Owners and brothers Armando and Isaac Soto have been in the community for 10 years and own Casa del Sabor, which has been voted the best Mexican food and the best dine-in restaurant two years in a row in the Best of Springfield contest.
But they say Casa Centro is a “completely different concept” with the same owners.
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
“We try to always be different in a lot of ways, to not make people feel like it’s another one added to the list, which is what people have been saying. This is definitely something new for people to try. It’s definitely worth a visit,” Armando said.
“Once they come in, they won’t be disappointed. The minute they walk in, they’ll see the decor that we added and the feel (is) more of a modern, minimalistic vibe. It (will) make you feel very homey but at the same time with a modern feel.”
Jim Lagos, owner of the Bushnell Building, touted the new restaurant as another important step in revamping downtown and using historic spaces.
City leaders have talked about multiple efforts to revitalize downtown Springfield over the last 10 years or so, bringing new business and interest to the area.
Downtown development is one of the city’s four big “areas of focus” along with parks and greenspaces, jobs and job readiness, plus key corridors and gateways.
Armando Soto said their restaurant process started in mid-2022 when they signed the contract, and then spent almost two years completely remodeling the place. The brothers did a lot of remodeling, added a big section in the back and added a lot of square footage to the previous bar space, which was the Bullpen Sports Bar.
“The community has been great so far. People kept mentioning that they needed something downtown (that was) Casa-related,” Armando said, explaining the opportunity came to them when someone offered them the building space. “We looked at it, we loved it. We loved everything about it.”
The brothers said they took the creation of the Casa Centro menu seriously, from their trips around the U.S. and Mexico.
“(We) traveled a lot to come up with this new concept that we call modern, which is a very different menu than what a typical Mexican restaurant would offer you around here,” Armando said. He said it includes craft drinks, a gourmet-style kitchen, and everything made from scratch and fresh daily, including fresh drinks and purees made from real fruit.
“So I think that’s what sets us apart from other Mexican restaurants in the area, including our service which is our top priority.”
Casa Centro Modern Mexican had a soft opening Monday and Tuesday, in which the response “has been great.”
Credit: Bill Lackey
Credit: Bill Lackey
“All the comments have been amazing. People (are) taking the menu well, taking the new concept well, which is something very new to the city, and people (are) loving it. That is a great satisfaction to know that the town is liking the new concept,” Armando said.
The restaurant has about 25 employees and a 130-person capacity.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 9p.m. Monday-Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Credit: Brett Turner
Credit: Brett Turner
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