Carlos Vargas talks chicken, fishing and getting to know his neighbors on South High Street.
Carlos Vargas keeps a fishing pole in his car. When he passes water and has a little time, he says, he can pull over and see what’s biting. Ocean, bay, stream: he’s happy to take his chances.
“Anywhere, anywhere there’s water, I’ll catch a fish,” he says.
It’s a useful thing to know about the owner of West Chester Chicken, especially if you’re looking for something to talk about while deciding what to order. A conversation with Carlos can move from mac and cheese to mountain biking, then back to the businesses down the street. He has plenty to say about the town where he’s finally opened a chicken shop of his own.
At 34 South High Street (between Market St & West Miner St), his menu includes tender platters, chicken sandwiches, loaded fries and mac-and-cheese bowls. Students have taken to the loaded dishes, he says, particularly combinations involving chicken, bacon and ranch. The late-night crowd has found him. Now he’d like more families, residents and people who work in town to get acquainted with the place during lunch and dinner.
“We like what we do here, and we would like to have people come visit us, families, students,” he says.
The chicken idea began in Kennett Square. Carlos had been running a barbecue restaurant, but, as he tells it, the business wasn’t doing enough to continue after COVID. When he spoke with his landlord about leaving, the landlord reminded him that he’d originally considered two ideas for the space: barbecue or chicken. Why not try the other one?
He did. Kennett Chicken took off, and West Chester became the second location for his chicken concept. Finding a small space at a workable rent took time. He didn’t need a large dining room to do what he wanted, and the smaller storefronts he liked weren’t easy to come by. South High Street put him along the path of people moving through downtown, a location he appreciates when the evening crowd passes by.
Now that he’s here, he has good things to say about the neighbors. Ask who has been welcoming, and he mentions Bryn Mawr Running Company, Kati Mac Floral Designs, the West Chester Barbershop and A Taste of Olive among others. He talks about other business owners sending customers his way and stopping in themselves.
“It’s a great street, really. Really, really welcoming,” he says.
Carlos has his own suggestions for where to spend time around town. He likes visiting his friends Joe and Margaret at The Mediterranean Restaurant & Bakery, and recommends stopping in. There’s also his favorite pecan twist at Yori’s Church Street Bakery. For a date night with his wife, he likes Bar Avalon or dolce Zola.
When asked what West Chester might be missing, Carlos says he’d love to see an Indian restaurant in town. He remembers a Gay Street restaurant he enjoyed and misses having a similar option nearby. The idea even gets him thinking about a casual, build-your-own version, with a choice of curries and rice.
When he can get outside, he enjoys mountain biking at Harmony Hill. And, of course, he fishes whenever he can. He’s interested in little fish, big fish and even crabs; the opportunity to catch something is enough to get his attention.
His support for the community includes sports. Carlos says he sponsors a West Side Little League team and the West Chester University rugby team. He also pays attention to how other restaurants connect with people. He thinks Pizza 316 is doing a great job with community engagement, particularly through social media and giveaways. He likes how those efforts give people a reason to visit, and says their great food backs them up.
He’s also thinking about how a restaurant can help feed people beyond its own customers. Asked about causes he cares about, Carlos gets straight to hunger. He says he donates 3,500 pounds of chicken in Kennett Square each year and donates potatoes to the West Chester Food Cupboard. He likes the idea of keeping a visible tally of the food donated over a year, so people can see how the pounds add up.
“I like to attack hunger,” he says.
Back at the shop, he’s figuring out how to make West Chester Chicken part of more people’s routines. The family crowd is already familiar to him from Kennett, where he says the business has a different rhythm. In West Chester, he’s been pleasantly surprised by the students, whom he describes as happy, funny and generally great customers. There’s room in his plans for both groups, along with the people who live nearby or spend their workdays downtown.
What he wants from a first visit is straightforward: a chance for someone to try the food and decide to come back. He talks about making familiar food carefully, enjoying the work and welcoming whoever walks in. And if the conversation wanders away from chicken, there’s always that fishing pole.
“I want this to be a place for everybody right now,” he says.
Visit West Chester Chicken: 34 South High Street, West Chester. Business details and ordering
Get in touch with Carlos
Email Carlos at wcchicken@yahoo.com if you’d like to:
- Have an office lunch catered
- Arrange food for a team meal, family gathering or other event
- Talk about a collaboration with your West Chester business
Interviewed October 5, 2026