Dartmouth Cohort

Merengue has served the Roxbury community for over 20 years. It was founded in 1994 by Hector Pena. He wanted to feed people Dominican food, so they could experience his culture. They serve delicious rice and beans, chicken, steak, plantains, and more. They are a hardworking business with loyal staff.

In 1994, Merengue’s original location was two buildings down from the current location. In 2000, they moved to this new building. They also started catering for the Boston Red Sox baseball team. Twelve years later, they opened their second restaurant, Vejigantes. They wanted people to experience food from Nivia’s Puerto Rican culture. Hector and Nivia opened their third restaurant, Doña Habana, in 2016 after traveling to Cuba. They plan to open their next restaurant, Cilantro, in the near future.

Merengue has been a local landmark serving the Boston area for over two decades. It provides jobs in the community. People can get to experience another culture through their dishes. Merengue makes Dominicans feel nostalgic when tasting their food. Famous Dominican baseball players visit the restaurant with their teammates when they are in town. Merengue strengthens the Boston community.