A local Salvadoran pop-up is putting down permanent roots.
Dos Manos Kitchen, a family-run catering company known for its handmade pupusas, is opening its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at The Charles River Speedway, located at 525 Western Ave in Brighton. The team shared the news this week on social media.
Dos Manos was launched during the pandemic, when Chef Edwin Orellana found himself teaching his young daughter how to make pupusas. What started as a family activity soon grew into virtual pupusa-making classes over Zoom, then into a pop-up residency at Nibble Kitchen in Somerville, an incubator supporting immigrant chefs.
From there, Edwin and his wife Alexis steadily built Dos Manos Kitchen into a recognizable name across Boston’s festival and pop-up scene, hand-crafting more than 100,000 pupusas along the way.
Originally from El Salvador, Edwin grew up immersed in the traditions of maize-based cooking on his family’s land near San Vicente. After moving to Boston in 2005, he worked his way through some of the city’s most notable kitchens, including Temple Bar, The Painted Burro, Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar, and Yvonne’s, where he served as sous chef before launching Dos Manos full-time in 2020. His cooking now blends those professional techniques with the flavors and traditions of his upbringing.
At the new Speedway location, guests can expect a menu centered on pupusas, with both signature and rotating varieties. Alexis told What Now Boston that options will include fillings like zucchini and roasted red pepper with quesillo (cheese), ancho-orange marinated chicken, chorizo with refried beans and caramelized onions, and slow-braised beef with garlic and chiles. A vegan pupusa will also be available.
Beyond pupusas, the menu will feature crispy plantains with honey mustard aioli, elote loco (grilled street corn with cotija cheese, cilantro lime crema, and tajín), Salvadoran-style horchata, and minutas—shaved ice treats with refreshing fruit flavors and toppings. All pupusas and most menu items will be gluten-free.
To help bring the restaurant to life, the Orellanas have launched a NuMarket campaign, inviting the community to invest directly in the business. Supporters can “buy in” to receive 120% back in credits to use once the restaurant opens, with higher tiers offering perks like a friends-and-family event, a name on the restaurant’s member wall, and a step-by-step pupusa guide.
“If you’ve ever taken a class with us, stopped by a pop-up, catered with us, or simply believed in what we’re building, we’d be incredibly grateful for your support in this next step,” the team wrote on social media.
Dos Manos Kitchen is currently targeting a mid- to late May 2026 debut at the Charles River Speedway, pending final preparations. For updates and sneak peeks, follow the eatery on Instagram @dosmanoskitchen.
