- Vault & Cellar, Middletown, VA
- Wok Wok Southeast Asian Kitchen, New York, NY
- Zadie's Market, Marshall, NC
Explore All Grantees
Experience this map in a separate tab.
Have questions? Please check out our Frequently Asked Questions, or email historicrestaurants@savingplaces.org.
View the Terms and Conditions, as well as the National Trust Privacy Policy, to understand how the National Trust protects the privacy of participants.