About Us

"Bogota Bistro is a bright and colorful place, much like Latin America, which is precisely the idea," said George Constantinou, who, with partner, Farid Ali, owns the Brooklyn restaurant, Bogota Latin Bistro. As the long lines of hopeful diners on Friday and Saturday evenings streaming out onto the sidewalk waiting for a table will attest, the restaurant has established itself as a neighborhood favorite.

"We are extremely proud of what we have created. It's an incredible restaurant," said Farid Ali. "The story of Bogota Latin Bistro is one of determination, discipline, faith and a lot of hard work. We are very proud of what we have created. Please stop by, have a drink, enjoy an empanada or two, and say hello. Bogota Bistro is a tribute to our mother's cooking as well as to our travels throughout latin america and all the wonderful food we discovered and fell in love with along the way."

Bogota is spacious and sunlit and seats approximately 70. The restaurant boasts hardwood floors and exposed brick. The industrial-chic decor is softened with colorful murals and artwork "a tribute After three years of consistent planning, owners Farid Ali (part Colombian) and George Constantinou (part Costa Rican) infuse some color into Park Slope with Bogota Bistro, which opened its doors in July of 2005, to foodies in Park Slope.

A few years back, George Constantinou, then an aspiring restaurateur, attended a "how to" workshop on opening and running a business conducted by The Workshop In Business Opportunities ("WIBO"). The course assisted them in creating a business plan for what was to become Bogota Bistro.Upon graduation 16 weeks later, both Ali and Constantinou attended the Brooklyn Business Library's entrepreneurial fair and learned about the library's annual business-plan competition, PowerUP!. Sponsored by Citigroup Foundation, entrants attended classes on topics like creating a business plan, budgeting and marketing and then submit a plan

In late 2003, Mr. Constantinou and his partner, Farid Ali, who spent hours at the library mining databases, took home the top prize: $10,000 in cash and $10,000 in services. While it certainly wasn't enough money to open up the restaurant, winning the competition from amongst a field of almost 300 applicants validated the vision they had for their restaurant.  it took two years to raise the necessary capital and to secure the space along what the New York Times called "Brooklyn's hot dining destination strip", Fifth Avenue in Park Slope Brooklyn. During that time, the determined entrepreneurs attended numerous seminars and workshops that covered topics such as opening and running a successful business, how to raise capital and the means by which to secure a negotiate a favorable lease. "A number of these events were free," says Ali. "I became aware of just how much information is out there for almost little cost, if not free, to assist entrepreneurs with opening up a business. Our free time was spent attending anything and everything we could and networking, handing out our business cards and collecting them too."

Ali and Constantinou collected up to 1,000 email addresses prior to even signing a lease. "We kept our network in the loop of our progress."

With little fanfare other than an e-mail blast sent out the prior week, on July 5th of 2005, Bogota Latin Bistro finally opened its doors. "We were mobbed that first day with lines out the door. It was both the scariest and most exciting moment of our lives," both say. "Almost everything that could have gone wrong that night did and boy did we learn a lot. Looking back on that first night, we can laugh about it now."

Not only are they still laughing about that first night, they continue to laugh, having created what has already become a landmark destination spot in Brooklyn.

"We get compliments about the food, drinks and service all the time," says Farid, "but the greatest compliment I received came from a customer who's been living in this neighborhood for 35 years. She said to me on her way out, "What you've brought here and done for this community is really incredible. Thank you so much. It's wonderful."

"It doesn't get better than that for me."