These Austin Restaurants Are Raising Money to Help Ukraine

At the end of February, Russia invaded Ukraine, resulting in the ongoing war where over one million refugees have left, and regular citizens are taking up arms to defend their country’s sovereignty. In response, Austinites have been showing their support for Ukrainians over the past week through multiple rallies. Local restaurant Russian House even dropped the word “Russian” from its name out of solidarity with Ukraine.

In solidarity with Ukrainians, Austin restaurants and cooks are organizing and raising funds to help support Ukrainians on the ground during this time.

Royal Blue Grocery: The Congress Avenue location of the mini-retail-chain is partnering with South by Southwest (SXSW) and the nearby Paramount Theatre to raise funds for World Central Kitchen (WCK) on Saturday, March 19. The nonprofit has been on the ground in Ukraine and the nearby area feeding refugees and people still in the country, and it happens to be the focus of a documentary premiering at SXSW this same day. The store will donate its sales from the day to WCK, and if people can’t attend, it is hosting its own online fundraiser through WCK. (609 Congress Avenue, Downtown)

Pancakes for Peace: All locations of brunch chain Snooze (including three in Austin) will donate 100 percent of its sales from the pancake of the week specials to WCK from Thursday, March 17 through Wednesday, March 23. The company says it will commit to a $25,000 minimum donation. (multiple locations)

Shortie’s: The pizzeria will donate one dollar from every pizza order during the week of March 14 to WCK, United Way Worldwide’s United for Ukraine, and the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Parent company Silk Road Hospitality already donated all proceeds from all five of its restaurants on March 14. (7858 Shoal Creek Boulevard, North Shoal Creek)

Bake for Ukraine: Three home bakery services — Bakecation By Glo, Quyen B Macarons, and Kat’s Hand-Baked — are hosting a cashless in-person pop-up this weekend. On deck will be alfajores, choux au craquelin, macarons, mille crepe cakes, and ruam mit. Proceeds will be donated to unspecified funds to support Ukraine. The Saturday, March 19 sale will take place outside starting at 6:30 p.m. (Seoulju, 9515 North Lamar Boulevard, North Lamar)

Bom Bakeshop: The mochi doughnut pop-up is hosting a raffle to raise money for humanitarian crisis nonprofit International Rescue Committee’s Ukraine fund. Every $20 donation equals one raffle ticket. The winner will get two dozen of the bakery’s doughnuts in their choice of flavors (up to six). This runs through the end of March.

Tso Chinese Delivery: The Chinese food delivery restaurant will donate $4 of every sale of its blue crab rangoons to the National Bank of Ukraine’s humanitarian assistance fund throughout March. (multiple locations)

Already Happened

Ogi the Yogi: Ukrainian Austin baker Olga Koutseridi, whose family is currently in Mariupol, Ukraine, will donate all proceeds from her Basque cheesecake sales this week to various charities in Ukraine.

Kome: The takeout-only (for now) Japanese restaurant will donate 10 percent of its total sales from Monday, February 28 through Tuesday, March 1 to global charity organization CARE’s Ukraine Crisis Fund. (5301 Airport Boulevard, North Loop)

Dine With Ukraine ATX: After arranging a huge multi-restaurant Ukraine fundraiser on March 5 with restaurants such as Bird Bird Biscuit to Tamale House East benefitting Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund, Instagram food influencer Austin Food Adventures organized a follow-up benefit this weekend. This time, she teamed up with Lenny Dewi and tagged a bunch of Asian restaurants in Austin. These include Wanderlust Asian Fusion Eats, Seoulju, Kome, Uroko, Thai Kun, 1618 Asian Fusion, Dee Dee, Tan My, Twin Panda, Char ATX, Chicken Rice Joe, Yeni’s Fusion, Thai Taste, Mandala Kitchen and Bar, SXSE Food Co., Tso Chinese Delivery, Pho Craft, Chada Thai, Charoen Express, thee RIce is Right, Smokin’ Beauty, Chi’lantro, Sip Pho, Din Ho, Texas Sushiko, Kiindia, Coco’s Cafe, Sazan Ramen, Peached Tortilla, Asahi Imports, Ramen 512, China Family, Sa-Ten Coffee, East Side King, Sate, Phonatic, Carabao Express, and Fil N Viet. Partial sales from each participating restaurant will be given to José Andrés’s nonprofit World Central Kitchen, which is currently on the ground in Eastern Europe. It takes place on Saturday, March 12. (multiple locations)

Soup for Ukraine: Several Austin chefs, pop-ups, restaurants, and bakeries — Chanda Mau, Mama Kong’s Cambodian, Lenny Dewi, Seoulju, Yeni’s Fusion, and My Happy Place — are offering a huge multi-soup meal package benefitting humanitarian organization Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. The $50 preorder includes five soups ranging from kimchi jjigae to somlar machu kreung (a Cambodian sour soup), plus two macaroons. Pickups take place on Sunday, March 13 from noon to 2 p.m. (Smokin’ Beauty, 11806 North Lamar Boulevard, North Austin)

Fuck x Fuck Putin: Pop-up Bad Larry Burger Club is hosting an event where all proceeds will go towards humanitarian organization Save the Children’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund with those burgers and drinks plus live music. It takes place on Monday, March 14. (Little Brother, 89 Rainey Street, Downtown)

Update, Friday, March 18: 12:21 p.m.: This article, originally published on March 1, has been updated to include additional fundraising efforts.