Vinton has yet another new business to celebrate. The “Farmburguesa” restaurant will be opening in March on Pollard Street in the former Angelo’s location.

Owners Jimmy Delgado and Kat Pascal are bringing their take on food sourced from local farmers to the Vinton area.

They plan to be open for lunch and dinner every day except Sunday. Their establishment will seat 17 diners, with plans in the works for patio dining as well.

Delgado and Pascal say they plan to keep their menu simple with burgers, fries, and a drink for under $10. Their goal is to offer healthy food at affordable prices– realizing that oftentimes locally-sourced restaurants are more expensive.

“Good food and good customer service” is their goal from the first day, says Delgado.

They will offer five or six chef’s choice burgers; however, customers will also be able to build their own burgers– one patty or two– with selected cheeses (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, and possibly habanero), and other toppings.

A top priority is to purchase their beef from local farmers– fresh, not frozen, along with local bacon, bread, cheeses, and other ingredients. They say they have gotten a great response from local farms and other local food services eager to do business with them.

Their eye-catching logo was designed by locally owned Smith Creative and incorporates their vision for Farmburguesa with “farm to table burgers.”

“I was looking for imagery that really grasps the natural feel of a farm-to-table restaurant in a way that made it feel like organic, local food sources are the way it’s meant to be,” said Nick Smith. “The life of the cow and vine gives a sense of organic order and show a balance that only nature can provide, while feeling familiar and local.”

The “Farmburguesa” name is a play on words developed from the Spanish “hamburguesa” for “hamburger.”

While they will be serving a different style of food, Delgado and Pascal emphasize that they plan to keep the ambiance and warmth with the family and community atmosphere Angelo’s was known for.

Delgado was born in Elizabeth, N.J. When he was 3 years old, his family moved to Colombia in South America and returned to the United States when he was 17. He attended Patrick Henry High School, lived for a time in Los Angles (too expensive, he says), spent a year in Raleigh, and then came back to Roanoke to stay.

He has worked in several restaurants with jobs ranging from dishwasher to cook to assistant manager with the dream always of opening his own restaurant.

Delgado and Kat met through mutual friends and begin dating. She was born in the Roanoke area to second-generation Colombian immigrants, grew up in Vinton, and attended William Byrd. They have two sons, ages 5 and 6.

In 2011, they decided to open a commercial cleaning business, Spotless America, which they intend to maintain as their “bread and butter” business, Delgado says. He left a job at Wells Fargo in 2015 to run the cleaning business full time; Pascal joined him in 2016 because business was booming, and he needed her help. Delgado says they are grateful that their success with Spotless America has given them the flexibility to make their restaurant dream a reality.

The couple is in the process of completely renovating the building they are leasing for Farmburguesa– from electrical to plumbing to ductwork, restrooms, ceilings, and lighting. The griddle will remain where it has been for 30 years– behind the counter– so that diners can watch their meals being prepared.

Delgado says that a friend told him the space was available in Vinton and he fell in love with it as soon as he saw it.

Pascal says the Town of Vinton has done everything possible to welcome them to the town and to support their new business venture from their very first contact in getting their business license. They say Vinton is the ideal location for a new business because of that support.

They have also been enthusiastically welcomed by the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce, and joined the Gauntlet Business Program with The Advancement Foundation in Vinton, which has classes currently in session.

Pascal says she signed up for the Gauntlet with their Spotless America business in mind to build her expertise in franchising and licensing, hoping to make it a nationwide brand. She has marketing responsibilities for both the cleaning business and the restaurant.

The couple plans on having four employees who will work two at a time, one as a cook and one as server, on a rotating schedule for the six days they are open each week.

Pascal says that they are aiming for a rustic décor and are scouting for antiques and primitives to give the restaurant that “local, homey feel.”

They plan on a soft opening, which will extend over several days. Given that they have a small space, Delgado wants to avoid overcrowding and disappointed customers. The plan he has in development is to use their Facebook page (@Farmburguesa) to email coupons to potential customers good for certain dates as the restaurant opens initially, so as not to run out of food or seating space.

The couple quickly joined the Chamber of Commerce and plan a ribbon-cutting for their official opening.

Other than locally grown foods, Farmburguesa will bring another unique concept to the Vinton area– they will accept payment in bitcoin, in addition to cash, debit, and credit.

They quote Roanoke lawyer and businessman Chris Desimone who uses bitcoin in his small firm, “I know the world is not caught up to digital currency yet, but I do believe it’s the direction it’s going. We’re not expecting a big boost in business or anything, but I do believe underlying block chain technology is the way of the future.”

Delgado and Pascal welcome feedback on their new venture on their Facebook page @Farmburguesa and have proven very responsive to comments and suggestions received thus far.

Farmburguesa is located at 303 South Pollard Street in downtown Vinton next door to the Municipal Building and across Pollard from the Vinton Library.