(Full of Life)
By Julie Canepa • Photos by Jessica McCafferty
You can feel the cheery energy rising inside The Pepper Mexican restaurant on City Hall Place in downtown Plattsburgh. It is a bright, sunny Friday afternoon signaling the kickoff of the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The patio is open and the restaurant’s waitstaff is at the ready.
The Pepper’s owner Susan Walker is wearing a yellow sweater and a welcoming smile. Walker and her husband, Doug, are excited to greet the multitude of friends and newcomers who will dine and drink at the establishment in the coming days. The iconic Mexican folk-art sun, made by local artist, Jim Golovach, is a focal point of The Pepper’s décor. It hangs from the restaurant’s chartreuse walls, smiling knowingly down on the dining area.
A Downtown Institution
Susan follows a long line of owners who have served Mexican cuisine to North Country folks from the spacious downtown location. In May of 2001, owner Robin Jenkins opened the restaurant under the name Chipotles. Five years later, the next owner, Mark Castro, changed the name to The Smoked Pepper. In 2011, then-owner Michelle Warren bestowed the community nickname on the establishment. She renamed it, simply, The Pepper.
Walker had a long history with The Pepper prior to taking ownership. She did a stint at the restaurant under each of the previous owners, working summers to bridge the gap left by her full-time job as a teaching assistant. Walker’s son, Luke, worked as a host and later a bartender under owner Michelle Warren.
Through the years, Walker’s family came to know and love the spot. “We have always come to The Pepper for all our family milestones,” Susan said. Their children have celebrated many birthdays at the restaurant. It was the perfect location for a bridal shower “fiesta” for the couple’s daughter.
Employee Turns Owner
Susan’s affection and connection with The Pepper ran deep. “I asked Michelle for first refusal if she ever decided to sell the restaurant.” She will never forget the day she received the call from Warren. “I was on the road, when she called and asked me if I still wanted to buy The Pepper. I immediately said, ‘Yes, we’ll buy it,’” she said. After she hung up, Doug asked her, “What did we just buy?!”
It is no secret that the restaurant industry can be one of the most challenging, even in a good economy. On October 26, 2020, six months into the COVID pandemic, Susan became the new owner of The Pepper. There were no precedents for what she was stepping into, but she dove right in.
Operating with a pared down kitchen staff, takeout became the key to the restaurant’s security. Gallons of margarita mix flew out the door, accompanied by The Pepper’s signature dishes. When the restaurant reopened, there were custom plexiglass dividers between tables to limit any impact on customers. Then, in early 2021, only months into her tenure as owner, a health emergency grounded Susan. She suffered a brain aneurysm, followed by a debilitating stroke. Fortunately, she has made a near-complete recovery.
If It Ain’t Broke…
Knowing the history of The Pepper and its client base gave Susan a huge advantage stepping into her new role. She exercised her creativity, making subtle changes to the dining room and décor. She added new tables and freshened the look while retaining the restaurant’s familiar Mexican flair. Friends from the restaurant bring her souvenirs from their travels to Mexico.
There were some things the Walkers knew were off limits to change. “You don’t mess with perfection,” said Doug, referring to the restaurant’s signature margaritas. Flavored margaritas are the bar’s top sellers. The strawberry margarita tops the charts, followed by raspberry. Coming in a surprising third is the exotic blood orange-flavored margarita.
Top shelf tequilas are the foundation of The Pepper’s margaritas. The House Margarita is made with Sauza Silver, the Cadillac Margarita is made with Cuervo Gold and, at the top of the list, the Rolls Royce Grand boasts Sauza Hornitos Reposada with Cointreau and Grand Marnier. Do you want sugar or salt on the rim?
The recipes for the comida, the food, range back to the kitchens of Freddie Ward, Mark Castro and Jaime Armstrong. The scratch-made salsa has a familiar hint of cumin, and the house-made tortilla chips are dusted with a spice mix made up of ground chiles, peppers and other spices. The taco and mini mixed plate, with choice of brisket or ground beef, is the hands down favorite.
The Walkers asked the kitchen staff to create a burrito bowl for the menu. It was an inspired move. It now comes in a hot second customer favorite. The Pepper’s go-to for dining in are the chile rellenos — poblano chiles stuffed with three cheese cream, topped with guajillo sauce and crema. “I am still eating my way through the menu,” said Doug.
The Walkers are proud to continue The Pepper’s longstanding relationship with local vendors like D&D Meats in West Chazy. Recently, cook Jeff Prenoveau sourced pretzel buns from downtown neighbor Red Oak Bakery & Larder in Plattsburgh to create a special jalapeno burger stuffed with queso cheese. Susan anticipates more local vendors will be featured in the kitchen’s specials in the coming months.
In The Kitchen
The restaurant industry was one of the hardest hit during COVID. Most employees that left did not return, which left a challenging outlook for hiring. Not so for The Pepper. “This year hiring has not been a problem,” said Doug, knocking on wood. “We have a supportive back of house including a kitchen manager and six cooks.”
Being fully staffed, will allow the Walkers to experiment with Sunday hours this summer. “It is hard to give up Sundays. That is the day set aside for family dinner,” explained Susan. She hopes it will rally other restaurants and stores in the downtown area to follow suit.
“Coming from a union background at the fire department, I understand how important time off is for recharging the staff’s batteries,” said Doug. With a fully staffed kitchen they can offer staff two days off each week while being open seven days a week.
A Familiar Face, Fun and Friendship
One person has been a permanent fixture at The Pepper through all four owners’ tenure. Glenn LaBarre has been behind the bar regularly for 22 years. “Everyone has been great,” said Glenn. “It’s a great place to work.” Over the years, Glenn has waited on many local families and their children. Now those children are grown, and they are bringing in their own kids. Nicknamed “Papacito,” the Walkers added a special margarita to the menu in honor of the 22-year veteran. The Papacito is made with One with Life organic tequila, Stirrings Ginger Liqueur and hot honey.
Visitors who stopped in the region for the solar eclipse in April got more than a once in a lifetime view of the path of totality. Inspired by the event, the Walkers created the Moon Marg, a house margarita with a single black moon-shaped ice cube. The specialty drink was enjoyed by patrons from Wisconsin, California, Hawaii, and Ireland to name a few. Visitors left with swag from The Pepper, bringing a little bit of the North Country back to distant locales.
A July promotion at The Pepper will feature the Walker’s son, Luke, as guest bartender on a t-shirt with the tag line, “May the Fourth be with you” — a pun on the famous phrase from the Star Wars franchise. Doug will be sporting a shirt emblazoned with “Luke, I Am Your Father.” And the bar will offer fluorescent straws in light saber tones.
The Pepper possesses a bit of a Cheers vibe, like the Boston bar in the old NBC sitcom: “Where everybody knows your name, and you’re always glad you came.” And with good reason. Many of the patrons have been coming back for years. Former staff members drop by often.
Susan does not rush through any of her customer interactions. She takes her time with each person, asking questions and taking time to listen. It is evident that she enjoys interacting with people. Doug believes his wife is skilled at knowing how to read people. “She thinks ‘What’s going to make it better? A smile? A drink?’” he said.
For Walker, her favorite part about owning The Pepper is the connections she has made. “With twelve tables, you get connected to the customers. I love my customers. Many of them have become my friends.”
The din of silverware clattering, icy drinks shaking in metal tumblers behind the bar, and laughter picks up. Susan flashes her signature smile. It is going to be a great weekend.
The Pepper
13 City Hall Place
Plattsburgh, NY
518-566-4688
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