The Taste of El Salvador: Stories from the Restaurant Community After COVID

American University Honors Research Conference
Abigail Turner, Kendal Thomas, Ashley Smith
Faculty Mentor: Professor Robert Albro

Documentary highlights experiences of three Salvadoran-American restaurant owners in the Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights Neighborhoods, Haydee from Haydee’s Restaurant, Teo from La Molienda, and Gloria from Gloria’s Pupuseria. We have identified these restaurants as community anchor institutions, where people can exchange ideas and build relationships. All these restaurants have been around for decades and are places of gathering for neighbors and members of the greater D.C. community. But since the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant owners have noticed a shifted in their relationship to the community. From the switch to carry-out food only and more people working from home, restaurants owners have seen decreased business and connection with the community. Our documentary synthesizes these experiences of restaurant owners with scholarly research about the Salvadoran community in Washington, D.C. and the impacts of COVID-19 on these businesses. We aim to highlight this community and spread awareness of their essential presence in D.C.