Today, Phoenixville residents have a slice of Antigua, Guatemala — one of the most celebrated locations in Latin America — within walking distance of Bridge Street.
The restaurant named for the storied Guatemalan town opened on June 26. Angel Salguero and his family wanted to offer the community a comfortable establishment that represented their pride and joy in America.
The Salguero family feels blessed to be the first in the area to embrace Guatemalan spices, and the traditional dishes influenced by Mayan cuisine, prominently featuring corn, chiles and beans.
More than 13 years ago, Angel Salguero came to the Phoenixville area from Guatemala. His sister, Carmen, relocated to America, too, and has lived in the area for 10 years. Other family members joined them.
“We came to this great town and we were blessed with good jobs — all of us were able to find work,” Salguero said.
Most of the family worked very closely with Nudy’s Cafe’s various locations for almost 10 years, until they all came together to collaborate on their current dining project.
“We really enjoy having our restaurant in Phoenixville,” Salguero said. “This is our dream, the American dream, to walk into our building and be able to say, ‘I own this restaurant.’”
Carmen, a revered cook within the Salguero family, used to prepare feasts for neighbors.
“In Guatemala, women cooking is very attractive to men,” said David A. Castro, a friend of the Salguero family. “From a very small age, Carmen was taught how to cook, and she loves it — loves cooking for everyone.”
Carmen said that one of her favorite dishes to prepare is Antigua Guatemala’s Churrasco entree, which features a gorgeous, hand-rubbed, char-grilled steak that’s brightly drizzled with authentic salsa, sauteed scallions and guacamole.
Angel said that Guatemalan cuisine has a “uniqueness for diners to understand. It is not spicy like Mexican food, but much milder.”
He said all of the spices used in the restaurant are imported from Guatemala, as is the coffee.
“The tastes you find here are completely cultural to where we are from,” he said. “Dining here, you are getting a piece of Antigua, Guatemala.”
Already, various Salguero family dishes have become crowd pleasers, including the Antiguan-style fried chicken, prepared with a traditional batter and served crispy golden brown; and the Guatemalan Grill, with sizzling seared steak, Latin-style sausage and grilled chicken.
Horchata, which Angel describes as a “special occasion drink of Guatemala,” is available by the glass or the pitcher. Refreshingly swirled with rice, evaporated milk, sugar and cinnamon, horchata is traditionally served at weddings, parties and special festivities.
Sugary plates of sweet, fried plantain served with créme and sprinkled with sugar are found near the sweet beverages on the menu (which is available in both English and Spanish).
The current menu, which lists seven entrees, fajitas, salads and soups, is only the first. Over the next few months it will include more traditional offerings for the local community, like tamales and enchiladas.
“We love making dishes like what our moms made,” Angel said. “We want to make sure we take care of our customers, too.”
Antigua Guatemala is at 119 S. Main St. in Phoenixville. Call 610-935-2700. Reservations for large parties and private events are welcome.
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