Encanto Restaurant's Park City location will open Sunday, Dec. 16. Photo: Alejandra Laverde

PARK CITY, Utah — When Alejandra Laverde first arrived in Park City from Bogota six years ago, she started as a server on Main Street. Now, she and her family are returning to the mountain town as restaurant owners, bringing a taste of her native Colombia to the community where her culinary journey began.

“I used to work as a server on Main Street, and that’s where I started learning about the restaurant business,” Laverde said. Her mentor was established Park City restaurateur Alan Galeano. “He was the person that taught me everything that I know now,” she shared with pride.

From those early days of serving, Laverde worked her way through the industry. Now, alongside her mother, father, and brother, she’s launching Encanto, a Colombian restaurant that represents both her heritage and her growth in the industry.

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“The thing that I miss most from my country is the food,” Laverde explained. “Park City doesn’t have a Colombian restaurant. You can’t find the same food in other places, and we have really good flavors and culture and everything, so why not have something up there?”

The menu reflects both traditional Colombian cuisine and creative fusion dishes. The Enchanted Platter showcases traditional meats like carne asada, chicken, chorizo, morcilla, and chicharron served with fried plantain and arepa, while the restaurant also features unique interpretations of familiar favorites.

Laverde’s personal favorites include their distinctive hot dogs, particularly the Tropical Paradise Hot Dog topped with potato chips, pineapple jam, crispy bacon, melted cheese, and Colombian tartar sauce, and their signature burgers. “I have two favorites – I love the hot dogs. The Hot Paradise hot dog and the Canada burger. Those are really, really good,” she said with enthusiasm.

The restaurant’s “Casita Bites” section offers traditional Colombian appetizers including Patacones (flatter fried plantains with Colombian salsa and guacamole), empanadas, and Pork Belly Cracklings served with yellow potato and guacamole. Their burger selection ranges from a classic burger to more adventurous options like the Amazona Burger, made with black beans and sautéed mushrooms.

For a taste of authentic Colombian street food, the menu features Arepas Rellenas – stuffed corn patties with various fillings such as the Trópicana with shredded beef and corn or the Quimbaya filled with shredded chicken and Colombian-style sausage.

For Laverde, opening Encanto in Park City feels like coming full circle. After testing their concept in Salt Lake City, she knew she wanted to bring her authentic Colombian cuisine back to the community where her American dream began. “Park City is beautiful,” she said. “The people are super nice, the places, the views, the mountains, everywhere.”

The restaurant’s design mirrors this blend of Colombian heritage and mountain town charm. “When you go in, you feel like you are in a little tropical Amazonas in Colombia,” Laverde said. “The biggest idea is that people can get the whole experience to be in a tropical country, with the food, with the drinks, with the people.”

From server to restaurateur, from newcomer to established business owner, Laverde’s story embodies the entrepreneurial spirit. The restaurant, designed to transport guests to a tropical paradise, reflects both her Colombian heritage and her adopted mountain home.

“We want the whole experience to be the Colombian way,” Laverde said. “So, we are really excited about it.”

Encanto, located at 1890 Bonanza Drive, will open its doors on Sunday Dec. 15.