Gather55 is a pay-what-you-can restaurant in the Parkville neighborhood of Hartford. Monday through Thursday they offer breakfast and lunch options for $3 or $5.
Guests can also volunteer for half an hour — bussing tables or rolling cutlery — in exchange for a $3 meal voucher.
Meals are hearty and delicious and “not $3 by the way,” says restaurant director Rob Maffucci. He's a previous Hartford chef and owner of the Vito’s restaurant group for over 30 years.
Under normal circumstances, running a restaurant is difficult, but “trying to run a business like this is next to impossible,” Maffucci says. “Unless you have an unlimited supply of money.”
To make the business work, each Wednesday through Saturday night, Gather55 transforms into a white tablecloth, fine dining experience. The upscale evening program is headlined by a monthly rotation of guest chefs from around the state who design and inspire an ever-changing menu.
A core objective of Gather55 is providing not just food, but delicious, high-quality meals to community guests during the week.
Hartford has a number of soup kitchens and free meal programs, but the small price tag at Gather55 enables a model where daytime guests have a greater range of food options and can engage in a more traditional restaurant experience.
The impact of Gather55’s efforts to bring together a community of those in need is amplified by connecting guests with their parent organization, Hands on Hartford (HOH).
In addition to the restaurant, HOH operates a food pantry, housing and rental support programs. It also works on homelessness advocacy and education and various other community engagement programs.
Longtime employee, and frequent diner, Rosemary Rainey says Gather55 “is one of the best places to be in Hartford if you need help with anything.”
“Because they have so many connections and resources outside of this place that they can [use to] help the community as much as humanly possible,” she says. “And that’s what they’re all about.”
