Pasadena restaurant that opened 3 months ago quickly responded to help the community after wildfire

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood to come check out this cozy coffee and cheese shop in the heart of Old Town Pasadena.

Hannah Said and Kaiy Smith-Biesman are owners of Neighbors and Friends.

Smith-Biesman and Said joined forces to combine their passion for quality coffee, comfort food and community.

"It feels incredible to live out a dream I've had since high school and Kaiy's had for a long time. To see it come to fruition, and then for people to really engage with it and respect and nurture it and care for it, that feels like unreal to me," Said expressed.

You can build your own charcuterie boards that come in four different sizes.

The "Golden Girl" charcuterie box is a top seller because it gives you a little taste of everything.

They also offer plenty of boujee breakfast items, like the brisket grilled cheese that's only offered on weekends.

You can pair your meal with a number of comforting coffee or tea options.

Neighbors and Friends just opened three months ago, but they quickly responded to help the community.

In response to the wildfire crisis, they opened an in-store donation center and community refrigerator where they offer essential items free of charge.

"We want it to be a community space. We want to take care of our community, and in turn our community takes care of us," Smith-Biesman said.

Smith-Biesman and Said are proud to be a safe, clean and feel-good space for the people of the San Gabriel Valley, especially for people of color.

They intentionally source products from other black and brown-owned businesses.

"There was already an issue before of people needing resources, and the fires exacerbated that, and it kind of sped up the process. I think when we opened Neighbors and Friends, we really wanted to live like our tagline, which is where neighbors become friends," Smith-Biesman said.

They said they've seen a 73% reduction in business since the Eaton Fire.

Neighbors and Friends is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. six days a week and is closed on Mondays.