Hailing from Madrid, Raul Aguilera and Luis Raga longed to bring a piece of Spain to San Francisco. The duo ultimately opened Destapas, an authentic Spanish tapas restaurant nestled in the heart of the city’s Mission district, a purposeful choice said Aguilera: “The Mission is really one of the few neighborhoods in San Francisco that maintained the spirit of the original area, in this case, the Hispanic heritage of the Mission. It’s almost the core of it.”
Operating in the Mission helped Aguilera and Raga build out an authentic experience because, according to them, the experience is 95 percent of it. “The whole experience is about sharing food on the table instead of having your own thing … everybody kind of takes bites out of everything,” explained Aguilera. This way of eating and gathering is critical to Spanish culture, according to Aguilera, and staying true to that remains essential for Destapas.
The Destapas team also strives to embed aspects of Madrid throughout the dining experience. Whether it’s soccer games or Spanish rumba, the restaurant is a welcoming space for the Spanish community and those who appreciate and respect the culture. With an in-depth focus on the experience, Aguilera and Raga sought tools that streamlined business operations without compromising their mission..
Launching a business with a community, not just in it
When Destapas opened in December 2020, the macroeconomic climate was geared toward to-go orders and away from communal experiences. “You can order to-go for many other cuisines. For this one, it’s all about the experience, the group gathering, and enjoying everything on the spot. So for us, to-go didn’t work as well,” explained Aguilera. Still, he and Raga persevered, trusting that they were building something unique and special.
A lot of their approach is inspired by the people of the Mission neighborhood itself. Before the doors of the restaurant opened, the duo spent years building up the space, tearing down walls, and fixing some of the plumbing. This foundational work allowed the two of them to immerse themselves in the community and learn about its needs and how it operated. Both of which confirmed that the Mission was the perfect place for Destapas.
“We were here three years before we opened, doing work and talking to people, and that gave us insight into the people who were living around here. And then that informed our approach,” said Aguilera. “We wanted a non-pretentious, very casual Spanish restaurant; When we saw that the people living in the area were going to embrace that kind of concept, it made it a no-brainer.”
The neighborhood rallied around the business in the early days. A crucial component to its success, given that Aguilera and Raga had poured their savings into Destapas and had no investors, leaving little room for marketing and anything else outside of staying afloat. “We basically relied on doing a good job and hoped that people would spread the word,” Aguilera said. “It paid off.”
Using flexible technology to grow at a comfortable pace
Destapas went from serving around 20 customers a day to eventually serving over 200 a day. Word-of-mouth and a supportive community helped propel the business toward success, but its investment in Square tools also helped create a solid foundation. “When you’re starting, all of your money is pretty much to cover the food that you have to cook, because you can’t afford to invest in many things,” said Aguilera. “The flexibility that Square provided was the key for us. Low fees and inexpensive equipment helped us run our business without a lot of expenses.”
As Destapas continues to grow, the team continues to invest in more Square tools at a pace that works for the business and its finances. “We adopted Square for Restaurants and now we have more features because we’re a much more efficient restaurant. We’re able to put the extra revenue back into the restaurant,” he added.
The business now leverages a breadth of Square tools, including Square Payroll and Websites, to streamline operations. “We have a POS system that allows us to do our job without really worrying about spending too much money, and it’s always been like this,” Aguilera said.
Fostering connection across cultures and shaping a neighborhood
With tools that enable the restaurant to focus on its one-of-a-kind experience, Destapas is able to purposefully contribute to the fabric of the neighborhood. “There are so many other restaurants [and businesses] representing every country you can imagine from South America to Central America,” said Aguilera of the Mission neighborhood. Nearby retail business Discodelic, which is about ten minutes away on foot, is a representation of Venezuelan culture, a clear example of how a variety of cultures have shaped the neighborhood.
Surrounded by community and culture, Destapas is unapologetically proud to bring authentic Spanish culture to the Mission. “We’ve been bringing a little bit of the Spanish culture here so that people know what Spaniards enjoy…In Spain, food is just a way to connect,” Aguilera explained. Connection is one of the many things the business continues to foster, whether it’s amongst customers or within the community, and the results have made the challenging times worth it.
Aguilera emphasized this saying: “This is a neighborhood that will reward you…we’ve made so many great friends and connections since we’ve opened, and we’re very grateful.”
