Born in Colombia, Stefhanie Guerra first discovered her love of cooking as a stay-at-home mom of three. After moving from Colombia to Cleveland in 2012, Stef grew increasingly enthusiastic not just about food, but about food’s nutritional value and the way we can use food as healing.
During the time Stef spent as a homemaker, she came to realize that cooking was her life’s work and passion. As this discovery deepened, she decided to enroll in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world’s largest nutrition school that focuses on education in holistic health and healing.
Learning as much as she possibly could about the way foods can boost our health, Stef knew she had to bridge the gap between Latin American flavors and fresh, plant-fueled eating for people in Cleveland. And just like that, Lulo Kitchen & Juice Bar was born!
“I started with the nutrition certification program because I wanted to add all of that knowledge to my food at Lulo,” said Stef. “I wanted to know as much as I could about food and the impact that it has in the body. With everything that’s happened with COVID-19, we are all thinking about our health—how we need to stay active and support our immune system. Every time I cook, I have this in mind. Everything is integrated, and I want my food to be something that the customer’s body truly needs, even if they don’t realize it!”
Over the last two years, Stef and her husband have poured all their love and care into Lulo, and the whole team is excited about officially opening later this summer. For now, the restaurant has had a “soft” opening with limited hours. (Currently, Lulo is open from 7 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday and will soon open on Saturdays.)
So what’s the best thing on the menu?
According to Stef’s husband, the Carne Asada is a must-try, served with rice, skirt steak, pinto bean salad and sweet plantains. Another favorite is the Mango Salmon, a bowl made with flavor-rich rice, salmon, spinach, cucumbers, and mango salad.
“We designed the kitchen purposely and efficiently small, so that we’re not storing lots of things and can make everything fresh,” said Stef. “Once something is sold out, it’s out for the day. We source our produce in a socially responsible way, and our exotic fruit from South America so that our food has all of the fresh Colombian and Peruvian flavors; we are also increasingly looking to working with local farmers for local ingredients.”
Another great part of this health-forward restaurant? The beans! Not only does Lulo offer a wide range of holistic-approved smoothies and herbal teas, but they also brew true Colombian coffee using the freshest and finest beans.
“It’s like the perfection of the simple things,” said Stef. “It’s really very simple. This is a healing place, and you can feel it. The moment you step into Lulo, you can feel the positive energy. Everything is connected, and I want to give the people of Cleveland the experience of tasting South American flavors and loving the food and fruit that Mother Earth gave us!”
Keep your eyes peeled for Lulo’s grand opening later this year, which will include a full-service restaurant in the basement level! You can also visit their website or get Lulo delivered on UberEats and DoorDash.