Popular Baltimore Restaurant Offers Free Meals For Furloughed Workers

BALTIMORE — A popular Baltimore restaurant is offering free meals to furloughed federal government workers.

Ekiben owners Steve Chu and Ephrem Abebe announced the news Wednesday.

"Hey guys, are you furloughed? We got you, come by. Your meal is on us," the duo said in an Instagram video. "In-person ordering only at any Ekiben location. Just come on in, bring your government ID, let us know you're furloughed and we'll take care of the rest. No questions, no stress, just one less thing to worry about."

Ekiben is an Asian-African fusion eatery launched in 2014. The business now has locations in Fells Point, Hampden and South Baltimore.

Chu was a semifinalist for the 2023 Best Mid-Atlantic Chef award from the James Beard Foundation. Ekiben was also named to Yelp's list of the nation's 100 best restaurants in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Maryland's resources for workers affected by the federal government shutdown are available here.

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