South of Downtown, food means community: Pepe Fierro’s Bistro

This is Pepe Fierro, owner and chef at Pepe’s Bistro.

“I don’t have that image of being a vegan or vegetarian chef, I’m not tall and skinny with a man bun, you know, I am who I am.”

His small vegan restaurant operates out of the Everett neighborhood, serving up veggie based Mexican style dishes one experiment at a time.

“Taste, taste, taste, eat, eat, eat, after a while all of those flavors in your head, you’ll find that it’s a lot easier to come up with a recipe,” Owner and chef at Pepe’s Bistro, Pepe Fierro said. 

“Mexican food is known for being really flavorful and having a lot of taste of culture behind, and history, and Pepe does really good work, like bringing Mexican food into vegan,” local painter and sculptor, David Manzanares said. 

“When I want to try something new, I’m always thinking what if and why not. I tell everybody to try that in their lives, not just cooking, but what if and why not,” Fierro said.

Pepe Fierro was living out of his car when he first came to Lincoln in 2004. He worked part time as a waiter and had a hard time making ends meet, but then one day, he found interest in a trashed bicycle, fixed it up and rode the path to the successful business he owns today. He even sold burritos off his bike to save the money for the opening of his restaurant.

“It’s refreshing to me. Stop and think back where I was in 2004 and the roller coaster that’s come up and down,” Fierro said.

He’s been at its current location for 12 years strong.

“I have seen it said on instagram that he’s one of the “OG” vegan people, local business restauranteur. He’s been around for a while. His eatery has moved from location to location. His menu is always evolving and revolving, and you have people who come to pup-ups who have been coming to eat his food for like 10 years,” Local patron and Social Media coordinator at Pepe’s Bistro, Lauren Rosales said. 

It has become a melting pot of community action with a sprinkle of vegan influence.

“I think he’s a good artist, like he does good food. You need to have sensitivity to do it,” Manzanares said. “He’s part of the community and he’s conscious about it.”

“It’s not about barriers and borders around here, it’s make yourself at home,” Fierro said.

“I think that Pepe being really invested in the community, has made this area as it grows more, almost vegan centered,” Rosales said. 

“Pepe’s is not just about the restaurant. I’ll say it’s maybe 25 percent restaurant, plus 75 percent community, so it’s always not what you can do for the community, but being within the community and doing things with each other,” Fierro said.

Just like in his cooking, he’s Lincoln’s own down to the core. 

“Pepe believes in local and organic ingredients, and so that’s what he uses,” Rosales said.