Había una Res: A Stunning Slice of South America in Mexico City

As a die-hard fan of gringo supermarket Trader Joe’s and its glorious selection of prepared foods, moving to Mexico was a big shock to my system. The first time I entered a Mexico City freezer section, I nearly wept. I found a couple frozen pizzas, lots of ice cream, and a few breakfast foods. Things have improved a bit since then. This is still a city with zillions of talented home cooks and street food vendors, though. Here, many still see frozen prepared food as an option of last resort. (P.S. Obviously, I love Mexico City cuisine, or I wouldn’t still be here! Still, I do sometimes crave some delicious prepared food, especially with global flavors.)

Fortunately, while wandering through my neighborhood last fall, I discovered Había una Res. This lovely café and shop features pre-prepared meals and frozen ingredients from South America. This article is in no way sponsored, by the way — I just love the place! The unique store opened in the middle of the pandemic (last July) in a quiet part of Colonia del Valle. As a result, I wanted to help this under-the-radar shop connect with my fellow foreigners. If you’re anything like me, you’re craving the different flavors of international cuisine. And if you can make the dishes as easily as anything from Trader Joe’s, Picard Surgelés, or Planet Organic (depending on where you’re from), so much the better.

The Mexican & South American Story of Había una Res

After months of enjoying their Venezuelan arepas, Colombian cheeses, and fresh passionfruit juices, I finally sat down with the café/shop’s owners for a Sunday afternoon coffee. A few weeks ago, I chatted with twin founders Bárbara and Paola Pérez Galicia, as well as Bárbara’s husband, Gerardo Velázquez de León — all native chilangos. As I sat in their cozy café space surrounded by murals (painted by the sisters), they told me the story of how Había una Res came to be.

Paola lived in Colombia for nearly a decade, falling in love with its food and culture. Still, when she came across a Mexican restaurant or ingredient there, a wave of nostalgia would wash over her. As a world traveler, Bárbara knew that sensation as well: “The experience of living abroad, and the feeling you get stumbling upon a familiar place” — particularly one with familiar foods — brought them both a profound sense of home.

When Paola returned to Mexico, both lifelong foodies began brainstorming a project that would capture that feeling for others. (And give Paola access to all her favorite Colombian ingredients!) With Mexico City’s Venezuelan and Colombian community growing rapidly, they decided to give them a taste of home. After years of work, the result was Había una Res, where you’ll find authentic tequeños and arepas (Bárbara and Gerardo’s favorites), the exotic lulo fruits that Paola craves, as well as lasagnas and guisados, homemade cheeses and sauces, South American sodas, desserts, chorizos, and vegetables.

Supporting South Americans

The sisters have always been adventurous cooks, but perfecting South American flavors took time and dedication. They scoured Mexico City for the right ingredients, building a tight-knit network of specialist providers, many of them immigrants themselves. Together, they formed “a community of micro-businesses that we can help to develop and grow,” as Paola puts it. After tasting their final creations, Gerardo was impressed. “They perfectly capture that South American sabor” he had encountered during his own travels. Había una Res has also worked to employ South Americans, in the shop/café and as suppliers. “As Mexicans, we want to support South Americans who have come here,” Bárbara explains. “We also hope that our fellow Mexicans will discover the rich food and ingredients of South America.”

While Paola, Bárbara, and Gerardo all know what it’s like to feel nostalgic for your home cuisine, they recognize that for some in Mexico City, that feeling of longing can be much stronger. “When you’re unable to go back to your home country,” Paola says, as in the case of many Venezuelans living abroad, “the nostalgia must be so much stronger.” All three describe the wonderful feeling when a South American customer walks in for the first time. There, they can discover dishes and ingredients that immediately transport them home. “Sometimes,” Paola says, “they walk in and end up spending an hour or two looking around!”

The Golden Age of Frozen Food

Opening in July 2020, in the midst of Covid-19, may have seemed intimidating. In fact, their launch coincided with our collective craving for high quality frozen foods. Había una Res was a perfect match in the era of “stay at home” orders and semáforo rojo. “We want to make people’s lives easier,” Gerardo says. “With our meals they can eat healthier and better, for a reasonable price.” Next, the team hopes to expand further into Mexican regional and other international dishes. They’ve already got a stellar cochinita pibil (Yucatán pork dish), so I can’t wait to see their new creations!

I’m certainly not a South American emigré myself. But as a lover of delicious — and easy to prepare — international cuisine, I’ve become a frequent customer at Había una Res during the pandemic year. Swing by to pick something up or linger at the café itself, savoring its fresh cuisine and warm, friendly staff. Best of all, they deliver throughout Mexico City for a small distance-based fee. As Bárbara says, “Support local businesses. The more that we help each other, the stronger the economy will grow to get us out of the current crisis.”

You can order directly through the Había una Res Facebook page here, or on Cornershop. Visit them in-person at Parroquia 716 in the Colonia del Valle neighborhood, 10 AM to 8 PM everyday. I hope you enjoy this slice of South America as much as I have!