Celebrities are always looking for ways to invest their money, with restaurants being one of the most popular options. Some try to cash in on fame and name recognition with food being an afterthought, while others go beyond the bare minimum, incorporating treasured family recipes in the menu or finding ways to benefit their communities. From luxe dining experiences to restaurants that give back in a big way, here are 10 celebrity-owned restaurants that you can visit today.
1. Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen (Issa Rae)
If you find yourself in the Los Angeles area and want to experience screenwriter life, head to Inglewood’s Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen. Rae teamed up with the Hilltop Coffee chain founders for this location, considering that the Insecure actor/producer has spent a lot of time in coffee shops working on her creative projects. As for the menu, you’ll find a wide selection of coffees and teas along with sandwiches, bowls, breakfast burritos and pastries.
2. Jac’s on Bond (Nicholas Braun)
You may know him as Succession’s Cousin Greg (a.k.a. one half of Season 4’s #DisgustingBrothers), but Nicholas Braun is part-owner of Jac’s on Bond. Located in New York City’s NoHo neighborhood, this 19th-century townhouse has been transformed into a chic cocktail bar with pool tables and a menu that includes small plates and creative libations.
3. Gekko (Bad Bunny)
Award-winning Puerto Rican singer/rapper Bad Bunny has ventured into the restaurant game with his first establishment, Gekko. Found in Miami, Florida’s Brickell neighborhood, the luxurious interior is decorated in jewel tones and a rich, dark palette. This Japanese-inspired steak house/lounge has an impressive selection of seafood, sushi and sashimi plus some of the finest cuts of steak from both the United States and Japan.
4. Nellie’s Southern Kitchen (The Jonas Brothers)
Music isn’t the only family business going for Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas. Along with their dad, Kevin Sr., they are the owners of Nellie’s Southern Kitchen, now with two locations in the United States. Named for Kevin Sr.’s late grandmother, the restaurant first opened in his hometown of Belmont, North Carolina, and later expanded to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Focusing on hearty Southern fare, the menu includes favorites like buttery biscuits, chicken and dumplings and fried green tomatoes.
5. SONA (Priyanka Chopra Jonas)
Like her husband, actor/producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas is also in the restaurant game with New York City’s SONA, located near Gramercy Park and the Flatiron Building. While it’s mostly known for its menu inspired by the flavors of India, it also showcases 20th-century Indian art and hosts a popular drag brunch on alternating Saturdays. There’s even a private dining room, Mimi’s, which happens to be Chopra Jonas’ nickname.
6. Nic & Norman’s (Norman Reedus and Greg Nicotero)
The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus teamed up with series producer Greg Nicotero to open Nic & Norman’s, a restaurant and bar with casual eats like burgers, pot pies and peach cobbler. Their first location is in Senoia, Georgia, where The Walking Dead was filmed, and they’ve since opened two more locations: one in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the other in Lexington, Kentucky.
7. JBJ Soul Kitchen (Jon Bon Jovi)
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, started JBJ Soul Kitchen, a non-profit community restaurant that’s run by volunteers. With two locations in their home state of New Jersey, the Bon Jovis offer a pay-what-you-can approach and a menu without prices, encouraging those in better financial positions to cover the cost of others’ meals. The dishes are made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, and everyone eats together at communal tables. No reservations are required, and no one is turned away, but in-need diners are always given first priority.
8. Saints & Sinners (Channing Tatum)
Channing Tatum opened New Orleans resto-bar Saints & Sinners as a celebration of the city’s nightlife and the Storyville District that was shut down in 1917. Located in a historic building, it’s styled after the famous red-light district’s bordellos and burlesque halls. Enjoy fun, casual dishes like burgers and nachos, or go for seafood or the crawfish boil. The restaurant also has a non-profit called the Love Thy Neighbor Foundation, and a portion of every menu item sold is donated to feed children and help families all over the world. They even have a motto: “Do good while being bad.”
9. Joanne Trattoria (Lady Gaga)
Lady Gaga is part-owner of Joanne Trattoria along with her parents, Joe and Cynthia Germanotta. Located on West 68th Street in NYC, not far from Central Park and the Lincoln Center, the eatery was named for her late aunt (who also inspired her 2016 album). The menu includes Italian-American dishes including pasta, pizza and chicken parm, plus there’s live entertainment and open mic nights.
10. Trejo’s Tacos (Danny Trejo)
Character actor Danny Trejo started Trejo’s Tacos as a way to pay respect to Mexican food culture in Los Angeles while also pulling inspiration from other cuisines. With glowing reviews from foodies everywhere (including the late Anthony Bourdain), Trejo now has five taquerias in the LA area, serving up tacos, burritos, quesadillas and more. He’s also branched out with Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts.