Popoca serves progressive Salvadoran food. Our mission is to find and preserve techniques from the past to bring you a new and authentic experience in Oakland.
Popoca means “emits smoke” to the native people of El Salvador, who stoked wood fires to prepare food over a comal for their families. Revered as more than just a means of cooking, smoke represents a prayer or offering to the spirits.
Inspired by traditional Salvadoran wood-fire cooking and recipes, Popoca offers dishes — like pupusas and tamales that use the freshest ingredients and fresh-milled masa — delivering an experience that helps you envision the beauty of El Salvador from the Bay Area.
PRIVATE DINING
Popoca is available to host your next private dining event! The restaurant features a full bar and is able to do seated and banquet style dinners as well as passed app, cocktail style service. Their full buy out capacity is 60 seated guests or up to 25 guests in their patio, which can be reserved as a private dining option.
ABOUT ANTHONY SALGUERO
Bay Area-born Chef Anthony Salguero first fell in love with El Salvador while visiting his grandparents. On each trip back, he sought out old recipes and learned traditional wood-fire cooking techniques, connecting deeply with his roots and the food of El Salvador.
Chef Anthony has built a career in fine-dining kitchens, including Plumed Horse in Saratoga, Saison and Commonwealth in San Francisco, and Quattro in Palo Alto. He served as executive chef at Michelin-recommended Michel Bistro in Oakland, and helped open Bardo Lounge & Supper Club in Oakland as co-chef.
With Popoca, he is realizing his dream of sharing Salvadoran food with his home community in Oakland.
