Guadalupe Osorno and her partners celebrate the opening of Boga Taco.
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By Natalia Otero
The name of Guadalupe Osorno’s new restaurant, Boga Taco, was inspired by a passage from the Bible: “Boga mar adentro, y echad vuestras redes para pescar” (“Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch”), Luke 5:4. This reveals the spirit of the place and of all those who work there.
Osorno has cooked since age 13, but back then she did not do it for pleasure, as she does today, but out of necessity. Her mother abandoned her and her three brothers, so she had to cook food for them. In 2004 at age 22, she left her hometown of Toluca, Mexico, along with her four children, due to domestic violence. She eventually landed in the town of Washington, Pennsylvania, where she had to work and learn English to support her family, and heal the wounds from all the years of beatings.
“Many times, I doubted myself, but I knew I had to give my children a healthier environment than the one I was raised in,” says Osorno.
Unfortunately, her abuser had followed her to the United States. When she saw her son hitting one of her daughters, she asked him why he did it. He replied that it was what he saw his father do to her. At that moment she decided to seek support at the Washington Women's Shelter, where she was given the tools that led her to empower herself. They gave asylum to her and her children, and after getting some peace of mind, she started dreaming of opening a restaurant.
She worked many years cleaning houses, during which time she met and married her husband, with whom she had four more children. By 2022 she had become a U.S. citizen and her restaurant plans began to fall into place. Together with her uncle Demetrio Pérez, she opened a catering business. She taught herself all aspects of the business and, later, the brothers Rafael and Joan Cruz joined the project. In early 2023 they decided to open a restaurant.
“In two months we turned our idea into reality. Together, with our partners, we created this restaurant to serve our community,” Osorno says. “We want our food to make everyone feel good while and after eating it. Above all, we want everyone to feel welcome here.”
Food to Lift the Mood
Boga Taco specializes in authentic Mexican favorites.
The purpose of the four partners of Boga Taco is to serve authentic Mexican food with the highest quality ingredients. Simple but powerful and memorable. Above all, they are interested in transmitting the warmth of home. Because they care about people, their greatest desire is for clients to have a meaningful experience, in which they create or remember good times with family and friends.
“Some people are sad. Some people had a very stressful day. I want them to feel very happy when they come in and eat the food. I want them to enjoy it,” she explains.
On the menu are the Rafitas Street Tacos, the classic tacos of carnitas, shrimp, carne asada, al pastor served with cilantro and onion. There is also rice with chicken, or chori chicken, grilled fajitas, quesadillas, carnitas plate, burrito. All the typical dishes of Mexican homes, combined with the dishes most requested by the American public. The beverages are traditional aguas frescas, including jamaica, horchata and cucumber.
Osorno's courage and her unbroken faith drove her not to give up and her success story continues to inspire both those who work for her and the customers who visit Boga Taco.
“I am living the American Dream: I am now married with eight children and a proud restaurant owner. I want women in abusive relationships to know that they are capable of taking control of their lives and achieving great things."
Natalia Otero is a freelance writer based in Bogota, Colombia.