“You have to be a little crazy to open a restaurant in New York City.”
There’s a reason you might hear people use the phrase “New York Strong.” New Yorkers have survived many tragic events in recent years like 9/11, Hurricane Sandy, and now a global pandemic that threatened the livelihood of so many small businesses and restaurants, the heart and soul of the city.
On Monday evening June 14th, Soul of the City, directed by Kristian Mercado, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival inside The Standard Biergarten-Highline.
Created in partnership with DoorDash, Soul of the City is a nine minute short film that documents six iconic New York City restaurants —Caracas Arepa Bar, Tacoway Beach, Nom Wah Tea Parlor, Sylvia’s, Peppa’s Jerk Chicken, and Palma— and the struggles they faced during a challenging year of the pandemic.
The stories of each restaurant owner are truly inspiring and provide a unique perspective into the American dream and spirit through difficult times. So what kept these businesses going?
“We nourish the community by giving them a safe place to meet. We knew now more than ever they needed us to keep going” says Tren’ness Woods-Black of Sylivia’s restaurant in Harlem.
“Our main motivation was our family of staff” says Maribel Araujo of Caracas Arepa Bar.
“I hope we don’t take for granted those that stitched together the heart of the city. We need to fight for our small businesses.”
To learn more about DoorDash’s commitment to local restaurants and the film visit: https://get.doordash.com/soulofthecity.