Casa Azul Mexican Kitchen, Gastonia, Shelby, Lincolnton, and Conover, NC.

From a young age, Angel Zaragoza dreamed of building a legacy of high-end Mexican restaurants — something that would reflect his culture, his roots in Guanajuato, and above all, his personality.

He started by washing dishes and serving. At the age of 24, Angel became a manager. He was offered a partnership at 27 and then was able to buy the restaurant and opened Angel's Mexican Restaurant in Raleigh, N.C. Angel started the Casa Azul concept in 2020, but the beginning was very rough due to COVID. Despite the pandemic, his experience kept him going.

Eventually, Angel was able to go to a culinary arts school and then traveled to Atlanta and New York to work with other chefs, where he discovered he had his own passion for cooking. In his restaurants, Angel tries to offer the freshest ingredients and has created his own unique dishes and personalized bar drinks, as well.

He now has 4 locations in North Carolina — Gastonia, Shelby, Lincolnton, and Conover — and he's teaching his sons, Angel Jr. and Andres, the business. With the goal of continuing to grow and provide a unique experience, Angel remains infinitely grateful to God and to the people who have supported him.