Celebrating the 2025 Toast Community Award Winners

BOSTON, MA—At Toast (NYSE: TOST) We've spent over 13 years on the ground with some of the best in the industry, and if we've learned one thing, it's that hospitality is about much more than good service—it’s about taking care of others, connecting with our local communities, and sharing the magic of human connection. It's a generosity that can be felt in every corner of the industry, from the front-of-house to the back office.

The Toast Community Awards celebrate the passionate retail and restaurant owners and operators who bring hospitality to life. We received over 2,000 incredible nominations from all over the U.S. that we whittled down to nine finalists. After a round of public voting, we crowned our three incredible winners.

In addition to receiving a $10,000 award, winners recently joined Toast on an all-expenses trip to our Boston headquarters for Toast on Tour and an exclusive dinner with Toast leaders. 

“Hospitality is all about how someone makes you feel — being seen, feeling special, feeling welcomed when you walk into a room. And all three of the Community Award winners that we're celebrating today are people who make their communities feel seen and who serve their communities in a really unique way. That's one of the reasons that the Community Awards are so important to us at Toast when we're celebrating hospitality,” said Kelly Esten, Chief Marketing Officer at Toast. 

Meet the 2025 Toast Community Award winners!

The Spirit of Service Award: ASí Mexican Fusion Bistro, San Jose, CA

This San Jose Mexican and Middle Eastern fusion restaurant offers more than meals. ASí is a second home for guests craving comfort, connection, and care. In a neighborhood of older homeowners, many of whom have lost a loved one, ASí has become a second home. Owner Lourdes Barraza and her team have created a safe place for guests to enjoy a homestyle meal and feel seen and cared for. They have even "adopted" an 85-year-old guest who now attends their family events.

With the cash prize, Barraza plans to purchase new kitchen equipment, as most of what she bought when she first opened was used and is due for an upgrade. According to Barraza, "times have been tough and this has been the biggest blessing."

“As a small business being run by myself and my daughter, we didn't know what was going to happen when we opened the restaurant. So to be able to be recognized by the community and stand out for the community is a huge, huge success for us,” Barraza told Toast.

The Visionary Award: Bigfoot Brew Coffee, Cascade, ID

Bigfoot Brew Coffee is one unconventional cafe. Part coffee shop, part pharmacy, Bigfoot Brew Coffee fuses care and caffeine in one creative space where baristas are licensed pharmacy techs and lattes are served with wellness advice. The space is designed to serve the community better, stretch labor dollars further, and provide a welcoming and efficient experience for its guests.

According to owner Austin Hook, a portion of the prize money will go toward well-deserved bonuses for each barista. The rest will help fund equipment for a second location, planned to open next year, giving them the momentum and space to grow beyond their current Cascade home.

“The experience here with Toast has been amazing. And the fact that our little coffee shop in Cascade, Idaho, can be recognized at this level is just so cool to see. The community in Cascade is just amazing. I think it really goes to show how strong that little community is that we can get put on the map like this,” Hook told Toast. 

The Dream Team Award: [The Fieldhouse at the Crossover, Cedar Park, TX](https://www.thefieldhousetexas.com/ N)

The Dream Team Award recognizes a team or individual who uplifts those around them. When bar manager Keith Sobieralski's son became critically ill, his teammates at The Fieldhouse at the Crossover stepped up. They created a margarita named after his son, donating proceeds to his transplant fund, raffled off a car to help him cover lost income, and filled in whenever he needed to be at the hospital.

They'll use the prize money to throw a Game Show Night. The bar will close for an evening filled with food, fun, and friendly competition, with cash prizes for all, and everyone goes home a winner!

“Winning the Dream Team Award specifically is a validation of something that I have been trying to give to our staff that I didn't have all the words for or all of the ability to give, ” Sobieralski told Toast.