By day, Aroma de Cafe is a lively breakfast and brunch spot. By night, it transforms into a hidden supper club run by one of Wine Country’s rising culinary stars.
Chef Carlos Mojica of Healdsburg’s buzzy Guiso Latin Fusion has quietly brought his passion for culinary mashups to Santa Rosa — in an unexpected location with an even more unexpected menu.
The pop-up is a collaboration between Mojica and the owners of the recently relocated Aroma de Cafe (not to be confused with nearby A’Roma Roasters Coffee & Tea at 95 Fifth St.).
The bustling brunch business has taken over the former 19Ten, which closed in late 2024. Thanks to a $1 million renovation by its previous owners, the expansive space features soaring ceilings, stylish light fixtures, two dining areas and a renovated bar.
Aroma owners Luis Rodriguez and Alejandra Bravo have put the hollandaise on the Benedict with their wildly Instagrammable floral decor and supersized murals. But come evening, Mojica puts away the toasters and pulls out the kitchen tweezers Tuesday through Sunday.
A fusion-forward menu with family recipes
Raised in a Salvadoran household and trained in Italian cuisine, Mojica creates dishes that feel personal and make perfect sense, such as a fusion of braised beef birria and strozzapreti (a hand-twisted pasta) with Parmesan, capers and tart cherry tomatoes ($29). As does a crispy pork carnitas pizza with salsa de tomatillo, queso fresco, roasted corn and pickled onions ($26).
The through line in the story he tells through his food is family — a Latin-style tomato sauce made from his grandmother’s secret recipe, Salvadoran pupusas inspired by his mother’s daily cooking, Mexican butter cookies in a deconstructed tiramisu.
It’s all a combination of hard work and finesse. One moment, you’ll find Mojica pulling pizzas from the oven. The next, he’s carefully placing tiny edible flowers on the Panzanella Latina ($17), with heirloom tomatoes, queso panela, basil, cilantro leaves and balsamic vinaigrette.
Best bets (though menu items change frequently) include focaccia with fresh herbs and truffled salt ($9), Hola Caesar, with boquerones, spiced croutons and Aleppo chili dust ($17), and tacos de asada, a homemade corn tortilla topped with grilled skirt steak, huitlacoche cream and roasted scallions ($23).
The elevated cocktail menu includes stunners like Vamos à la Playa ($16) with coconut oil-washed tequila, passion fruit, kiwi, lime and chili salt.
Dinner is served from 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 4:30-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 4:30-9 p.m. Sunday. Aroma de Cafe is at 115 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-293-9246, aromadecafesr.com
You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.