Going Places

What Gives? These 9 Charitable (and Delicious) Restaurants.

Resolved to pitch in more? There are apps to help you match with local charities, and no shortage of places to volunteer. And then there are meals to devour.

At these altruistic eateries, you can nosh on tasty eats, slurp down refreshing drinks, all while being certain that your dollars are going to a good place. Thanks to their community-minded endeavors, these nine charitable restaurants are more than worthy of your appetite (and your hard-earned bucks).

1. COFFEED, NEW YORK: Are you the type who jokes that your morning cup of joe isn't an indulgence – it's what keeps you from having a total a.m. meltdown? Lend a philanthropic note to your raging caffeine addiction at COFFEED, which has five outposts around NYC. Snuggle up with a good book and a pastry, all while knowing that its charitable restaurants give 3-10% of revenue to local causes, like urban agriculture program City Growers.

Photo courtesy of COFFEED

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2. MISSION CHINESE FOOD, SAN FRANCISCO: Sure, if you're a foodie, you'll know Mission Chinese Food more for its fiery ma po tofu and famously coiffed chef Danny Bowien than anything else. But there's one more reason to load up on its chile-laced fare. The restaurant donates $0.75 from each entrée, and since 2010, has raised over $300,000 for the SF-Marin Food Bank.

Photo courtesy of Alanna Hale

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3. HOMEGIRL CAFÉ, LOS ANGELES: Not only is Homegirl Café a favorite of Angelenos for its farm-to-table fare (only a fool would skip out on those tacos), but the restaurant – one of six social enterprises operated by Homeboy Industries – also empowers at-risk local women to leave gang life, build professional expertise, and receive other services, from legal aid to GED prep.

Photo courtesy of Homeboy Industries

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4. STAPLEHOUSE, ATLANTA: Following a sudden diagnosis of stage-four cancer in 2012, Atlanta Chef Ryan Hidinger received an outpouring of donations and support from his restaurant industry peers. In his memory, and to help those caught in similar tragic circumstances, The Giving Kitchen was founded. A non-profit that provides emergency assistance grants to those in hospitality, it's also behind the soon-to-open restaurant Staplehouse. Food lovers are all aflutter about its plan for refined, communal dining, while 100% of its profits will support the organization's charitable endeavors.

Photo courtesy of The Giving Kitchen

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5. FARESTART, SEATTLE: How does a lunch of braised beef cheeks and Earl Grey crème brûlée sound? At once a job training and placement program and a community restaurant, FareStart turns out decidedly gourmet eats, all while helping Seattle's disadvantaged individuals transform their lives for the better. Bon appétit!

Photo courtesy of FareStart

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6. INSPIRATION KITCHENS, CHICAGO: Chi-town's Inspiration Kitchens is beloved by locals for its amazing brunch deals and prix fixe menu, but that's certainly not all that it's about. The foodservice training program also supports in-need community members and helps them gain self-sufficiency through careers in hospitality. What better reason to opt for a meal out?

Photo courtesy of Inspiration Kitchens

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7. OREGON PUBLIC HOUSE, PORTLAND: Billed as "the world's first non-profit pub," the Oregon Public House functions the way other pubs do – except at the end of the meal, customers can choose from a list of charities to which they'll donate their meals' proceeds. 100% of profits go to philanthropic causes, and it even doubles as a community center with plenty of volunteering resources.

Photo courtesy of Rachel Hadiashar

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8. ROOSTER SOUP COMPANY, PHILADELPHIA: Rooster Soup Company isn't open quite yet, so consider this your alert: Not only are some of Philadelphia's most serious food folk behind it (Federal Donuts is a sister restaurant, and Zahav's Mike Solomonov is a partner), but 100% of profits will go to Broad Street Ministry's Hospitality Collaborative, which feeds Philly's homeless and needy. Until then, we'll fantasize about its pastramen. Yep, that's pastrami ramen.

Photo courtesy of Rooster Soup Company

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9. SAME CAFÉ, DENVER: SAME Café ("So All May Eat") is one of a few charitable restaurants in the country that offer a pay-what-you-want policy. That means the comfortable can freely give – while the lower-income guests can pay less, or even exchange an hour behind the counter for a freshly cooked, organic meal.

Photo courtesy of SAME Café

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