If you walk into Gabriela’s Latin Fusion today, you’ll find Latin-inspired food, breakfast, fresh juices and smoothies, music, families sharing meals, and a team working to create something special in downtown Athens.
But behind the restaurant is a much bigger story.
Recently, The Mark White Show shared the story of Gabriela’s owner, Maximo “Max” Villagomez—a journey that began in Ecuador and, after many unexpected turns, eventually led to 110 W Green Street in Athens, Alabama.
From Ecuador to the United States
Max grew up in Ecuador as one of six siblings. His family didn’t have much financially, but his childhood was filled with memories of family, the countryside, climbing trees, and picking fresh fruit.
As he grew older, Max focused on his education, earned a degree in finance, worked in banking, and operated his own business in Ecuador.
Life, however, took an unexpected direction.
After facing serious problems involving repeated robberies and gang activity, Max eventually made the difficult decision to leave Ecuador and come to the United States.
He arrived in Connecticut in 2006 without speaking English and without knowing exactly what his future would look like.
In Ecuador, he had an education, banking experience, and his own business.
In America, he started again.
His first restaurant job was washing dishes.
Starting From the Ground Up
Instead of seeing washing dishes as a step backward, Max saw an opportunity to learn.
As his English improved, he moved from the dish area to working as a food runner. Then he became a server.
Eventually, an Italian restaurant owner named Giovanni noticed his work ethic, his relationship with customers, and his desire to learn. He gave Max an opportunity to become a manager.
That experience helped shape a philosophy Max still carries today:
“Start from the ground is a good way. It’s the best way and the only way.”
For Max, those aren’t simply words.
He has washed the dishes. He has run food. He has served tables. He has managed employees.
Today, as a restaurant owner, those experiences help him understand the work he asks his team to do every day.
Finding Athens, Alabama
Years later, Max’s journey brought him to Athens.
Before opening Gabriela’s Latin Fusion, he worked as the manager of a local pizzeria. That experience taught him more about operating a restaurant, but something else happened at the same time:
He got to know Athens.
He met the people who live here, learned about the community, and began thinking about what he could create if he ever had an opportunity to open a restaurant of his own.
Eventually, that opportunity came.
Why “Latin Fusion”?
Max could have opened another pizzeria.
He also knew how popular traditional Mexican restaurants were, but he wanted to bring something different to Athens.
His Ecuadorian roots were part of the inspiration, but years in the restaurant industry had exposed him to many different culinary traditions—including Italian, French, Portuguese, Mexican, Ecuadorian and other Latin American influences.
Instead of choosing only one, he decided to bring different ideas and flavors together.
That is the meaning behind Gabriela’s Latin Fusion.
Our goal isn’t to represent only one country or one style of Latin food. It is to create a place where different influences, ingredients, experiences and traditions can come together.
That’s the Fusion.
Why Gabriela’s?
The name is perhaps the most personal part of the entire restaurant.
Gabriela is Max’s wife.
For Max, Gabriela’s Latin Fusion is much more than a restaurant. It represents family, sacrifice, responsibility and the dream of building something that can grow for years to come.
And although Max may be the owner, Gabriela’s has become a family effort.
His children have contributed to the restaurant, his team brings experiences from several Latin American countries, and every employee plays a part in building what Gabriela’s is becoming.
Food Made With a Purpose
Gabriela’s continues to evolve.
Our Latin Fusion menu brings together breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with Latin-inspired dishes and flavors.
We also believe that sometimes the small details make a difference.
One example is something as simple as our French fries.
We originally used frozen fries because they were faster and easier during service. Eventually, we decided we wanted to make them differently.
Today, we make our fries from raw potatoes.
It requires more work—but that’s exactly the point.
Whenever possible, we want to create food that feels like someone cared about making it.
The same philosophy helped inspire our Smoothie & Juice Bar, where fruits and vegetables such as bananas, strawberries, blueberries, oranges, carrots, beets, spinach, cucumbers, celery, lemons and limes become fresh smoothies and juices.
Building Something Together
Gabriela’s isn’t a large restaurant chain.
There wasn’t a corporate handbook waiting for us when we opened the doors.
We’re building the systems, improving the menu, training the team and learning every day.
Our team includes people from different backgrounds and different Latin American cultures, and each person brings something to what we’re creating.
And our customers are part of that story too.
Every review, every recommendation, every social media comment, every family that comes back for another meal and every person who tells a friend about Gabriela’s helps us continue growing.
Our Commitment to Our Customers
No restaurant gets everything perfect every time.
What matters to us is what happens when something isn’t right.
If you ever visit Gabriela’s and something about your meal or experience doesn’t meet your expectations, please tell us while you’re here.
Give us the opportunity to listen.
Give us the opportunity to fix it.
Max spends time walking through the restaurant and speaking with customers because Gabriela’s was never intended to feel like a business where the owner is somewhere far away.
We want to know the people we’re serving.
More Than a Restaurant
There is much more behind the food being served at 110 W Green Street in Athens than what you see on a plate.
There is a childhood in Ecuador.
There is a young man with a finance degree and banking experience who once owned a business in his home country.
There is an immigrant arriving in America without speaking English.
There is someone washing dishes, running food, serving tables and eventually managing restaurants.
There are difficult decisions, second chances and years of learning.
And now, there is Gabriela’s.
Max’s journey is proof that starting at the bottom doesn’t determine where you will finish. Sometimes it is exactly where you learn what you’ll need when your opportunity finally arrives.
Today, we’re grateful that this journey brought us to Athens. You can read more about the restaurant on our Our Story page.
And we’re even more grateful to everyone who has become part of the Gabriela’s story.
Thank you, Athens. ❤️
Special Thanks
Special thanks to The Mark White Show for taking the time to sit down with Max and share his journey and the story behind Gabriela’s Latin Fusion.
Visit Gabriela’s Latin Fusion
110 W Green St, Athens, AL 35611
Come for breakfast, lunch or dinner, try something new from our Latin Fusion menu, enjoy a fresh smoothie or juice, and become part of the next chapter of our story. We also offer catering for gatherings across the Athens area.
Food. Family. Hard work. Community. Welcome to Gabriela’s Latin Fusion.
Become Part of the Gabriela’s Story
Visit us in downtown Athens for breakfast, lunch or dinner and experience Gabriela’s Latin Fusion for yourself. You can also order online, plan your visit, or join our VIP Text Club for exclusive offers.