A mother and son have transformed an old tire shop in Oklahoma City into a Latin American fusion restaurant, which loyal customers sometimes wait four hours on weekends to get into.

When Veronica Del Cid was growing up in Guatemala, she would help her mother make dozens of chiles rellenos and tamales a day to sell in their neighborhood. Years later, she and her son started Cafe Kacao–one of the only restaurants in Oklahoma City to serve Guatemalan food.

“We started promoting ourselves as a Guatemalan restaurant,” said Luidgi Del Cid, owner of Cafe Kacao and son of Veronica Del Cid. “But as time went by, we started to learn more dishes from Central and South America, so now…we do a little of everything.”

Veronica Del Cid still decides everything that goes on the menu “from day one to today,” said Luidgi Del Cid. 

Starting a business was difficult with little prior experience and limited funds—all the Del Cid family had to get Cafe Kacao running was a $28,000 loan from an uncle. But over the years Cafe Kacao has built a loyal customer base, and now some customers even have favorite servers they ask for when they come in, Del Cid said.

“Trying something new and actually enjoying it was probably one of the main reasons why I always go back,” said Jolene Nilkumhang, a customer from Midwest City whose friend introduced her to Cafe Kacao a few years ago. 

The menu at Cafe Kacao is always rotating–Veronica Del Cid changes the dishes offered every three to six months.

“I like to innovate,” she said. “My first thing is God. He inspires me for everything, to create new plates, everything. It’s one blessing.”