PHOTOS BY KRISTY GRAVER

When you walk into Leon’s Caribbean Restaurant in Allentown on a blustery winter day, the steam wafting from the kitchen feels like a warm hug. 

Adding a heaping helping of Jamaican fare – I had the curry Rasta Pasta – will make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation. 

And, let’s face it, we could all use one of those.

On June 19, 2023, a fire at the East Warrington Avenue eatery forced Leon Rose Sr. to close the storefront for the rest of the year. The family-run operation was buoyed by a second location in Aliquippa that debuted just three months before the blaze. 

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEON’S CARIBBEAN RESTAURANT

Business is picking up at the restored spot, which has been feeding folks in the Hilltop neighborhood for nearly a decade.

But, times are still tough. 

Leon Rose Jr. says they’re getting by through the grace of God. They had to sell one of their food trucks and are working hard to climb out of a financial hole.

Two North Side restaurants are now living the same nightmare.

A Dec. 19, fire damaged El Burro and Nana’s New York Hot Dogs. Both businesses in the Federal Street row structure near Allegheny Commons Park will be rebuilt through insurance, but, in the meantime, the owners are raising money to assist employees who suddenly found themselves jobless right before Christmas. 

El Burro owner Wes De Renouard grew up in California near the Mexican border and later worked as a stockbroker in the Golden State. Twelve years ago he switched careers and coasts and opened the taco shop to give Pittsburgh a taste of his hometown. In 2017, El Burro expanded to include a larger space at 1113 S. Braddock Ave. in Regent Square. That’s where De Renouard is holding a fundraiser from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 13. 

There will be food and drink specials (the Regent Square site has a liquor license and seating, including on the enclosed patio), raffles, giveaways and DJ Ray Jack spinning tunes from 5 to 7 p.m.

Customers can also donate to El Burro’s GoFundMe page. It’s getting close to its $4,000 goal.

Rich and Karen “Nana” Dobrzynski, the owners of Nana’s New York Hot Dogs, lost the shop and an eBay business that was located on the second floor. They also have a GoFundMe page to help them and their employees get back on their feet. It’s raised more than $8,500 so far. The hot dog joint, formerly known as Steve’s, has been operating on Federal Street since 1964. Nana took over in 2013 and is keeping customers updated through heartfelt posts on social media.

On Dec. 17, I made a note to contact Nana about the shop’s decision to open on Sundays from 2 to 7 a.m. to cater to hungry night owls and graveyard shift workers. As an insomniac, I hope they bring those hours back when they reopen. With the community’s support, I know they will.

Leon Rose Jr. has advice for his fellow restauranteurs. 

“Stay strong,” he says. “Stay vigilant.”