Staff Reporter
On a cool Friday evening, the vaquero-themed booths at El Caporal restaurant in Altadena, California, were full for the first time in months. The smell of birria and carnitas drifted through the air as neighbors leaned in to talk.
Owner Neddy Morelos paused between orders and smiled at the sound of chatter echoing across the dining room.
“I love it,” she said. “Listen to all the small talk.”
For Morelos, 45, this moment stood in stark contrast to nights when her staff joked they could hear a fly flap its wings. Sales at her family-run restaurant on Fair Oaks Avenue dropped by half after the Eaton fire displaced residents and closed nearby businesses.
Story Highlights
-
Altadena Dining Club formed after the Eaton fire to support local restaurants and rebuild social ties
-
Membership is free and rotates weekly among family-owned eateries
-
Residents displaced by the fire travel back to Altadena to participate
-
Mental-health experts say the club offers a blueprint for post-disaster recovery
A Free Club for a Scattered Community
In a region where exclusive dining clubs and waiting lists are the norm, the Altadena Dining Club is deliberately open and free. Membership requires no application. The only shared credential for many members is loss: homes, gathering places and familiar routines burned in one of California’s most destructive wildfires.
Founder Brooke Lohman-Janz, an Altadena resident who lost her apartment in the blaze, calls it “a little misfit group.”
“We are kind of like a little misfit sort of group,” she said.
Since June, the Altadena Dining Club has rotated through eight small restaurants — mostly family-run — offering both economic relief and a sense of belonging.
Connections at the Table
Residents say the club has transformed grief into genuine relationships. Benji Zobrist, 33, described how new bonds emerged over shared meals.
“Even now, we’re still meeting new people and sharing our experiences over a meal,” he said. “That kind of connection — with people who understand — you can’t find that just anywhere.”
Some drive long distances to attend. Kitty McCormick, who lost her Altadena home, travels from mid-city Los Angeles. Hector and Esmerelda Rodas commute from Glendale, though they still call Altadena home after 36 years.
Speaking the Language of Loss
The fire left scars that are hard to explain to outsiders. Marialyce Pedersen, 61, whose two-bedroom Spanish-style house burned down, described the awkwardness of everyday conversations.
“Do I bum them out by telling them my house just burned down and ruin their day?” she said.
“Or do I just not say anything? And then you feel like you’re not being true to yourself.”
Within the Altadena Dining Club, residents say they can speak openly about their losses or simply enjoy a meal in silence without having to explain.
A Blueprint for Recovery
Mental-health professionals see what is happening at the Altadena Dining Club as an example for other communities facing disaster.
“What you’re seeing in Altadena is a natural outgrowth of a very smart intervention,” said Dr. Vickie M. Mays, a UCLA psychology professor who supported New Orleans residents after Hurricane Katrina.
Bringing people back together quickly, Mays explained, helps heal trauma and strengthens local businesses. Groups like the Altadena Dining Club can guide future recovery efforts.
More Than Food
Although the meals are central, members also mix in activities like yoga and karaoke. The restaurants they visit are modest — a burger joint, a Greek café, a Thai restaurant overlooking cleared lots — but each meal carries the weight of a community rebuilding.
The Eaton fire destroyed long-standing eateries such as The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop and Fox’s. Other closures followed, including AltaEats, which had operated for 12 years before a “for sale” sign appeared in June.
Morelos counts herself lucky that El Caporal survived.
“That’s my baby,” she said.
Holding On to Hope
For many, the Altadena Dining Club represents something bigger than dining. Kelly Guzman, 55, who lost her home, said staying connected to the group keeps her optimistic.
“As long as I can keep moving forward, I’m feeling hopeful,” she said.
“When I hear other people that don’t want to give up on Altadena, then I feel it’s like, OK, we can make it.”
Lohman-Janz hosts every event, greeting guests with raffle tickets for Altadena-themed prizes. Her work is voluntary, and she plans to continue as long as the community needs it.
“Because if you’re committed to staying in Altadena, I think that there’s a responsibility,” she said. “I think that goes with it.”
The story of the Altadena Dining Club shows how shared meals can do more than fill empty seats; they can rebuild a town’s spirit. By rotating through family-owned restaurants and reconnecting displaced neighbors, the club has become a living model of post-disaster recovery. In Altadena, every dinner is a step toward healing, every table a place where resilience and community meet.
Appreciating your time:
We appreciate you taking the time to read our most recent article! We appreciate your opinions and would be delighted to hear them. We value your opinions as we work hard to make improvements and deliver material that you find interesting.
Post a Comment:
In the space provided for comments below, please share your ideas, opinions, and suggestions. We can better understand your interests thanks to your input, which also guarantees that the material we offer will appeal to you. Get in Direct Contact with Us: Please use our “Contact Us” form if you would like to speak with us or if you have any special questions. We are open to questions, collaborations, and, of course, criticism. To fill out our contact form, click this link.
Stay Connected:
Don’t miss out on future updates and articles.
