Actress Sofia Vergara and her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara, offer an intimate look at the foods that anchor their family life, bridging their Colombian roots with their American experience. For Vergara, Colombian food—simple, hearty, and meant for sharing—is inextricably linked to family, flavor, and frequent gatherings. While they have embraced American holiday staples like the Thanksgiving turkey, they integrate their native culture through side dishes like coconut rice and plantains. More than just personal preference, Vergara and Manolo are now actively contributing to the global food scene by promoting Colombian coffee and launching their own food brand, Toma, centered on the classic, shareable street food, the empanada, ensuring a taste of Latin America is available everywhere.
The Essence of Colombian Comfort Food
Growing up in Barranquilla, in northern Colombia, Sofia Vergara’s diet was centered on traditional, uncomplicated fare that emphasized freshness and heartiness.
The actress recalls a childhood menu rich in staples: beans, rice, stews, fresh juices, and fresh vegetables. This style of cooking prioritized simple, healthy, whole ingredients. One of the most typical and beloved dishes from her hometown is sancocho, a hearty, fulfilling stew. This dish is usually made with either ribs or chicken, and bulked out with a range of filling vegetables and plantains, embodying the warmth and communal spirit of Colombian cooking. Her son, Manolo, raised in the US, later developed a palate for these traditional foods, specifically calling out arepas and butifarra soledeñas—little white sausages served with lime juice, which he describes as similar to weisswurst but with an almost tangy flavor.
The Culture of Gathering and Culinary Evolution
For the Vergara family, food is primarily a means of getting together, a tradition that remains strong even as they have adapted to life in the United States. This communal spirit transcends cultural barriers and even holidays.
The family has enthusiastically adopted Thanksgiving as a major celebration, though they frame it as an “opportunity to come together.” Interestingly, the centerpiece is Manolo’s turkey, a skill he taught himself when he was 14. However, they infuse this American holiday with Latin flavor by serving sides like coconut rice and plantains. This willingness to adapt traditions while maintaining the central Colombian value of sharing is key to their food culture. Vergara stresses that Colombia does things like empanadas, croquetas, and pandebono (a Colombian cheese roll) better than anywhere else, precisely because they are foods that can be made in large quantities and shared easily in a family setting.
Bringing Colombia to the World: Coffee and Empanadas
Both Sofia and Manolo have taken their passion for Colombian cuisine and culture into the business world, focusing on two of the country’s most essential products: coffee and street food.
Vergara launched Dios Mio Coffee after years of frustration with the “horrific” and “burnt-tasting” coffee available on set in the US. Her brand is particularly meaningful as it partners with women farmers: they buy 100% of the premium coffee from women growers in Colombia, recognizing that over 30% of the country’s coffee producers are women. Her son, Manolo, followed this entrepreneurial path by co-founding the food brand Toma, which focuses on empanadas. While they respect the traditional beef empanada, they have had fun creating non-typical flavors, including chicken, French onion, and even everything bagel, aiming to provide an authentic yet accessible taste of Latin America for people on the go.
Culinary Tastes Beyond the Homeland
While deeply proud of their Colombian heritage, the family’s culinary curiosity extends globally, revealing a preference for dishes characterized by simplicity and quality ingredients.
Sofia’s favorite international cuisine is Italian, stemming from her love of carbs, pasta, and pizza. She appreciates that Italian cuisine is simple, often relying on just three or four amazing ingredients rather than complex, overloaded recipes. Manolo concurs on the brilliance of European cooking, noting that he enjoys Greek and Lebanese cuisines. He also pays tribute to French cooking techniques, acknowledging their mastery, particularly with ingredients like butter. Their go-to restaurants in Los Angeles reflect this eclectic but selective palate, highlighting the appeal of quality ingredients, whether in fine dining or casual fare.
Los Angeles Dining and Dual Identity
The Vergara family’s life in Los Angeles is punctuated by a few select, highly-rated local restaurants that showcase their preference for quality. These dining choices provide a snapshot of their life in the US while they remain connected to their Colombian identity.
Sofia’s current go-to spot is Alba, a restaurant she praises for its simple, tasty offerings like salads and meats, noting that it stands out in the Los Angeles dining scene. She also regularly visits a hamburger place called HiHo, which uses Wagyu beef, often ordering the burger wrapped in lettuce as an alternative to a bun. Manolo’s top pick is Bavel, a Middle Eastern restaurant in Downtown LA, where the lamb neck is the star entrée, though he notes the fried pita bread is the “winner across the board.” Ultimately, they find the US offers unparalleled opportunities, but it is Colombia that provides the essential sense of humor and outlook, where “everybody is very happy,” and family and friends remain the most cherished parts of life.
