Chefs Edgar and Kim Alvarez to Open “Avenida” in Philadelphia’s Mount Airy This September

This September, husband-and-wife chef team Edgar and Kim Alvarez will be opening their first restaurant, Avenida, which will feature Latin cuisine, inspired by Edgar’s Guatemalan heritage.  Avenida, which will be located in Philadelphia’s Mount Airy, will be a family-focused, affordable restaurant with all menu items priced under $20.  This will be a great restaurant not only to bring your family, but also a great place to bring a date, because of the restaurant’s multiple intimate dining rooms and a seasonal outdoor patio.  In addition to the popular Latin food items such as Queso Fondito, Clams with Chorizo, Guacamole and Chips, Whole Fish, and more, there will also be a selection of tequilas and Mexican and Latin beers, as well as a modest, price-conscious wine list and fresh, seasonal cocktails such as signature margaritas.  Avenida will be set to open in September so visit www.avenidarestaurant.com or call (267) 385-6857 to make a reservation.

Husband-and-wife chef team Edgar and Kim Alvarez are thrilled to announce the opening of their first restaurant, Avenida (7402 Germantown Avenue, 267-385-6857), a charming new restaurant that will feature comforting, flavorful Latin food inspired by Edgar’s Guatemalan heritage and the couple’s time spent working in some of Philadelphia’s finest kitchens.  Set to open in September, Avenida will be a family-focused restaurant with all menu items priced under $20.  Avenida will be an ideal place for diners to enjoy a leisurely meal of quesadillas, tamales, enchiladas and fresh salsas, prepared by top chefs in a welcoming setting.

“Everything about Avenida will be inviting and friendly, from the affordable menu to the warm atmosphere and the lovely outdoor seating area,” says Kim.  “Our culinary philosophy is straightforward: food should be simple, honest, and above all, it should make people happy.”

Avenida will be located in an historic house that dates back to the early 1700s in Philadelphia’s Mt. Airy neighborhood, when it was erected as one of the first permanent structures in the region.  The Alvarezes gave the space a tasteful makeover from its previous incarnations, when it was locally known as Cresheim Cottage, to incorporate Spanish-Colonial decor.  The newly restored building will serve as a soothing backdrop for the chefs’ fresh, delicious food.  Rich, earth-toned walls and dark wood trim will frame the space’s multiple, intimate dining rooms, while a seasonal outdoor patio will offer gracious fresh air dining.

Avenida will serve a menu of Latin favorites including:  Clams with Chorizo, served with tequila-roasted poblanos and tomatoes;  Queso Fundido with black beans, tasso and roasted chiles;  Mole-Glazed Spare Ribs with corn fritters;  Grilled Octopuswith lime cilantro vinaigrette;  Mitad de Pollo, grilled half chicken with achiote pumpkin and adobo, with green rice and garlic spinach; Whole Fish, grilled or roasted with adobo and citrus, served with ancho-roasted potatoes and red onions;  and Vegetarian Chayote ‘Lasagna’ on a bed of lentils with tomatoes, grapes and capers.  Entrees will be priced under $20, and appetizers will be under $10, making the food an accessible indulgence that guests’ are sure to want to enjoy night after night.  In addition, a children’s menu featuring kid-friendly Latin dishes will also be available.

“We want Avenida to be a comforting, neighborhood-oriented place where people will want to join us often – for a quick drink and an order of guacamole and house-made chips after work, an intimate ‘date night’ or a leisurely family meal,” says Chef Edgar.  “We’ve drawn from our diverse work and life experiences to make the setting and the menu inviting, homey and crave-able.”

Complementing the menu will be a selection of tequilas and Mexican and Latin American beers, as well as a modest, price-conscious wine list and fresh, seasonal cocktails such as signature margaritas.

Both Edgar and Kim bring a wealth of experience to Avenida.  Raised in Guatemala, Chef Edgar learned cooking from his grandmother and mother, then went on to serve as a sous chef at such acclaimed Philadelphia restaurants as the original Dock Street, Striped Bass and Chin Chin.  In 1999, he took over as the head chef at The Black Sheep, elevating their comfort food pub menu to revered status as one of the city’s best-kept secrets for a truly satisfying meal.  In 2004, he and Kim purchased Gladwyne’s 100-year-old Delaware Market House and operated it successfully as a gourmet take-out and catering operation until 2009.  Using the valuable business lessons they gathered there, they began working together to create Avenida.

Kim got involved in cooking when she was just seven years old with a series of classes at Bloomingdale’s in Jenkintown.  Bitten by the restaurant bug, she attended Syracuse University’s restaurant management school and later went on to the Culinary Institute of America.  Her resume includes stints at San Francisco’s One Market, as well as Philadelphia’s Beaujolais and Striped Bass, where she met her husband.  As a team, the couple take great pride in caring for their guests’ every need, and Avenida will be a perfect place for Kim and Edgar to continue to grow as chefs and restaurateurs.

Edgar and Kim are partners in Avenida with Wayne Zukin, a well known real estate developer and Mt. Airy neighbor.

Avenida will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 3 to 10 p.m.  For more information, or to make a reservation, please call (267) 385-6857 or visit www.avenidarestaurant.com.