'That was my opus': Phoenix's most iconic chef is closing her historic
Mexican restaurant
Phoenix landmark Barrio Cafe is closing after more than two decades.
"After a lot of mediation and soul searching, I'm closing Barrio Cafe," chef Silvana Salcido Esparza told The Republic during an interview on March 20. "I gave you guys 22 years. I hope you came."
Esparza, one of the most influential and outspoken chefs in Phoenix, opened Barrio Cafe on 16th Street in Phoenix in 2002 with $38,000. The restaurant ended up becoming one of the most influential of the last two decades, starting with a five-star review by The Republic's former food critic, Howard Seftel. And the chef became an icon of the local food scene in her own right, introducing the Valley to elevated, regional Mexican cuisines and being a voice for her community.
