Casa Amado

By Sara E. Teller

Casa Amado

CASA AMADO TAQUERIA OPENED ITS DOORS IN 2020, RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT. ORIGINAL PLANS QUICKLY HAD TO CHANGE AND, INSTEAD OF OPENING IN DOWNTOWN DETROIT, ITS OWNERS, CHEF AMADO LOPEZ AND EMILIA JUOCYS, MOVED FAST TO FIND A NEW LOCATION TO BRING THEIR VISION TO LIFE.

“Everything shifted fast, and we had to find out what the best location was for Casa Amado to grow roots in,” Juocys explained.

It soon become evident that Berkley was the spot they were looking for. Both Lopez and Juocys wanted to bring Casa Amado to a walkable city with an active Chamber of Commerce and a vibrant shopping district close to its schools.

Once a location was nailed down, merging together their strong culinary expertise and business acumen, the two started a from-scratch taqueria which supports local purveyors.

“The significance of the name Casa Amado literally translates to ‘House of Amado’ or House of Love,’ Juocys explained. “‘Amado’ means to be loved. Combined with the logo of the woman, this represents all of the strong women who have influenced our lives.”

NOTHING ON THE EATERY’S MENU IS ARTIFICIAL OR STORE-BOUGHT. “Our staff makes everything from real ingredients; we even cut and fry our own chips,” Juocys said. “We feel that the attention to detail in our food brings people back to Casa Amado along with our friendly staff who are always happy to see guests return.”

In addition to a dining room that seats 40 people, the taqueria offers private events for small parties up to 20 in its back dining room. Once a month, it also runs a dinner club, where the dining area is dressed up with table-cloths and glassware. Chef Amado creates a delicious five course meal along with select beverage pairings. There is also a taco truck that pops up around town at local breweries and events. It can be rented for private parties, including those held at residences.

This was Casa Amado’s second year participating in Berkley Restaurant Weekend. She encourages patrons to come out, adding, “We are a small but mighty team here at Casa Amado. Keep supporting our taqueria, so we can do bigger things in our space. We also have other ideas in mind for our next restaurant concept, but until then, we thank all of you who have come out to try our tacos and help our small business grow.”

2705 Coolidge Hwy. | casaamado.com | 248.398.3294 | hello@casaamado.com Facebook.com/CasaAmadoDetroit | Instagram.com/Casa_Amado

In addition to a dining room that seats 40 people, the taqueria offers private events for small parties up to 20 in its back dining room. Once a month, it also runs a dinner club, where the dining area is dressed up with tablecloths and glassware. Chef Amado creates a delicious five course meal along with select beverage pairings. There is also a taco truck that pops up around town at local breweries and events. It can be rented for private parties, including those held at residences.