Gay foods

Pollinator Spirits is a woman- and queer-owned distillery with a focus on lifting up these communities through mutual aid and support.

The group has 13 active chapters across the U.S. that Alpern said are guided by the importance of connecting with local queer communities and the collective power of those communities, as Queer Soup Nights raise money for local nonprofit organizations.

“In my heart, for me, queer food is food eaten and enjoyed and produced in queer community,” she said.

She said queer community spaces that serve or provide food create unique spaces for both joy and political organizing. They are custom-made, bespoke designs and no two are alike — the perfect vessel for the dog. It’s also our mutual aid bowl, a hot meal that we offer our marginalized guests. It’s a cup of soup and a half-Sazerac.

“I think food allows us this way to take on the challenging and the difficult and yet kind of reaffirm our own community and then create a space that reinvigorates us and literally nourishes us,” she said.

Liz Alpern

Founder, Queer Soup Night

Chef and cookbook author Liz Alpern founded Queer Soup Night in Brooklyn, New York, after the 2016 election.

I have compiled a list of delicious, colorful vegan and vegetarian recipes perfect for any pride-themed gathering or to show your support for the LGBTQ+ community.

I still remember my first Pride celebration; it was so joyous that I look forward to it every year. On the menu at Lion Dance Cafe, we feature laksa, a crowd favorite since our early pop-up days.

Rainbow Food and Snacks