Do you want to pay $15 or $125 for the same dinner in NYC? There’s a restaurant that lets you choose, no questions asked. And it showcases how nature and human communities work in sync to improve all lives.
It’s called Community Kitchen, located on the Lower East Side inside The Lower Eastside Girls Club. Most of us talk about “fixing the food system” in the abstract. But Community Kitchen is actually doing it. Founded by Mark Bittman, it’s running a radical experiment: A sliding-scale restaurant where you pay pay what you wish for the same meal.
And it just keeps getting better:
– It heals the planet: The dinner menu served Wednesday – Saturday, created by James Beard award-winning chef Mavis-Jay Sanders, is plant-forward and prioritizes ingredients from farmers using agroecological (sustainable farming) practices. This minimizes chemicals running into our waterways and soil, and supports biodiversity, treating the farm as an ecosystem rather than a factory.
– It heals the community: They utilize a “sliding scale” payment model. You pay what you can—$15, $45 (the cost of the meal), or $125 (to help others who can’t afford the meal.) If you have the means to pay the higher tier, you are directly helping a neighbor enjoy a nutritious, dignifying meal.
– It respects the worker: Unlike the industry standard, they pay a living wage with full benefits to their team members, correcting the inequities often found in restaurant labor.
– It’s delicious: They prepare top-quality food from scratch that appeals to all members of our communities, using primarily local and seasonal ingredients. Each meal has multiple courses.
It is a rare example of a “closed loop” of kindness—where caring for the soil and caring for the neighbor are part of the same meal.
If you are looking for a way to give back this season (or just want an incredible dinner), Community Kitchen is a wonderful place to dine with purpose. It’s a powerful reminder that “nature” isn’t just “out there”—it’s on our forks, and in how we care for one another.
Learn more at https://www.communitykitchen.us/
🦃🌿Happy eating, and happy giving.
Key details about Community Kitchen:
- Location: Lower Eastside Girls Club (East Village).
- Chef: Mavis-Jay Sanders
- Pricing: Sliding scale for the same meal – you choose the price you pay ($15/$45/$125)
- Sustainability: Menu prioritizes plant-forward dishes and agroecological (sustainable farming) practices
- Note: If you can’t find the reservation you’re looking for on the site, please check back! They release seats at all price levels gradually. Walk-ins are also welcome.
Christa Avampato 