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Restaurant offers fresh, authentic Mexican dining

 

COLUMBUS—Columbus diners looking for an authentic Mexican experience have a new option with the opening of Guerrero’s, located inside the V-Go store at 401 West Mills Street. 

Jen Guerrero of Mill Spring opened the location on Saturday, May 4. Originally from Charlotte, Guerrero moved to and was raised in Polk County and graduated from Polk High School in 2019.

Guerrero has been working in the restaurant industry since she was a teenager. She first started as a hostess at Tryon’s own Sidestreet Pizza and Pasta, eventually moving into the kitchen to cook, which started her culinary journey. She earned her Associate’s Degree from Isothermal Community College, and plans on eventually getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Entrepreneurship and possibly culinary school, as well. 

Guerrero’s mother is originally from Mexico City, and getting her recipes introduced to the community was a huge inspiration for founding the restaurant. 

“Starting another Mexican restaurant in Columbus was kind of scary at first, but the more that I thought about it I realized that our food would be different,” said Guerrero. “My mother is one of the big reasons that I wanted to start something like this in the first place. She really is the foundation of all the food that everyone eats and loves so much. I am knowledgeable, sure, but I just don’t compare to the years of knowledge and experience she has.”

Guerrero says that she feels every customer so far has been satisfied with the authenticity of her Mexican food. She says the restaurant’s dishes are all meals her family makes at home themselves, and she prides herself on her food’s freshness, as well. 

“There are so many variations and varieties of Mexican food all around, but sometimes you just want the real thing, you know?” Guerrero said. “I feel like what makes it authentic is, first, how fresh we make everything, and second, it’s the exact same way that we would make it at home as if we were enjoying it for ourselves.”

Guerrero’s current tentative hours are Monday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday and Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. They are closed on Wednesdays. 

More information can be found on Guerrero’s Facebook page, where they also post their specials.