For more than three decades, Criollisimo Restaurant in New Britain has served sizzling home-cooked Puerto Rican dishes.
“It really comes down to the recipe of the food. The recipe came from Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico,” Criollisimo Restaurant manager Jose Quinones said.
During lunch and dinnertime, customers crowd into the restaurant that can be spotted from a distance on Arch Street. The building displays a large mural of the Puerto Rican flag.
“We are very honored, we always say we are very lucky,” Quinones said.
A few doors down from Criollisimo there are several other Latino-owned legacy businesses, including Borinquen Bakery.
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“The bakery is known for having those goodies that only abuela or Tio, someone in the family will have,” President of New Britain Latino Coalition Carmelo Rodriguez Jr. said.
At Lily’s Party and Flower Shop, customers call the owner Doña Lily, a sign of respect. For over 20 years, she has made party decorations by hand.
“I make everything, I make piñata, I make decorations, I make centerpieces,” Lily’s Party and Flower Shop owner Lily Vazquez said.
In 2016, the city dedicated a portion of Arch Street to be known as Barrio Latino, to recognize the predominantly Hispanic neighborhood.
“El barrio is like the neighborhood, it’s the place to be, the place people love,” Rodriguez said. “Many years ago, the street didn’t look like this, the neighborhood didn’t look like this, and over the years it has changed for the better.”
Arch Street is undergoing a revitalization. The goal is to make the area safer, attract business owners to open up shops and create more apartments.
“You are using art to attract people to a neighborhood, to beautify a neighborhood, to increase everybody’s quality of life, because who doesn’t look at this and smile,” New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said.
The city was recently granted $3.5 million in funding from the Capital Region Council of Governments and the Connecticut Department of Public Health for beautification and street safety improvements. Temporary murals will be in place until construction starts in 2025.
“The bump outs, what you see, where we are painting the murals on the street right now, that is eventually going to be additional sidewalk space and brick work,” Stewart said.
The changes for Criollisimo Restaurant will mean their customers can cross the street safely to their expanded location, which will specialize in sandwiches.
Rodriguez hopes that just like Criollisimo Restaurant, more businesses can place roots and grow in Barrio Latino, a neighborhood he hopes his children and the next generation are proud of.
“The most important thing is for them, they have to be a voice, they have to be involved, in order to make changes, you have to be voice and you have to be involved in the community,” Rodriguez said.
