Oakland restaurant owners rally amid break-ins ahead of Restaurant Week
OAKLAND — Paul Iglesias, owner of Parche, a Colombian restaurant in downtown Oakland, envisioned his establishment as a welcoming space for the community when it opened its doors a year ago.
"It's a welcoming. We wanted to bring the Colombian community to Oakland because of all the diversity that we have here in Oakland, and it's just been incredibly positive," shared Iglesias.
However, just three days after its grand opening, Parche fell victim to a break-in. Despite the setback, Iglesias remains determined to serve the community.
"We fixed the door and now we have security systems, we have alarms, we have all the things that could help. But again we show up because we're here for the community," emphasized Iglesias.
The Oakland community gathered this Monday to sample the diverse cuisines on offer during the upcoming 2024 Oakland Restaurant Week, an event featuring over 130 restaurants across the city.
"We have over 130 restaurants representing all segments of Oakland participating. Imagine that. All of these places telling us about the special offerings of different recipes or different specials that they can share with the public," noted Peter Gamez from Visit Oakland.
For Mama Oakland's chef, Priscilla Przygochi, Restaurant Week presents a valuable opportunity to showcase their culinary delights.
"It's an opportunity to be a little bit more and put us on the radar for people to visit Mama if they haven't yet," explained Przygochi.
However, amid the excitement of Restaurant Week, Oakland's restaurant community continues to grapple with crime. Several restaurants fell victim to break-ins just last week, adding to the challenges faced by business owners.
"With the crime and everything, it is unfortunate that so many restaurants are not able to survive, but we're at that affordable price that no matter who you are you could enjoy a very inexpensive dinner," commented Przygochi.
