We are a Nicaraguan-American family with a deep love for entertaining guests, both in our home and at our two restaurants located here in Granada. Whether it’s an afternoon lunch by the pool or a spontaneous dinner party, those moments spent with family and friends are what we live for.
When we lived in the United States, owning and running a restaurant—let alone two of them—was never more than a passing conversation. When we moved to Granada, we knew we didn’t have an extensive background in managing a restaurant—but what we did have was a love of good food and a team of helpful friends. We created the concept for Bocadillos with the help of our friends, Julio and Andrea of Pan de Vida bakery.
We chose a small-plate, tapas-style menu because we wanted a place where guests could enjoy a few bites or a multi course meal. And so the adventure began!
For us newcomers to Nicaragua, cooking and sourcing ingredients in a new country was a completely different experience. From deciphering cuts of meat at La Colonia to bargaining for produce in the outdoor Mercado, we had an entirely new set of ingredients to work with. Once we learned how to cook with what we had here, we then had to take what we did at home, turn it into a small plate and then re-create it in a restaurant kitchen.
Then the real fun started: inviting neighbors over for late-night tasting sessions that helped us hone the menu, and gave them a seemingly never-ending supply of new cocktails and dishes to try.
Today, we continue to try out new ingredients and recipes on a regular basis, and we welcome your compliments or suggestions for making Bocadillos even better. We also invite you to try out our other restaurant, Nectar Bar & Restaurant, located on La Calzada, featuring street-side tables and a tranquil interior courtyard.