It takes guts to open a restaurant. And extreme amounts of optimism. (Unless you have been sitting around a board room charting minutiae until every drop of soul is squeezed dry and your plan is airtight.) The folks running San Vicente Restaurant did not dream this up while in the palm of investors. While I don’t know the specifics, this place looks like a typical small business high wire act. They have poured their hearts into it and you feel like warmth when you walk in.
I was praying they would have some kind of sandwich so I’d have a springboard. To pupusas, horchata, tamales….
There are nice women at this adorable joint. They will take your money, cook your food, bring it to you, and chat with you about the Spanish soaps if you are in the know.
Look how sweet the dining room – the only room – is! It was all tarted up for Valentine’s day and I was touched by the touches.
San Vicente Restaurant serves breakfast. So snug here. I will intentionally stay out too late and drink too much so I can be comforted here. Could anyone’s kitchen cradle a hangover better than this?
The only thing that excites me about Wonderbread is the polka-dot package, but this Wonderbread is enhanced by the company it keeps. Corn. Corn in a bowl. Corn that was recently shucked. It seems unnecessarily mean to look down your nose at the bread. Anyway, hot off the flat-top it was tasty. Caramelly brown-speckled.
Hot bacon. Cold lettuce. They bring out the best in each other. Warmed my soul. Cooled my heels.
San Vicente Restaurant
“Best Salvadoran & Mexican Food on Columbia Pike”
2599 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
(703)920-1130
7 am – 1 am Seven days a week
The Lunch Encounter 
We live right around the corner and have never ventured in, to be honest it kind of scared me in a “roach coach” kind of way. But now that I know you’ve eaten there, and survived, Chris and I will definitely check it out. Thai on the Pike is great but it’s nice to know there are some other options!
They make their own tortillas! The place is immaculate and they take a lot of pride in it. Just had breakfast there Sunday and it was delish.