Juliana Morello
When Felipe Crespo originally opened his food truck, Secretos De Mis Abuelos, three years ago, he thought that would be the extent of his venture into the food industry.
But today, he’s still making Boricua food for the Pittsburgh community.
Secretos De Mis Abuelos, located in Homestead, opened in December. The inspiration behind Secretos was the realization that the growing Puerto Rican population in Pittsburgh was in need of more spaces of their own.
“There’s a lot of Puerto Rican people here, and there’s not a lot of representation — there’s not a place for us to go.” Crespo said. “There’s just a lack of culture here, and I just wanna provide, like, a little escape, or a little safe place, or a little flavor — a taste of home.”
The previous location, Crespo’s first brick-and-mortar restaurant, was shut down abruptly after the building’s integrity was deemed unsafe. But Crespo and his business partner, Doug Raible, refused to let the unexpected delay get in their way. They immediately got to work finding a new location, so they could go back to making good food and providing a space for people to experience an authentic taste of Puerto Rico.
The menu at the current location includes classic Boricua food that’s hard to find elsewhere in Pittsburgh. Best-sellers include the pernil, the carne frita, and the churrasco. Other popular menu items include the pastelillos, the mofongo relleno, and the tostones. He also said his favorite dish they serve is the birria taco, “even though it’s not even Boricua.” Their sofrito, which Crespo sells to Reyna Foods and is made with imported ingredients, is so popular that Crespo said it “doesn’t even last two weeks” before it sells out and he needs to make more.
Crespo, who’s beginning medical school in September, said that his work with Secretos fits perfectly with what he sees in his own future — even if it’s outside the food industry.
“Food is so important, and nourishment and hydration is so important. And it goes hand-in-hand with what I wanna do for my profession — you know, taking care of people. Eating is a part of self-care. Eating good. Getting good home-cooked meals.”
Crespo’s passion for taking care of others through cooking began when he’d visit his own grandparents at home. It’s for their legacy that he founded Secretos, inspired by the food they taught him to make.
And while Crespo and Raible have faced their fair share of obstacles in trying to reopen Secretos, they’ve been met with nothing but support. Crespo, who has always been involved in the community, whether he’s giving a talk at different Pittsburgh-based organizations or teaching kids how to cook, said the best part of the return of Secretos has been the reception from their customers.
“We’re doing good, we have a lot of support, a lot of feedback,” Crespo said. “Even when we were closed, we were still doing pop-ups…and we would sell out every time. People would show up everywhere.”
So, what’s in store for the future of Secretos? Crespo said perhaps another location within the next two or three years, maybe in Squirrel Hill or East Liberty. Or, somewhere in Florida, where Raible is moving soon. Although, for now, he said “Overall, we’ve just been really happy that we’re back.”
Wherever they choose to expand, one thing is for sure; with Secretos De Mis Abuelos back in town, Pittsburgh has no shortage of delicious, authentic Boricua food.
Secretos De Mis Abuelos is located at 145 E. 8th Ave., Homestead PA 15120. They’re open Thursday through Sunday and offer catering options as well. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date with their menu and other information.
