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By Heather Murphy

Confitería Torres, the emblematic café where prominent politicians, artists and intellectuals gathered for over a century, reopens its doors. Reinvigorated by US$500,000 in restoration and the vision of new owners, this historical spot, which shut down for financial reasons two years ago, is on the path to becoming a lively center of cultural activity once again.

News of the closing of Confitería Torres in 2002 saddened all those familiar with the place. "How could such a culturally important space just die?" journalists, animators, artists, politicians, restaurant connoisseurs, and history buffs asked. For Chilean businessman Claudio Soto and his Italian wife Patricia Misseroni, "money" was not an acceptable answer; the café where presidents such as Arturo Alessandri had debated laws and writers such as Pablo Neruda had read their works had to be restored.

"My wife and I decided that we could not allow this to happen," says Soto, who resigned from his job at WH Smith, an English company, bought the place, and invested US$500,000 dollars in restorations so that it could again thrive as a cultural center.

Soto blames the "culture of the disposable" - a tendency to throw things away and forget the importance of historical places and figures - for the near loss of the café.

"We don't appreciate the historical, the older folks, and this is not the idea," he says solemnly. "I believe that we should take responsibility for our senior citizens, for our history, for our national heritage," he adds, his eyes tracing the elegant wood panels, the blue tiles, the pristine white table clothes of the newly renovated café, reopened just a week ago.

According to Jose Santos, one of the waiters, the café appears very different from before. Though he concedes that the place, with its new furniture and bar arrangement is looking "muy lindo" (very pretty), if you ask him about the history of the Torres, he will demand clarification - "the old one or the new one?"

Santos, who has been working at Torres for 44 years, does not seem convinced that the old café has been revived just yet. I don't blame him - the man who served ex-President Allende, current President Ricardo Lagos and "lots of Senators," is now, more often than not, serving regular folks like me. Not that he seems to mind.

With just a little probing, he shares tales of the "old" Café Torres: Before his time President Ramon Barros Luco (1910 - 1915) came by for a cheese and beef sandwich so often that it got put on the menu - now its a Chilean classic (ask for a Barros Luco anywhere and they will know exactly what you want). Just three years ago, Monday was Mariachi night, Friday was tango night, and in between there were "enough varieties of live music to please anyone."

Staff members such as Santos, whose tenure spans numerous owners and decades, connect old to new, even better than the elegant black and white photos of old-Santiago on the wall.

The café was born in 1879 when Jose Domingo Torres, a chef highly esteemed by aristocratic families, decided that rather than prepare food in other peoples' kitchens, he would bring them to his own. His restaurant, originally on the corner of Ahumada and Huerfanos, quickly became a favorite meeting place of writers and politicians.

In 1904, the café moved to its current location on Alameda near the intersection with Dieciocho, the heart of what was at this time one of Santiago's most upscale neighborhoods. In part, due to its proximity to a church attended by aristocrats, Torres became a central part of Chilean high society life; if you had never been to Café Torres, you were not truly "cultured."

Café Torres' period of decadence continued for several decades. Prestige was lost, however, as wealthy families moved away from the surrounding area and lower class folks moved in.

In 1959, Bartolome Alomar bought the Torres with the hope of restoring it to its former splendor. A few renovations and shrewd business moves later, the politicians and intellectuals were back.

In the 1970s, under the direction of Aliro Vega, Los Torres became a center of bohemian life. Musicians from around the world played as writers read their poetry and great thinkers discussed their theories. One hundred years after his birth, the Torres was as lively and respected as ever.

The good times did not last. Even with figures such as President Ricardo Lagos stopping by to drink cappuccinos, the old prestige - and consequently the profits -disappeared. In 2002, owner Jaime Vergas gave up.

Soto, like previous Torres owners/visionaries, has grand plans for the café. Jazz performances, book signings, poetry readings, and expositions are to be included in this "gastronomic-cultural project."

In conjunction with the Chilean North American Institute, Soto is organizing a Pablo Neruda cycle - readings of the famous Chilean poets' works in English. "Really we are open to all types of initiatives," says Soto, which means that if you have a superb idea, speak up.

Soto encourages foreigners to stop buy and experience this important piece of Chilean cultural heritage. As you sip your "cortado," consider that in that exact spot presidents, prize-winning writers, and famous musicians have also done the same.

Café Torres is located at 1570 Alameda, near the corner with Dieciocho (Metro Los Heroes or Metro La Moneda). Breakfast, lunch, dinner, as well as coffee and cocktails are available throughout the week.