Dine Latino Restaurant week is back again with an eclectic mix of participating restaurants from now through Saturday, April 12. This year’s lineup, organized by the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GPHCC), features a diverse roster of foods from a range of countries, including Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and more.
“Philadelphia has such a vibrant and amazing Latino restaurant community,” said Edward Garcia, a co-owner of Queen & Rook Game Cafe, the cozy board game spot in Queen Village, which recently expanded into a new multi-level space. “Some [restaurants] are focused on specific foods from countries, but there’s so many different varieties. So, we’re always happy to participate because we’re in good company.”
Queen & Rook board game cafe in South Philadelphia. (Courtesy of Kscope Philly) Dine Latino Restaurant Week began five years ago, envisioned as a one-time event to support businesses during the pandemic, when to-go orders were the only available option.
“Many Latino restaurants at the time did not have the technology, the social media reach to really get the word out that they were available for takeout and delivery, so we stepped in,” said Jennifer Rodriguez, president and CEO of the GPHCC. The idea was to “remind residents that they have neighborhood restaurants that need their support.”
The event was a success, and since then Latino Restaurant Week has been a biannual event. This iteration’s list features two dozen restaurants in the great Philadelphia area, including popular favorites like South Philly Barbacoa in the Italian Market and El Merkury in Center City.
The galletas abue churro at El Merkury. (Courtesy El Merkury) Throughout this week, two entrée meals will come with complimentary appetizers and desserts at participating restaurants. Diners can download GPHCC’s interactive smartphone app “Let’s Rallie,” to help guide them through options and deals. Dine-in and take-out options are available.
What’s more, for the first time, food trucks are also on the roster, such as the vegan friendly La Llamita Vegana. Plus, “special menus” will be included for guests to test their palates and try new bites.
“We make all our own traditional Peruvian food, but we want to introduce our flavors in our community [through] fusion with Italian food,” said Brizna Rojas, co-owner of Mucho Peru, a Peruvian pop-up in Manayunk where the menu ranges from empanadas to arancini balls.
Rojas immigrated to Philadelphia from Lima nine years ago. For her, the restaurant week is an opportunity to share the flavors from her home community in Peru with her adopted community in Philadelphia. One of her favorite items on the menu is arroz con mariscos, a dish that includes rice, creamy red sauce, mixed veggies, cilantro and sarza criolla (a topping made with onions slices and vinegar). She’s also excited for guests to try their lucuma-flavored ice cream. Lucuma is a tropical fruit native to South America with a sweet caramel-like taste.
The Lobster Benedict from Alma del Mar in the Italian Market. (Courtesy Alma Del Mar) “I’m very excited that people can try food our way — how we make rice, seafood and our ingredients and our style,” she said. “When people come to us to try our food, we want people to feel like [they’re at] home.”
According to Rodriguez, the fun and flavorful week is a way for Philadelphians to come out and support the Latino community in a meaningful way. Now only that, it is a time to highlight the contributions that the Latino community gives back. Many of the businesses, like Rojas’, are immigrant-run.
“I think it’s very, very important right now to be together and show everybody, ‘Hey, we are a really hard working community. We just want to work and show you how professional we are,’” Rojas said.
Rodriguez echoed her sentiment.
“The reality is that immigrants in our community are net contributors to the economy,” she said. “We benefit immensely from the hard work, creativity and resiliency of immigrants in our community.”
“Think about what the Italian Market was 15, 20 years ago. It [had] a lot of vacant storefronts,” Rodriguez, of the GPHCC, added. “And immigrant communities — Central American, Mexican and even Asian communities — saw an opportunity where many others didn’t and took that Italian Market and turned it around.”
Garcia believes there’s no better time than now to support Latino businesses by showing up and taking advantage of the deals at one of your local favorites this week.
Alma del Mar offers a variety of french toasts and other sweet-savory brunch options. (Courtesy of Alma del Mar) “There’s a lot of fear in the community,” he said. “Some of the businesses that participate may not even survive till next year in all honesty, because who knows what’s going to happen. So, it’s really important for the community to be able to say, ‘We want these places. We love these places.’”
“Philadelphia has always been a place where it’s willing to stand up for what’s right,” he added. “So important programs like this that put focus on specific, underrepresented communities are more important now than ever.”
Restaurants and food trucks participating in this week’s Dine Latino Restaurant Week include:
Adelita Taqueria and Restaurants Alta Cocina Restaurant Arepa Grub Spot Boca Del Mar Cafe con Leche Restaurant El Limon Lansdale El Merkury El Mictlan Restaurant Emiliano’s Carnitas ESS Bakery Cafe Izlas Latin Cuisine La Ingrata Las Fridas Lansdale Los Potrillos Taqueria Mamajuana Cafe Philly Mucho Peru Queen & Rook San Lucas Mexican Restaurant South Philly Barbacoa Tamalex Bar and Grill Tamalex Restaurant Taqueria Morales Viva Pizzas Food Truck Xochi Mexican Cuisine
