With new restaurant partnership, Mexican brunch trend continues in Wilmington
Both Gustavo Ibarra and Ben Avalos have worked in various Mexican eateries and businesses in Wilmington and elsewhere in the United States with a variety of family-and-friend partners. Ibarra has played a role in the El Cerro Grande restaurant group and is an owner of Buen Dia at 5512 Castle Hayne Road in Castle Hayne. Among his businesses, Avalos was the owner of Las Margaritas Bar y Grill at 4719 New Centre Drive in Wilmington, which closed earlier this year.
These two men met, though, at a local soccer group. But it wasn’t long before they were talking about a possible collaboration.
Ibarra developed the idea for Buen Dia when he was visiting his family in Mexico, having breakfasts of chilaquiles, or tortillas covered with red or green sauce and eggs, and fresh coffee and watching the sun rise over the countryside.
But the breakfast-and-lunch restaurant trend isn’t only booming in the United States.
“Brunch is very popular in Tulum, in Mexico City, in Jalisco,” Avalos said.
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They’ve noticed that American-focused daytime eateries, from chains like First Watch and to the Wilmington-based Brunches often incorporate Latin flavors into their menu, from huevos rancheros to chorizo omelets. The Wilmington area is also starting to see similar restaurants, such as Sabor Hispano and Amanecer Concina & Café, also from the El Cerro group.
In Castle Hayne, Buen Dia has become a favorite for savory breakfast and lunch dishes, as well as sweeter ones like Tres Leches pancakes, where the pancakes are covered in a milk sauce and topped with fresh fruit. In fact, it’s been so popular that Avalos knows that it would also work in Wilmington.
Avalos is joining Ibarra and his other Buen Dia partners, Yesenia Ibarra, Marcos Cruz and Sandro Ventura, to transform the former Las Margaritas in to a second Buen Dia location. It could open as soon as next month.
They’re now updating the space and the logo for the restaurant. There might be some small tweaks to the menu, but it will have many of the favorites from Castle Hayne. They’re also adding a fresh tortilla station, and (in addition to the beer and wine served at the original Buen Dia) the new eatery will add mimosas and cocktails like coffee-and-tequila concoctions and some of the favorite margaritas from Avalos’ previous restaurant.
This new location will keep them busy for a while, but they would like to see the Buen Dia concept grow.
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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Buen Dia is opening a second restaurant location in Wilmington
