Latin American dual restaurant marks Motor City Match’s 181st business opening

2025
  • Round 20 awardee Robert Encarnacion has brought a dual-restaurant concept to life with Latin American flavor-inspired Encarnacion - Detroit and La Fonda Street - Detroit
  • Encarnacion - Detroit is focused on coffee and grab-and-go breakfast, while La Fonda Street - Detroit specializes in fast-casual Latin American cuisine
  • A $65,000 grant from Motor City Match supported renovations at the West Village location
  • Motor City Match has awarded $19.1M in cash grants; 85% of overall winners are minority-owned businesses, 70% are women-owned and 67% are owned by Detroit residents  

 

Deputy Mayor Melia Howard and the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) today held an official ribbon cutting for Encarnacion - Detroit and La Fonda Street - Detroit, a dual-concept restaurant and coffee shop that brings Latin American flavors and culture to West Village. This event marks the 181st brick-and-mortar business opened by Motor City Match.

Dominican Republic native and owner Robert Encarnacion developed a passion for coffee while living in Miami. As living costs there rose, he visited Detroit in 2019 to explore its potential, moved there later that year and began planning Encarnacion - Detroit and La Fonda Street - Detroit.

“It was a crazy idea, but I knew Detroit was a place full of opportunity. I wanted to create a space that showcased my background and my culture,” Encarnacion said. “When I moved in, I realized there were things missing, especially when it came to food. I wanted to build a restaurant that brought in a little bit of what I knew from Miami, a little bit of my culture.”

Encarnacion bought the building from the Detroit Land Bank in April 2021 and tackled a challenging renovation that transformed it into a vibrant space housing two distinct dining spots. The entrance features Encarnacion - Detroit, a coffee shop inspired by his Miami experience, while the main restaurant, La Fonda Street - Detroit, offers staple dishes from across Latin America.

“We created a space where we want people to feel proud and happy, where they can find the best food that serves the whole community,” he said.  

Latin American MCM winner pic1

 

Since La Fonda Street - Detroit opened its doors in June 2024, it has quickly become a neighborhood staple, offering a menu of Latin American favorites at affordable prices, with dishes ranging from $2 to $17. Popular items include the Dominican Bowl, a comforting combination of rice, beans, Dominican stewed chicken, lettuce and maduros, and Taco Tuesdays, featuring $2 tacos. Encarnacion - Detroit had a soft opening in November 2024 and focuses on espresso drinks, such as the neighborhood-favorite Encarnacion Original and various grab-and-go breakfast items. The restaurant operates with an all-Detroit staff and is currently hiring.

“This is what we love to see happen for small businesses in the city of Detroit,” said Howard. “Robert saw an opportunity where others didn’t. He’s created jobs for Detroiters, brought new flavors to West Village and transformed a vacant building into a gathering place for the community.”

Located at 8016 Kercheval Ave, the dual restaurant is supported by a $65,000 grant from Motor City Match. The funding contributed to installing a commercial kitchen hood, building an ADA-compliant elevator and various furnishings. The restaurant is open Monday through Sunday from 12 p.m. – 8  p.m., while the coffee shop is currently open Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on Sundays.  

Latin American MCM winner pic2

 

“Robert’s journey shows what Motor City Match is all about. He identified a need in the neighborhood and created something unique to fill it,” said Sean Gray, vice president of Small Business Services for the DEGC, responsible for managing the Motor City Match program. “The diversity of our small business community makes our neighborhoods stronger, and that’s why we’re committed to supporting entrepreneurs like Robert.”

Through 27 rounds of Motor City Match:

  • Total cash grants: $19.1 million (Total leveraged investment: $102.7 million)
  • 85% are minority-owned businesses
  • 70% are women-owned businesses
  • 67% are businesses owned by Detroit residents 
     

About Motor City Match

Motor City Match is a unique partnership between the City of Detroit, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC), the Economic Development Corporation of the City of Detroit (EDC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Competitive financial assistance is supported by a broad partnership of Southeast Michigan community development financial institutions and corporations including, Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Ford Foundation, Hudson Webber Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Knight Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, New Economy Initiative, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. Motor City Match applications are available quarterly. More information is available at MotorCityMatch.com.