By Melissa Wagoner
Greg and Fran Guerra’s dream has long been to open an Italian restaurant. Which is why, in the winter of 2019, they purchased a building in the heart of downtown Silverton to make that dream a reality.
“Things were going good,” Greg’s daughter, Dani, said. The family was elated when the papers were signed. “And then March 2020 came and we were like, ‘Wow!’”
The doors hadn’t been opened to a single customer before Guerra’s – the restaurant – was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a lot of waiting and hoping things would get better,” Dani said of those early days.
The family worried that the restaurant might never open. “But we had awesome people who stuck with us.”
Which is why, when it did finally open, in July of 2021 the event was all the sweeter.
“I really like the support we’ve gotten from the community,” Dani said. “I’ve never helped run a restaurant so it’s been good to learn and grow.”
Until now the Guerras have been largely involved in the construction industry as the owners and operators of the hotel renovation company, NCM Inc.
“But my parents… they love getting together and bonding over food,” Dani said. “And because my dad is Italian, we love making non-traditional Italian food at home.”
Now they’re sharing that food with others, with the help of their head chef, Christy Smith.
“It’s Americanized and a lot of what you’d make at home,” Smith said of the cuisine, which includes crowd favorites like pan seared halibut, salmon with risotto, a house Caesar salad and a classic crème brûlée.
“We started with a basic idea and then made it our own,” Dani added.
Open Wednesday through Sunday, with a happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. each day, the Guerras are excited to welcome the Silverton community in for a taste of their dream.
“I’m excited to see what this spring holds,” Smith said.
