In Sunnyside, Queens, the I Love Paraguay restaurant serves traditional Paraguayan cuisine. The family-run establishment offers dishes such as empanadas, parrillada, and the herbal drink cocido. Although New York City is highly diverse, only about 0.05% of its population is of Paraguayan origin. I Love Paraguay serves this small community as well as visitors from other areas. According to Gothamist, Rafael Quinteros, a frequent visitor from Tampa, Florida, mentioned he stops at the restaurant whenever he comes to New York. The restaurant’s clientele includes both locals and out-of-town visitors who often take food to go.
The restaurant’s history traces back to owner Nancy Ojeda’s early culinary training in Asunción, where she worked with established Paraguayan chefs. The Ojeda family pursued several food ventures in Paraguay and the United States before opening I Love Paraguay in 2007. The restaurant grew out of their earlier business, Little Paraguay Deli, which served as a foundation for the current establishment, as per Asunción Times.
In addition to its dine-in service, I Love Paraguay has expanded into e-commerce, offering Paraguayan dishes and imported products to a wider audience. This initiative, prompted by pandemic-related restrictions, was led by Natalia Ojeda and her husband Ismael to make the restaurant’s offerings accessible beyond the physical location. “We saw that many customers could not come to the restaurant. So, we asked ourselves: how can we bring the flavours of Paraguay directly to their homes?” Natalia Ojeda told Asunción Times.
I Love Paraguay emphasizes both its cuisine and the preservation of Paraguayan cultural traditions. Its menu includes dishes such as beef stew gnocchi and payagua mascada, offering diners traditional Paraguayan flavors. “It’s about preserving traditions, remembering our roots,” Nancy Ojeda said in a statement obtained by Gothamist. The establishment also serves as a gathering place for the Paraguayan community in the city.
