Popoca

“When I share and give myself to people in the community, I feel like I belong. I’m part of something.”

Chef Anthony Salguero

All Around the Bay

“I’m from San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland–all over the Bay Area, basically,” says Anthony Salguero, a self-proclaimed “Bay boy” whose life has been shaped by every corner of the Bay.

Anthony traces his formative years to two places: San Francisco’s Mission District and San Jose. “Those are the biggest impacts for me. That’s where I spent the most time and had the most experiences,” he recollects. Today, he calls
Oakland home.

Finding Authenticity

opoca, Anthony’s Salvadoran-inspired restaurant, is an authentic reflection of who he is: a Bay Area lifer, a child of immigrants with diverse backgrounds, and an impassioned chef yearning for connection. Signs of these influences can be directly found in the innovative dishes he serves to the dark green plants accenting the restaurant’s interior.

“It’s not traditional Salvadoran food, but it’s still authentic–it’s a reflection of what it was like growing up as a first generation American,” Anthony says, “If I can do that and take care of the people I love, then that feels like success to me.”

Community Driven Food