New Culinary Hotspot in Lighthouse Point: Peruvian Flair Meets International Fusion
New Culinary Hotspot in Lighthouse Point: Peruvian Flair Meets International Fusion
Successful Restauranter Opens New Location in Lighthouse Point
Peruvian Dishes Offer Unique International Flavors
A popular Wynwood restaurant has opened its second location in Lighthouse Point and its owner believes the neighborhood is a perfect bridge between more sophisticated culinary hot spots in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton. Manta, which offers upscale Peruvian fare, is located in the Beacon Light Shopping Center at 2410 North Federal Highway. The menu offers a fusion of Indigenous Peruvian, European, and Asian cuisines.
Founder and owner Andres Lozada Zuzunaga grew up in the culinary mecca of Arequipa, a Peruvian city known for its award-winning restaurants, the white-capped volcanoes that frame the area and baroque buildings constructed from white volcanic stone. From a very young age, he made his own meals and enjoyed cooking.
“I grew up in a culture where quality food and cooking were central to everyday life,” he said.
He left home to attend college in Germany, where he studied industrial engineering, but returned to his hometown in Peru to pursue his life-long dream to be in the restaurant business. Although his original goal was beer brewing, he found that avenue required a heavy interest in chemistry. Therefore, he purchased Peru’s first Domino’s Pizza franchise, which was so successful that the original owners bought it back within 11 months. His second venture was a chain of five ice cream stores that he created, then sold after three years.
In 2006, Manta was born with humble beginnings. “We started it from scratch and only had four tables,” recalls Zuzunaga. “We did it all at first, but quickly grew to a bigger location, which we opened in 2013.” Today, he owns three restaurants in Peru.
While on vacation in Miami with his wife and their daughter and son in 2018, he discovered a community ripe for a new Peruvian restaurant. “I fell in love with Miami and Wynwood, and after consulting with a well-known Peruvian restauranteur I knew I had to create a Manta there.”
Over the next three years, Zuzunaga and his partner, Renzo Mercado, invested more than $2 million in their first U.S. venture, opening in March 2021 to rave reviews and remaining one of Wynwood’s most popular restaurants. He also moved his family to Weston, making Florida their permanent home.
By 2022, he was eager to open the second location of Manta and began researching locations from Fort Lauderdale to Boca Raton, when he found an available space fronting busy Federal Highway.
“The landlord and I came to an agreement, and I knew the heavy traffic flowing between Fort Lauderdale and south Palm Beach would provide valuable visibility,” he explained, noting that he invested in an expanded outdoor area to enhance both visibility and customer enjoyment.
Maintaining authenticity, however, is his top priority. He sources only the freshest ingredients directly from Peru and even brought in a native Peruvian as his head chef.
“Everything we serve is 100% Peruvian,” he stressed. “Even our limes are imported from Peru.”
Giving back and being environmentally friendly are also priorities for Zuzunaga, who says that all of his locations in Peru use solar power and sophisticated composting, technologies he hopes to bring to the U.S. A passionate philanthropist, he donates a portion of some of his dishes to Vidawasi, a nonprofit in Peru that brings much-needed pediatric care to the country’s underserved population, especially children fighting cancer.
Only open since June, Manta will hold its formal grand opening celebration sometime in December. Future plans call for an upcoming third location in the Orlando area.
For more information, visit manta-restaurants.com
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