Food has always been the central theme in Alba Navarro’s life, and she fondly remembers the smell of the meatballs when helping to make albondigas soup in her family’s kitchen at a young age. Soup is now on the menu for her small business, Sopas Perico, which she founded in early 2023. Born in Mexico City, she often came to Coronado on vacation, until one day 10 years ago, she and her husband decided to move here, where his parents lived.
Growing up, her parents owned a food company and taco shops, so she always found herself busy with jobs. Her background is in interior design, communication, and television and magazine advertising sales.
She remembers how her friends always wanted to come to her home growing up, where there was an abundance of flavorful food made by her mom and grandmothers. The youngest in her family, with one brother now a chef, she’s carried on that love of cooking. Today, as the busy mom of three boys — an eight-year-old and seven-year-old twins — she counts them as her best taste testers.
Moving far from home was a big transition because she was used to always having many friends and family at the house, but she has embraced the Coronado community. She smiles as she says she loves the bay and the ocean, and has traded in her high heels for flip flops.
During the pandemic she started cooking and regularly FaceTimed with her family to gather the family recipes. For her soups, she doesn’t strictly follow recipes but rather goes by instinct to get the flavors simmered to perfection. The idea to start the business was on her mind for several years, and one day while cooking lentil soup, she decided to go for it. With her husband Daniel’s help, two days later she launched Sopas Perico. The name, which literally translates to soup parrot, is a clever take on the Mexican Spanish expression for “Oh, My! That’s unbelievable!” And that is how you’ll feel when you taste her homemade healthy soups. The clever logo features a parrot wearing a Coronado crown sitting atop a bowl of savory soup.
Her extensive options include Green or Red Chicken or Pork Pozole, Gazpacho, Cucumber, Vegetable, Lentil, Chicken Noodle, Mexican Beef, Albondigas, Black Bean, Tomato, Broccoli Cheddar, Potato, Chili and Cheese, Vegetable, Chicken Tortilla, Creamy Corn, Creamy Carrot, Street Corn Soup, and Caldo Tlalpeño, which is a spicy, yet sweet popular soup whose origin story is that the King of Mexico asked his chefs to make to cure a hangover. The almost endless list also includes a soup which she calls Vitamin C, packed with anti-inflammatory ingredients; and seasonal offerings such as Butternut Squash Soup and Lasagna Soup.
The hearty soups can be customized to accommodate dietary needs. Soups last up to a week in the refrigerator and freeze well. Prices range from $10 to $20 for a 32-ounce container, and she also offers an 86-ounce size upon request.
With a menu that changes every Saturday, Alba is always coming up with new ideas and checks the weather to see which soups will be good for the week, perhaps a gazpacho or a spicy pozole. When she makes her pozole, she starts at 6 am and then tends to it until it is ready at approximately 10 pm. With free delivery, she will bring soup anywhere in the Village and Cays for free. She laughs as she shares that in Mexico, they eat hot soup even on the hottest days. I can vouch for the deliciousness and freshness of her gazpacho and I’m just getting started on trying the other flavors.
Her boys’ favorite soup is the lentil, while her husband loves every flavor profile, and she is partial to albondigas. “I want my kids to grow up with healthy and good tasting food, and want to share that with others,” Alba shares and emphasizes that the adage, “Full stomach, happy heart,” rings true, as she is constantly in the kitchen preparing something. Her kids’ friends’ parents are always surprised when they discover that she convinced them to eat homemade tomato soup.
Many regular clients order for themselves and as gifts for friends who have a new baby, illness, or a nice surprise. Cooking in the evening after her family goes to bed is her peaceful, quiet time, and she finds her problems melt away in the kitchen. Focusing on making soups delicious, she uses only natural ingredients with no preservatives.
Thanking the community for continued support, Alba remarks that she looks forward to bringing comfort one bowl of soup at a time. For details and to order, visit @sopasperico92118 on Instagram or Tik Tok, or the website sopasperico92118.com where you’ll find 20% off your first order.
Is there a location address to pick the soups up in person ?
Sopas Perico 92118 is hands down the best spot in Coronado for delicious, healthy, and comforting soups. Every bowl is packed with fresh ingredients, rich flavors, and a homemade touch that makes you feel cared for with every sip.
A special shoutout to Alba Navarro – without a doubt the best cook in Coronado, CA when it comes to crafting the healthiest and most flavorful soups. Her passion for cooking and dedication to quality shine through in every recipe. If you’re looking for a place that delivers both taste and wellness, Sopas Perico 92118 is a must-try! Check them out on Instagram: @sopasperico92118 or visit their site at sopasperico92118.com for menus & ordering.
I can honestly say Sopas Perico makes the best soups in the world! Every bowl feels like home—warm, comforting, and full of flavor—but at the same time, the taste is so refined and exquisite. Alba always delivers with the kindest smile, and you can feel the love she puts into every detail. I’ve tried many soups, but nothing compares to these. Sopas Perico is truly something special, and once you try it, you’ll never forget it! 🍲💛