Everett
The hum of a blender echoes through La Peruanita Café, where a staff member soon presents a vivid orange smoothie, ripe with the essence of mango, pineapple, papaya, and passion fruit, offering a burst of summery warmth amid September’s cloudy skies in Everett.
This drink, called the Maracuy Paradise, is among the Peruvian-inspired offerings at the café run by Susana Ipanaque Huacacolque. Located at 2110 Broadway, the space reflects her effort to bridge traditional Peruvian ingredients with regional Pacific Northwest sensibilities.
“I’m taking what I grew up with in Peru and trying to bring it here,” Ipanaque Huacacolque explained, noting her aim is to harmonize two cultural worlds.
Items like lucuma, maca, and algarrobina anchor the café’s menu. Lucuma, she noted, is deeply rooted in Peruvian heritage, its sweet, butterscotch-like taste and custardy texture make it both familiar and distinctive. According to Specialty Produce, this fruit has been part of Andean culture for centuries; archaeological finds include ceramic vessels shaped like lucumas, one double-spouted example symbolizing human and agricultural abundance, as documented by the University of Southern California.
Tradition informs more than just the ingredients, it shapes the café’s ethos as well. Ipanaque Huacacolque hails from a lineage of small business owners, drawing inspiration from her grandmothers: one who sold sweet picarones fritters, the other who crafted and sold textiles.
Today, she balances her role as a school nurse with managing the café and seasonal pop-ups under the La Peruanita name.
After becoming a single mother in 2018, she sought additional income while her daughter was in school. Over two decades in healthcare, cooking had consistently served as both a creative outlet and financial supplement during lulls in her nursing schedule.
“For me, cooking is like a love language,” she said.
Though plans for a food truck stalled, she continued hosting pop-up events across Snohomish, King, and Skagit Counties, met her spouse, and eventually launched the permanent café this past summer.
She envisions the space as an accessible entry point into Peruvian cuisine, especially for those navigating linguistic or cultural boundaries.
“As a Latina,” she observed, “if you don’t speak English or Spanish fluently, you often feel caught between worlds.”
At La Peruanita, she hopes that gap can close. “I welcome younger folks who might be in that same spot,” she said. “Many guests find us because we don’t judge how confidently someone speaks or how much they already know about Peru. It’s more about discovering things together, or simply feeling at home.”
For those unsure about menu terms, a phonetic guide rests to the right of the counter, helping guests navigate unfamiliar names with ease.
Whether revisiting a beloved classic or sampling something new, the café invites curiosity, and no prior experience required.
A menu of chilled dishes, fruit juices, and blended drinks is available at La Peruanita. Among the offerings is causa limeña, a cold potato dish prepared with layered fillings.
According to a staff member, he has been working at the cafe since it opened. He recommends the Lucuma Dream for customers who are unsure what to order. The drink contains banana, papaya, milk, algarrobina syrup derived from the black carob tree, and lucuma. He stated that he was initially unsure how the drink would taste upon his first attempt, but upon trying it again, he considered it among the top three options. He added that the cafe offers many choices and encouraged customers to visit and try something new.