It was founded by chef Enrique Limardo, Téa Ivanovic, Peter Schechter, and Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger, and opened on November 12, 2019.

[7] The restaurant engages in what they refer to as “gastroadvocacy,” accepting donations and signing up volunteers, as well as working as a hub for non-profits to host events helping immigrants find jobs and learn English.

Its founders, Enrique Limardo, Téa Ivanovic, Peter Schechter, and Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger, are immigrants themselves, having come to the US from Venezuela, Belgium, Italy, and Argentina, respectively.

[14] Immigrant Food partners with five non-governmental organizations: Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Ayuda, Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition, CASA, and CARECEN, all of which use the restaurant's upstairs space for meetings and events, including English, job search, and citizenship classes.

A percentage of the proceeds from the event was donated to Mary’s Center a local non-profit that provides healthcare services to under-served communities in the D.C. area and Maryland.