Following the Smoke: Inside Popoca, A Wood-Fired Salvadoran Restaurant in Uptown Oakland

Popoca in the heart of Uptown Oakland, photo by Eric Valle

If you’ve walked through Uptown Oakland and caught a scent of woodsmoke that feels like a memory you can’t place, you might have already found Popoca.

Founded by Chef Anthony Salguero, Popoca is a modern tribute to his Central American heritage, shaped through the perspective of a Bay Area upbringing and fine-dining precision. As a premier Salvadoran restaurant Uptown Oakland locals and critics alike have championed, it has earned a spot on the San Francisco Chronicle Top 100, it’s part of a growing movement proving Salvadoran cuisine holds a depth far beyond its most familiar dishes.

To Emit Smoke: An Ancestral Definition

Popoca comes from the Indigenous Nawat language, meaning “to emit smoke.”

For Salguero, that idea is not symbolic—it defines the kitchen.

Inspired by wood-fire cooking traditions he experienced in El Salvador, he built a space where nearly everything touches flame. Smoke isn’t an accent here; it’s the throughline.

Step inside and you feel it immediately—the heat from the fire, the faint crackle of wood, the way smoke settles into the air and clings lightly to your clothes. The kitchen isn’t hidden. It’s in motion, visible, drawing people in.

Cooking becomes something shared. Not just served, but witnessed.

Here, smoke is more than technique. It’s seasoning, memory, and ritual.

The hearth at Popoca. Photo by Eric Valle

Tradition, Reimagined: A Guide to the Popoca Menu

At Popoca, tradition isn’t replicated—it’s pushed forward with intention.

Masa.A molino brought from El Salvador processes heirloom corn in-house through nixtamalization, creating masa with texture, depth, and a direct line to its origin.

Pupusa.The familiar shifts: filled with charred Jimmy Nardello peppers, slow-braised pork, or seasonal mushrooms, then finished over almond wood fire for added smoke and complexity.

Chicha.A fermented blend of corn and pineapple becomes a sweet-sour glaze, layered onto grilled dishes while still carrying its ancestral roots.

The craft at Popoca: From heirloom pupusas to house-fermented Chicha and wood-grilled specialties. photos by Eric Valle

The insider move: Don't skip the Pupusa Revuelta, the nixtamalized heirloom masa provides texture you won't find anywhere else in the Bay Area.

From Pop-Up to Uptown: Popoca's Oakland Roots

Popoca began as a series of pop-ups—intimate, evolving, and built on trust.

Chef Anthony Salguero grew his following one plate at a time, drawing people in with food rooted in memory but unafraid to experiment. What started as gatherings became momentum.

While many expected a concept like this to land in Los Angeles, he chose Oakland—a city that mirrors the restaurant itself: layered, diverse, and constantly evolving.

At the Center, Fire: A New Era for Salvadoran Food

A meal at Popoca isn’t about reinvention for its own sake. It’s about honoring where things come from while allowing them to evolve.

Fire is both method and meeting point. It brings people into the same space, the same moment—something closer to a backyard gathering than a traditional dining room.

At Popoca, everything begins—and ends—with smoke.

Plan Your Visit

Popoca is a must-visit for anyone seeking authentic Salvadoran food in the Bay Area. Whether it’s your first time trying a pupusa or you’ve followed the work of Anthony Salguero, the hearth is always burning—bringing tradition and technique together in every dish.

Address: 344 14th St, Oakland, CA 94612

Cuisine: Modern Salvadoran / Wood-Fired

Must-Order: Heirloom Masa Pupusas, Fermented Chicha