Despite the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago entrepreneurs across the city took a leap of faith, opening their restaurant doors during the 2020 lockdown. Today, Grubhub is proud to recognize 31 resilient business owners through the Established 2020 program, honoring those who reached their five-year milestone in 2025.

Take, for instance, Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea in Beverly. Husband and wife duo, Kendall and Aisha Griffin opened their doors amidst unprecedented challenges but quickly became a neighborhood hub, not just for coffee but for community. Or consider CheSa’s Bistro & Bar in Avondale, owner Chesaree Rollins brought authentic Creole flavors – all gluten-free – to the city during a time when comfort food was needed more than ever. These are only a couple of the stories that highlight the spirit of Chicago’s restaurant scene, and it’s these stories that Grubhub wants to celebrate through Established 2020.

The initiative recognizes 31 small business restaurants from 25 different neighborhoods across Chicago. Each of these independent restaurants launched during a period of immense uncertainty but demonstrated remarkable strength and determination. The honorees reflect Chicago’s rich cultural diversity, with many being women-, minority-, and family-owned businesses. They contribute to the city’s vibrant food scene with cuisines ranging from Thai and Indian to Latin American and modern American.

“Our Established 2020 honorees capture what makes Chicago’s restaurant scene so special — hardworking, community-focused, and full of heart,” said Lisa Belot, Director of Corporate Affairs at Grubhub. “This program is our way of saying thank you to the entrepreneurs who took a big risk during the pandemic and created something meaningful. We’re proud to support them and celebrate how they’re helping shape the city’s food culture. Their stories show that resilience isn’t just about getting through tough times — it’s about building something even stronger.”

As part of the award, Grubhub provided over $80,000 in critical funding to support the continued growth of these restaurants. Award recipients plan to reinvest in their operations by hiring more staff, upgrading kitchen equipment, refreshing dining spaces, and expanding marketing efforts.

From Bronzeville’s Dirty Tiff’s Cafe to Uptown’s Thai Pastry Restaurant, the Established 2020 honorees have become cultural and community pillars. The full list of Established 2020 Award restaurant recipients includes:

• 10Q Chicken – Evanston
• 14 Parish Restaurant and Rhum Bar – Hyde Park
• Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea – Beverly
• Alynia Zushi & Karaoke Lounge – Bridgeport
• Basant Modern Indian – North Center
• Beautiful Rind – Logan Square
• Big League Burgers – Irving Park
• CheSa’s Bistro & Bar – Avondale
• Dirty Tiff’s Cafe – Bronzeville
• Doma – Near North
• Doughboy’s Chicago – Bronzeville
• Eathai – Logan Square
• Evette’s – Lincoln Park
• Flippin Flavors – Beverly
• Ground Up Cafe – River North
• Kapitan – Lincoln Park
• KFire – Logan Square
• Khepri Cafe – Albany Park
• Kimberli Sushi and Thai Cuisine – Lincoln Square
• La Parrilla Latin Food – Dunning
• Lexington Betty Smoke House – Pullman
• Monkey King Jianbing – Skokie
• Musashiya Ramen – Lakeview East
• Pastores and Brunch – Roscoe Village
• Polombia – The Loop
• Side Practice Coffee – Ravenswood
• Silk Road of Chicago – The Loop
• Similan Thai and Sushi Restaurant – Edgewater
• Tamales Rebe – West Lawn
• Tastee Rolls 2 – Chatham
• Thai Pastry Restaurant – Uptown

To honor their perseverance and celebrate their impact, Grubhub will host a private celebration for our Established 2020 honorees on Tuesday, June 3rd, in Chicago. The event will bring together honorees to share their unique stories and celebrate the promising futures they are creating.

These are the businesses that didn’t just survive. They thrived, becoming essential parts of their neighborhoods and the very fabric of Chicago’s vibrant food culture.