If you ask Café Corazón owners Wendy and George Mireles how they entered the restaurant industry, they will tell you it was a decision born out of necessity.
Fifteen years ago, the couple lived in San Francisco. George worked as an electrician and Wendy was in the nonprofit sector. When the 2008 Great Recession hit and George lost his job, the Mireleses had no choice but to pivot. Originally from the Milwaukee area, the couple decided to return to their roots and try their luck as restaurant owners.
2009 marked the launch of Café Corazón, a Latin-inspired taqueria, in the heart of Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood.
“We figured it out as we went. It’s been a lot of trial and error, and I think that’s just the beauty of life. There are no mistakes. There are just learning opportunities,” said Wendy Mireles.
The Mireleses drew inspiration from their time in California as well as Wendy’s childhood on her family’s farm, focusing on fresh Latin cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients.
“Everybody was very conscious about their food and where their food was coming from,” said Wendy. “We just knew right away that we were going to have a vegan vegetarian menu.”
In the business’s early years, Wendy and George sourced all of the beef from Wendy’s father’s farm and used some of his land to grow their produce. Today, the Mireleses continue to remain true to their values, sourcing their ingredients from local farmers and Crops on Top, an urban farm in Riverwest.
Café Corazón has seen remarkable growth. Wendy and George opened a location in Bay View and Brown Deer. They also run a food truck and offer catering services. Wendy is especially excited about the prospect of one day selling the taqueria’s bottled salsa verde and spice kit on grocery store shelves.
When asked about her favorite part of operating a restaurant in the Milwaukee area, Wendy emphasized the variety and quality of cuisines that the city has to offer.
“We have all cuisines available at our fingertips, and I think it’s pretty special. The food scene in Milwaukee is amazing,” she said.
This year is the restaurant’s 15th anniversary. Wendy and George kicked off the celebrations with a quinceañera-themed party. Other festivities have included a margarita-making class, vegan meetups, happy hours and a Tiki Taco music series. Later this summer, Café Corazón will host a tequila tasting at the Brown Deer location.
“I just want to thank all the customers and staff for being so wonderful. It’s been a great 15 years, and we’ll see where it goes,” she said.
Café Corazón is excited to welcome MMAC for a Business After Hours event on July 30, from 4:30-6 p.m. at the Bay View location. Attendees can expect an evening of networking with other local professionals while enjoying Café Corazón’s delicious food and beverages.
Interested in attending? Register here.
