Founded by Marie Alvarez in 1976, Alvarez Mexican Restaurant in Palmetto is one of Manatee County’s longest-operating restaurants. The restaurant is still closed (its neon “Alvarez” sign removed, says coverage by the Bradenton Herald) after sustaining damages from Hurricane Milton. But it’s not it’s not the end of the story.
“We just got the okay to start cleaning,” Victoria Sarmiento, granddaughter of Maria Alvarez, told What Now on Monday. “The roof will need to be replaced. We’re looking at eight to twelve weeks—it’s hard to say. Of course we’re wanting to open as soon as we can, but safety is the number one priority.”
Sarmiento also expressed her resolve in her conversation with the Bradenton Herald: “There is not a vision for me to see this closed down… Closing is not an option.”
The community has quickly come together to support the restaurant’s reopening. A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for repairs. It has reached $5,600 of it’s $10,000 goal at the time of this writing.
“Miss Alvarez is grateful to the community for reaching out,” Sarmiento told What Now. “With patience we will be reopening soon, and in the meantime we are so grateful for the support.”
“Regrettably, Hurricane Milton has caused significant damage to the restaurant, necessitating substantial repairs,” the GoFundMe page says. “We humbly request your assistance in covering the costs of these repairs. Any donation, no matter the size, would be greatly appreciated. Sharing our GoFundMe link would be a valuable way to spread awareness and support.”
You can follow Alvarez Mexican Restaurant on Facebook to keep up with the opening process.
