CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Simon Davidson of Charlottesville 29 returned to Cville Right Now Live to highlight Inka Grill, a local restaurant serving up traditional Peruvian flavors. Davidson praised the immigrant-run business, saying, “It’s sort of a win-win… they’re pursuing their dreams, they’re building their lives, and they’re enriching community with delicious flavors from their home country.”

Founded by brothers Eddy and Percy Moreno, Inka Grill now has two locations in Charlottesville and one in Roanoke, with plans to expand into North Carolina. Eddy’s passion for cooking started in his mother’s kitchen in Peru and blossomed into a culinary career that took him from Costa Rica to the U.S. Some guests at the Marriott told him: “If you went to the United States one day, you might be able to open your own place,’ and that sort of got the wheels turning,” Davidson explained.

Charlottesville’s openness to global cuisine has been key to Inka Grill’s success. Eddy once opened a restaurant in Florida that failed within a year, but said Charlottesville “is very welcoming in his experience to different people and also to different flavors.” Dishes like ceviche with leche de tigre and grilled octopus continue to win over both the locals and visitors.

Listen to the full conversation here: