Restaurants come and go in Buckhead for any number of reasons. Pietro Gianni and Stephen Peterson (Yeppa and Co., Storico Fresco, Forza Storico, etc.) announced that their Italian wine bar, Storico Vino, was closing in June of 2023. Gianni said at the time, “The main reason for the rebranding is that Yeppa and Co. is extremely successful and we knew it would likely hurt [Storico] Vino.”
Rather than replace the wine bar with one of their existing concepts, Gianni and Peterson decided to give their staff a chance to create something more personal, and the result is an exciting addition to Buckhead Village.
Pachengo’s Neighborhood Taqueria serves Mexican food you might expect to find in a food truck in Mexico City, and that’s no accident. Omar and Lupe Santamaria, the husband and wife chefs behind the menu at Pachengo’s, are both originally from Mexico City. Omar said he and his wife have worked at Storico Fresco, Yeppa and Co., and Forza Storico, and they jumped at the chance to create their own menu.
During a conversation with the owners, Omar expressed that he would like to run his own food truck one day to serve traditional Mexico City fare. He says the owners offered the Storico Vino location and said, “okay, this is your food truck, Make it work.”
Pachengo’s is definitely more civilized than a food truck in a parking lot, but it has a fun vibe that is unique in the village. The bar and long tables inside encourage sharing dishes and mingling, and the outdoor covered patio space is a great place to enjoy the weather.
The menu is small and focused, like you might expect from a food truck. “You can see the kitchen is pretty small,” Omar said, “So it’s like a food truck.” He said he doesn’t feel constrained by the small kitchen, but rather it was designed to have just what they need.
Omar and Lupe designed the menu around family recipes and many they developed together. Omar’s family has a small restaurant in Mexico City, and he grew up with his grandma, who he credits with teaching him how to cook. He says many recipes on the menu at Pachengo’s are from his grandma. Omar gives Lupe credit for several menu items, and he says she is invaluable when they need to “fix” a recipe or create something new.
Tacos are (of course) a specialty, as well as enchiladas with tomatillo sauce or mole, and a remarkable carne asada plate, along with the sides and starters you expect. Everything tastes fresh, and the preparations are simple and delicious. Each ingredient feels like it is there for a reason, and the flavors are perfectly balanced.
The drink menu at Pachengo’s is also a departure from the typical new Buckhead restaurant. The drink menu is simple and curated to accompany the Mexico City vibe of the food. You won’t find craft cocktails at Pachengo’s, but you will enjoy the simple and traditional margaritas, palomas, ranch water, and Sangria, along with a selection of wine and (mostly Mexican) beer.
Keeping with the taqueria theme, there are no fountain sodas. Panhengo’s serves Hibiscus agua fresca and bottled sodas like Mexican Coke and Sprite and a selection of Jarritos bottled sodas.
Pachengo’s is open for lunch and dinner, and they plan to offer breakfast soon. The restaurant is located at 3065 Peachtree Road, across from One Buckhead Plaza near the corner of Peachtree and West Paces Ferry.
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