{"id":273053,"date":"2026-06-21T10:22:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-21T10:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/273053\/"},"modified":"2026-06-21T10:22:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-21T10:22:08","slug":"i-love-paraguay-queens-restaurant-celebrates-victory-over-turkiye","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/273053\/","title":{"rendered":"I Love Paraguay: Queens Restaurant Celebrates Victory Over T\u00fcrkiye"},"content":{"rendered":"

For Ismael Roman, co-owner of I Love Paraguay<\/a>, the World Cup has been \u201can emotional rollercoaster\u201d. The restaurant, one of the Paraguayan establishments in Queens, New York, has become a gathering place for fans navigating both the heartbreak of Paraguay\u2019s 4\u20131 loss to the USA and the joy of their 1\u20130 victory over T\u00fcrkiye. \u201cWe are getting people from all over the country who want to experience Paraguay, through our food, our drinks, and our atmosphere,\u201d Roman tells The Asunci\u00f3n Times.<\/p>\n

Match days in Queens<\/p>\n

The match against the USA brought mixed emotions for many Paraguayans living abroad. \u201cWe Paraguayans living in the United States have double love, for Paraguay and for the USA. It was not really a loss; it was a win for another team we also love,\u201d Roman reflects.<\/p>\n

The victory over T\u00fcrkiye, however, was a very different scene. \u201cEverybody was enjoying a nice cold beer, screaming Paraguay, flying their flags around the restaurant. People were even dancing and taking off all their shirts and just twisting them around. The atmosphere was great.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now the focus is on Paraguay\u2019s decisive clash against Australia on 25 June 2026. Roman says the restaurant is already preparing for another packed night. \u201cWe are expecting to win the next game for us to go into the next bracket and continue. We hope things go very well with the team and they can continue moving forward into the next steps.\u201d<\/p>\n

A home for Paraguayans abroad<\/p>\n

Beyond football, I Love Paraguay has become an important cultural space for Paraguayans in New York. Roman believes the restaurant helps represent a community that is often overlooked in the city\u2019s diverse landscape.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are one of the smallest communities in New York from Paraguay. Not a lot of people know about Paraguay, but I think we are representing it very well.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also recalls being recognised by the Queens Chamber of Commerce. \u201cFor maybe 15 years before, nobody knew about Paraguay\u2026 now Paraguay is being recognised, and the FIFA World Cup is a big push for other communities to know where Paraguay is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Food, beer, and Paraguayan pride<\/p>\n

The restaurant\u2019s menu remains rooted in tradition. Dishes such as sopa paraguaya, parrillada for two, and empanadas continue to be crowd favourites. But Roman has also added his own touch through a locally crafted beer inspired by Paraguay.<\/p>\n

\u201cI decided to go to Paraguay, study a little bit of how it is made, what hops and seeds they use. When I came back, I had an idea of creating our own beer.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the World Cup, the beer was even dressed in Paraguay\u2019s jersey, becoming part of the celebrations inside the restaurant. Roman hopes the tournament\u2019s visibility will create opportunities beyond this year\u2019s competition. \u201cI hope with this World Cup we can actually continue expanding ourselves and maybe continue being hopefully an official partner of Paraguay when they play anywhere. Now that we are getting the exposure from the World Cup\u2026 it will be great that eventually one day we can actually be part of it as a sponsor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paraguay\u2019s colours in New York<\/p>\n

As Paraguay advances through the tournament, places like I Love Paraguay<\/a> show how football can unite communities far from home. In the middle of Queens, red-and-white flags, cold beer, and Paraguayan food have turned one family restaurant into a small embassy of Albirroja passion.<\/p>\n

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