Cannon Fodder Spotlight

By Anthony Conroy - August 2025

One of Brookline’s newest businesses is looking to make its mark as a destination for Venezuelan street food, and so far so good. Jose Moreno, 32, and his family are operating Pepito’s Place at 919 Brookline Boulevard in the space previously occupied by Hank’s Too. Moreno, who opened Pepito’s about a year ago, said he is offering street food with a
slightly American twist and is staying true to the best tradition of his hometown of Valencia, Carabobo state, on the northern coast of Venezuela.

“We will offer three signature sauces that are found in street food in Venezuela,” said Moreno, adding that each begins life with a homemade mayonnaise base. From there, Moreno said one of the sauces has a garlic and cilantro flavor, another is corn, and the third is a savory bacon sauce. “Every street food in Venezuela, you’ll 100-percent find
those,” he said.

The street food includes Venezuelan hot dogs — or asquerositos — cheeseburgers and arepas, a type of stuffed flatbread. The restaurant also features the pepito, which is a hallmark of Carabobo. The pepito has its roots in Spain, but Venezuela’s takes it to the next level, and Pepito’s Place is no different, stuffing a Breadworks hoagie roll with
steak, chicken breast, bacon, corn, shredded cheddar, sauces and potato sticks.

“It’s a favorite from our area of Venezuela and why we named it Pepito’s,” Moreno said. ‘It’s food that brings people together.” Moreno, who would ultimately like to franchise Pepito’s Place in other parts of Allegheny County, said he’s happy — albeit a bit cramped — at his current location, which is his first brick-and-mortar restaurant.
“I like Brookline a lot,” Moreno said. “In the beginning, it was a little slow for us, but it has picked up. The community has been really supportive, and we’re even getting customers from Fox Chapel, Monroeville, and even West Virginia. It’s nice here because of conveniences like a pharmacy, bakery and the hispanic grocery store.

Pepito’s Place is open six days a week, from 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 5-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.