Almost 100 small and independent restaurants globally, including New Zealand, have been granted funding through an American Express funding package.
American Express and the International Downtown Association Foundation has announced the 2025 grantees of the Backing International Small Restaurants grant program, an initiative that honours restaurants that have demonstrated a positive impact in their communities. Now in its fourth year, the initiative will award over USD 1.4 million to 97 small and independently owned restaurants across 14 cities in the UK, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada, Spain, and France. Since its launch in 2022, the program has supported 237 restaurants with over USD 3.2 million in funding.
This year's 97 grantees are more than places to eat; they're crossroads where communities connect through food, art, and shared experiences. From a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant in Paris making live music accessible to all, to a vibrant art-themed café in Mexico City offering book clubs and exhibition space, these small businesses foster dialogue and connection across communities. Led by passionate and resilient owners, the grants will help modernise dining spaces, improve kitchen operations, and enhance digital tools, empowering them to grow, adapt, and thrive while fueling local economies and enriching the soul of their cities.
Freims is one of the 2025 grantees of the Backing International Small Restaurants program. Founded in 2016 in Mexico City, Freims is a café and artistic venue founded by a photographer, writer, and musician who were united by a shared dream: to build a community hub where people could feel at home, surrounded by art, literature, and music. With the grant, Freims will make accessibility improvements such as ramps, braille menus, and children's seating to ensure that everyone feels welcome.
"This support helps us strengthen the bridge between local artists and our community. It's not just an investment in a café, it's an investment in artistic culture and neighbourhood vibrancy," said Carlos Metta, co-founder of Freims.
Doublevie is another grantee of this year's Backing International Small Restaurants program. Based in Paris, it is a festive restaurant offering live music and inventive cuisine with Mediterranean influences, with dishes to share in a warm atmosphere. Doublevie will use its grant funding to revamp its kitchen equipment, provide its team with operational tools and renovate its DJ mixing desk.
"This grant helps us keep the energy alive and the doors open to everyone, upgrading our space and supporting our team so we can continue hosting free DJ nights and welcoming the community to discover the sounds of tomorrow," said Alexandre Bortenlänger, owner of Doublevie.
"Small restaurants rooted in their communities bring energy, flavour, and heart to cities around the world. They preserve culture, create jobs, and bring people together," said Madge Thomas, Head of Corporate Sustainability at American Express.
“The Backing International Small Restaurants program aims to empower small businesses that make a difference in their communities around the world. These grants are more than financial support; they are investments in neighbourhood anchors."
"As we celebrate the fourth year of the Backing International Small Restaurants program, we are continually inspired by the resilience and positive impact of the small, independent restaurants selected as this year's grantees," said David Downey, Executive Director, International Downtown Association Foundation.
"These restaurants are the heart and soul of their neighbourhoods, and through the generous, sustained support of American Express, we are proud to help strengthen the fabric of our global communities."
This initiative complements American Express's Backing Historic Small Restaurants program, which has provided over $8 million to 180 restaurants across all 50 U.S. states, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands since its creation in 2021. Together, these programs have delivered over USD 11 million to support more than 410 small restaurants globally. American Express has long championed small businesses, launching Small Business Saturday 15 years ago and founding Shop Small, now a global movement across the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, New Zealand, and more.
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