It was a sunny and warm spring day when I pulled up to Latin Fresh on South Old Peachtree Road. Pops of color alluded to the tropical vibe I was about to encounter in this charming and innovative restaurant.

Latin Fresh, open only since January 24, 2022, is a restaurant unlike any other in the area. Offering traditional dishes that hail from Latin American countries such as Brazil, Peru, Colombia and Venezuela, the menu is fresh, bold and creative.

For many Southerners, Latin American food might be synonymous with burritos, tacos and other Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes. That’s something that the family behind Latin Fresh wants to change.

“I realized there were a lot of Mexican restaurants,” said David Aaron who co-owns the restaurant with his fiancé Juanita and his parents Jay and Ofelia. Aaron, who recently moved to Peachtree Corners from Colombia, hopes to provide a menu that not only speaks to his personal passion for Latin cuisine but also offers an opportunity for locals to expand their palates.

A variety of flavors and experiences

“No Latin American country is exactly the same; we are all full of colors, cultures, music, traditions, dialects, all across Latin America. Latin America is composed of Central America, the Caribbean, South America and every single country is completely different,” Aaron explained.

Fortunate enough to travel extensively, Aaron has been able to see firsthand the variety of cuisines in the 33 countries that comprise Latin America. “The food in Colombia on the east side is completely different to that on the west, the south or the north side,” he said. “It’s completely different, and that’s just one country.”

Aaron, a chef who has been working in the restaurant industry for 21 years, has cooked in settings that range from cafeterias to Michelin Star restaurants. He grew up in Miami with his parents and a large, vibrant family.

Aaron’s father Jay was a pilot and when he retired, he opened a restaurant. He used his cooking skills to raise money for foundations he cared about as well as feeding his large family from his home kitchen.

“We had something like 70 first cousins, my mother has 15 siblings,” said Aaron. “We always had people coming to the house and my father was always cooking, trying different things, always homey foods and done from scratch. If he wanted a tomato sauce, he would cut the tomato and make it himself.”

Beyond his father’s obvious love for cooking, Aaron noted the financial element to making food from scratch. If you’re buying ingredients, as opposed to prepared goods, you can often stretch your dollar to create larger batches of food which is essential when you’re cooking for dozens of people on a given day.

“I have never been to cooking school, never ever, just learned from my mom,” explained Jay Aaron, David’s father. “When I came here, I was 20 years old. I never cooked in my house, but when my mom came here and saw that I was cooking, she couldn’t believe it. I like it. I really enjoy it, it’s really important that I enjoy whatever I do.”

The road to Peachtree Corners

At the onset of the pandemic, David Aaron was working in Miami and his catering business took a huge hit due to canceled events and ongoing shutdowns. As a result, he relocated to Colombia where he took a more hands-on approach in one the restaurants owned by his restaurant group.

While this restaurant in Colombia was incredibly successful, he and his fiancé Juanita Mesa decided they wanted to find somewhere in the States to settle down. Juanita’s background in hospitality — which led her to live in Australia, South Africa, Spain, London, Canada — and her ability to speak five languages has offered her a unique perspective, and it was with careful consideration that she chose this area.

Considering it to be family-friendly and inviting, they saw the area was also ripe for a dynamic Latin restaurant concept. “I think what’s special about it is it’s family,” Juanita explained. “It’s what Latin America is all about; we are all about having our family together. David and his parents, you can’t get closer to family than that. His sister lives 40 minutes away and having that support of being able to ask questions — they know the area — that was super important to us.”

Aaron’s parents relocated from Miami to be closer to their family and grandkids here and are deeply involved in the venture.

The feel and flavors of home

“The idea behind Latin Fresh is that everything is fresh, everything is cooked from scratch,” said Aaron. Customers are able to choose a base, a protein, a side and a couple of sauces. “In Latin America you drench everything in sauces,” Aaron explained with a laugh.      

Whether you prefer an empanada, a bowl or a wrap, you can craft a unique and delectable dish with flavors you may have never experienced before. Friendly and knowledgeable staff are there to walk you through all the different options, explaining the ingredients and origins of all the menu items to find a dish you’re sure to love.

“It’s very homey flavors to us, which we know is probably not homey to our customers,” said Juanita. “We want people to be able to come here and taste things and feel at home like when we went into our mom’s kitchens growing up. Having that, not only in the food but also the service, to have people who can approach you like family, like a friend, to be able to ask questions.”

Describing such a varied menu can be tough, but Aaron considers it a kind of Latin American soul food. “It’s food that warms the heart.”

In fact, the very design and aesthetics of the restaurant have been chosen to evoke a familiar feeling, like that of walking into a Latin friend’s house. Along one wall, a large mural was painted by a Colombian artist who the team flew in. The opposite wall is covered with wooden planks in colors that were carefully chosen to be light, bright and joyous.

Family owned and operated, they hope that Latin Fresh is approachable, cozy and comfortable, both for local Latin neighbors and those unfamiliar with Latin American cuisine.

A fresh, family concept

Another key tenet of the Latin Fresh concept is sustainability. All of the restaurant’s furniture was refurbished, and they source their food and juices locally and from independent farmers whenever possible. Even their plates, forks and cups are all ethically made from compostable materials.

“Fresh is the concept; we don’t use canned products, preservatives or GMOs. We are big on that,” said Aaron. “I’m a big vegan activist; I think it’s the future of food. All our bases and sides are vegan, and then we have three vegan protein options.”

A family affair, it is not uncommon to see Aaron’s father working in the kitchen, his mother ensuring everything is just right on the line, Juanita manning the phones and answering questions. “To serve people is my favorite,” said Aaron’s mother Ofelia.

If you’re fortunate enough to meet the family, you’ll find they are friendly and approachable, ready to offer unique insight to their one-of-a-kind menu.

During my visit I was fortunate enough to be able to sample several dishes, and I have to say that they were each incredibly unique, flavorful and delicious. Every ingredient, though vastly different in origin and preparation, was so thoughtfully prepared it seemed as though they were destined to be paired with one another.

The drinks, made from tropical fruits — many of which I had never tried before — were delightful. I found myself cycling through the offerings, sampling sauces and going back for seconds of every dish. Thoroughly stuffed and feeling the love, I headed home with several boxes of delectable Latin soul food. What an experience.

Peachtree Corners is truly lucky to have Latin Fresh in the neighborhood.

For more information visit latinfreshgroup.com