Peppertree Grill Spicing Up Sierra Madre Again

This story was posted by Craig Clough. It was written by Natalie Rivera. 

The Peppertree Grill & Cantina had its grand opening on May 1 at 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.

However, in many ways it was a grand reopening, as Ryan Lopez, son of the original owners George and Consuela Lopez, has reopened the restaurant and bar after being closed since 2005. 

The Peppertree already has new regulars that wished they could spend more time there. 

“I come here at least once, twice a week, at least,” said a customer who wished to be anonymous. “If I didn't work so many hours I would be here more often.”

The Peppertree offers Argentinean food and used to be located on Baldwin Avenue in Sierra Madre. It then made the move across town to 322 Sierra Madre before closing down in 2005. After the closing, the location was home to Cafe 322 and T. Boyles Tavern. 

The new Peppertree offers happy hour Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Taco Tuesdays are a particular hit with many customers. 

“I’ve been coming here ever since they opened. Third week in a row that I’m here eating on Taco Tuesday,” said Ian Andrews.

When dining in the Peppertree Grill, you might notice older black-and-white photos of people. These photos are actually of Lopez’s family back when they lived in Argentina.

“My dad was born in Argentina, which is why we have Argentine food; the empanadas are a family recipe,” Lopez said.  “One of the pictures is of my grandma and my aunts and uncles and dad when they were little kids and my grandma when she was way younger, back in the old country in Argentina.”

Lopez’s family has had a history of owning restaurants, therefore giving Lopez, age 24, the best training and business experience he believes he wouldn’t have been able to attain elsewhere.

“When it comes to the restaurant business, I never felt that, you know you really can’t go to school and learn how to run a restaurant,” Lopez said. “You know, I was a dishwasher when I was a little kid and I’ve done every position possible. You see how businesses are run that way.”

Sierra Madre was, to Lopez, the perfect location to reopen the Peppertree Grill, especially because Lopez believes that the city is missing Argentine cuisine.

“I know Sierra Madre; I know what the people like,” Ryan said. “It’s been a smooth ride so far. I definitely plan for the next years that I hopefully will open a sports bar in Santa Monica or San Diego and that we have some of the foods from here. The empanadas is the key, it is our backbone, a family recipe.”

The empanadas dish is one of the most popular at the Peppertree Grill, including, according to hostess Charlene, their “great serving of nachos and famous bowls. Chicken bowl, beef bowl, vegetable bowl.”

Charlene, who has been working at the Peppertree since its opening, also said that some of the restaurant’s drinks have made a good impression on the customers.

“Our most popular is the Moscow mule, it comes in its own Moscow mule mug, so that’s a favorite,” Charlene said. “As well as our Zing Zang bloody marys and we have a lot of really good local draft beers.”

The Peppertree Grill is also making itself the home to local music, especially on the weekends. On Friday, the Peppertree Grill will host a local band and Lopez said he is even planning on expanding these musical experiences by adding better equipment for the live music.

“It’s all about making the people happy which is what we’re trying to do here, and being successful as possible,” Lopez said.