In recent years, Charlotte has undergone a cultural and culinary transformation, one that is being shaped by the rapid growth of its Latino community. Once home to only a modest number of Latin American eateries, the city is now brimming with diverse culinary options that reflect the flavors, histories, and traditions of Latin America. At the forefront of this movement is the Pérez-Ochoa family, whose entrepreneurial spirit and cultural pride are helping redefine the Queen City’s food scene.
A Culinary Vision Rooted in Heritage
The story begins in 2021, when siblings Emanuel “Manny” Pérez-Ochoa and Ana Acela Pérez opened El Puro in Madison Park. The restaurant, styled to evoke the glamour of pre-revolutionary Havana, quickly became known for its rich flavors, vintage aesthetics, and live Cuban music. This wasn’t the family’s first foray into the food business — they were already running Havana Carolina Restaurant & Bar in Concord — but El Puro marked a bold step toward bringing Latin culture into Charlotte’s mainstream dining districts.
The choice of location was strategic. The corridor of South Boulevard between Woodlawn and Arrowood roads was becoming a vibrant hub for Latin American cuisine, with restaurants representing countries such as Honduras, El Salvador, Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela. Manny explains that South Charlotte offered a clientele that appreciated dining out frequently — a stark contrast to Concord, where Latin food options were fewer and demand was less robust.
“We liked South Charlotte—the traffic and community that live toward this side of town is different,” Manny says. “They’re used to going out and eating every day.”
Their instincts proved right. El Puro not only attracted Latinx patrons seeking a taste of home, but also drew curious food lovers from across Charlotte who were eager to explore the region’s culinary diversity.
Expanding the Latin Footprint
Emboldened by the success of El Puro, the Pérez-Ochoas expanded their footprint. In 2023, they launched Muraya, a Colombian-inspired lounge in the South End. Manny’s wife, Carolina — a native of Colombia — played a key role in shaping the concept. Initially, the restaurant focused on serving traditional Colombian dishes prepared by a chef from Carolina’s hometown. However, they soon realized that some of the heavier, oil-rich dishes didn’t align with local preferences or ingredient availability.
“That’s a mistake we made in the beginning,” Manny admits. “Now, Muraya is Cartagena-inspired. It might be too greasy if we serve it the way they have it in Colombia … and there are certain ingredients we just can’t get here. We use local ingredients from local farms, but we’re still learning new trends in the industry.”
Muraya eventually evolved into a more approachable version of Colombian cuisine — still authentic, but modernized and adapted for Charlotte’s diverse palate. The décor, cocktails, and upbeat atmosphere gave the lounge a metropolitan feel, and the community responded positively.
Then came Babaloo Coffee Club in early 2024 — the family’s most casual and accessible concept yet. Located in the South End, Babaloo offers a menu of Cuban sandwiches, empanadas, pastries, and La Colombe coffee in a cozy setting that blends Latin music with contemporary café culture. The name “Babaloo” is a tribute to Afro-Cuban spirituality, symbolizing energy and healing, themes that reflect the Pérez-Ochoas’ mission to offer more than just food.
“In Cuba, ‘babaloo’ is the energy that heals,” Manny says. “If we can bring a piece of our culture, with the music, food, and drinks, then I think we’re doing something good for the community.”
Demographic Shifts Powering a Culinary Evolution
Behind this wave of Latino culinary entrepreneurship lies a dramatic demographic shift. According to the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute, Charlotte’s Latino population grew by 36% between 2010 and 2019 — more than twice the growth rate of the city’s overall population. This surge didn’t happen overnight. The roots go back to the early 1990s, when Bank of America moved its headquarters to Charlotte, triggering a construction boom that required a large workforce. With not enough local blue-collar workers available, laborers from Texas — many of them Latino, were brought in. News of the opportunity spread throughout Latino communities in the U.S. and abroad, and immigration to the region increased.
What started as a response to labor shortages has evolved into a deeply established community. Today, Charlotte is home to more than 8,000 Latino-owned businesses, ranging from food trucks and bakeries to law firms and beauty salons. The impact of this community is visible not just in business, but also in politics, education, the arts, and, of course, the food scene.
Elevating Perceptions of Latin Cuisine
Despite this growth, changing perceptions about Latin cuisine have been a key challenge for Latino restaurateurs. For many years, Latin food in the U.S. was pigeonholeed as inexpensive, fast, or limited to tacos and burritos. The Pérez-Ochoas have worked to change that narrative by emphasizing elegance, quality, and authenticity in their concepts.
“Latino culture is usually associated with cheap food,” Ana says. “Italian, French are more elevated. But our food and culture can be elevated, too.”
That philosophy is evident in every detail of their restaurants — from the vintage Cuban posters on the walls of El Puro to the thoughtfully plated dishes at Muraya, and the curated musical ambiance at Babaloo. The goal is not only to feed the community but to educate it, celebrate it, and elevate it.
Their restaurants have helped pave the way for other Latino entrepreneurs to be bolder in their offerings. As Charlotte’s appetite for diverse food options expands, so too does the opportunity to spotlight lesser-known cuisines from across Latin America.
Building a Cultural Legacy
What makes the Pérez-Ochoa family’s journey particularly impactful is the generational tone they set. Manny is just 26, and Ana is 24 — young restaurateurs with a mature sense of purpose. They didn’t grow up in a Charlotte that widely embraced Latin culture, but they see themselves as builders of the future.
They acknowledge that they’re not just riding a trend — they’re helping to define what Charlotte will look and taste like for decades to come.
“When you’re the first person to bring something new, when there’s nothing else like it, it’s hard to say, ‘This is how we eat and drink,’” Ana reflects. “But now more people know. At the beginning, it was hard.”
Through grit, creativity, and cultural pride, the Pérez-Ochoas are doing more than running successful restaurants — they’re reshaping the narrative around Latino identity in Charlotte.
Looking Ahead
As Charlotte continues to grow, its food scene is poised to become one of the most diverse and dynamic in the Southeast. And if the trajectory of the Pérez-Ochoa family is any indication, Latino entrepreneurs will remain at the heart of this transformation. With every empanada served and every Cuban melody played, they are not only celebrating their roots but also planting seeds for a more inclusive and flavorful future.
Their journey is a testament to the power of cultural expression and a reminder that food is more than sustenance — it is a bridge between communities, histories, and identities.
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