DiChickO’s Peri Peri Café

Little Peri Peri peppers travel all the way from South Africa to the plates and palates of Augustans right on Washington Road – and our taste buds say “Thanks, DiChickO’s!” 

Lucio and Heather DiCicco (Lucio is from Johannesburg, South Africa, and Heather’s from right here in Augusta) left safe, well-paying jobs as accountants in Atlanta to take a chance on getting their special Peri Peri Pepper sauces onto the global map – creating a wholesale company and a café in the process. 

Lucio missed Peri Peri chicken, a dish as popular in South Africa as pulled pork barbecue is here in Georgia.  He and Heather spent several years creating an all-natural version of Lucio’s hometown favorite. The DiCiccos use lemon – actually, the entire lemon, zest and all – to preserve their sauces and give them extra zing and all the vitamins found in pulverizing the whole lemon.  When the sauce recipes ready to roll out, the couple moved to Augusta.

Heather took over managing the Augusta store her grandparents “Red” and Dorothy Hanson began 30 years ago: New Life Natural Foods in Fairway Square on Washington Road. Then, she and Lucio opened DiChickO’s Peri Peri Café inside New Life, combining the uniqueness of their original sauces with organic and all-natural menu options. 

“We’re trying to make eating healthy, not seem weird” says Heather. The DiChickO's cafe serves a variety of soups, sandwiches, salads, quesadillas, and flaps (grilled wraps), plus smoothies and Wow Cow frozen yogurt. Heather and her cafe crew are preparing to fire up a new menu featuring 12 items under 400 calories each. Complete nutritional information on each menu item can be found on DiChickO’s website – look for the beach umbrella icons; they indicate the under 400 calorie meals.

Perinaise (Peri Peri marinade with mayo or veganaise) is a customer favorite which gives a flavorful kick to veggies, rice, and cream-based dishes. The DiCiccos don’t bottle it – yet. Lucio has been developing the wholesale side for their eight varieties of the bottled Peri Peri Sauce. The product is now in stores across America, including Fresh Market, Winn Dixie, Earth Fare, Harris Teeters, and Whole Foods. Local businesses like Nacho Mamas serve DiChickO’s sauces as condiments; countries like Turkey, England, and Canada are importing this Augusta-made specialty. 

To promote both sauce and café, Heather developed an innovated marketing technique to brand the logo of “Larry,” the DiChickO chicken. Customers who display a car window sticker emblazoned with the “Larry” icon receive a free lunch the first Wednesday of each month. DiChickO’s Café also begin “Dinner and a Movie” this month with a film about reversing the effects of diabetes, showing in their newly expanded dining area.  

DiChickO’s Peri Peri Café is open Monday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Café is located in New Life Natural Foods at Fairway Square, 2825 Washington Road. Details: 706.737.8805. 

Follow their daily specials on Facebook and Twitter. 

DICHICKOS.COM | NEWLIFEAUGUSTA.COM