Explore all the Latin American countries one delicious bite at a time with our massive sampler of some of the best family-friendly Hispanic restaurants in New York City
Whether you or anyone in your family has a Latinx background or not, you can still celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15. How? By eating your way through the delicious cuisines of the Latin American countries, for starters! Latinx New Yorkers have definitely left their mark on the city, featuring some of the most family-friendly digs and delectable dishes in NYC. Some of these Latinx-owned restaurants use abuelita’s recipes, while others literally have grandmothers cooking up a storm in the back.
We’ve curated some of the most highly-rated restaurants with authentic Hispanic food, we’ve restricted ourselves to only choosing one or two per country of origin, and we didn’t even begin to dive into fusion—we’ll leave that up to you! All that to say: This is only scratching the surface of the wonderful world of authentic Latin American cuisine available in New York City, so head out there and explore!
The Best Argentinian Restaurants in New York
Buenos Aires
Eating at this woman- and Argentinian-owned restaurant is like stepping into the streets of Buenos Aires. The menu is vast, ranging from seafood to salads to panqueque de dulce de leche (crepes filled with caramelized condensed milk), but the real must-order is the steak and other beef dishes. All the beef served here is imported from Argentina, which means it’s grass-fed and free of hormones and antibiotics for a meat that’s hard to match.
And if you wish you could take some home, you can: Uncooked beef, chorizo, and other meats are available for purchase from the restaurant’s butcher shop (you can also buy the meat online—along with a selection of other delicious Argentinian products). Stop by on Saturday or Sunday from 12-4 p.m. for a fixed-price brunch!
513 E 6th St.
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Online: buenosairesnyc.com
La Esquina Criolla
Established in 2003, La Esquina Criolla is another great spot for high-quality Argentinian meats and other lunch and dinner staples from the country, including traditionally cooked seafood and loaded sandwiches. Of course, you can also choose a meal from the grill—literally, as you can see the meats being grilled to perfection—or get the parrillada, a mixed plate of shirt steak, short ribs, kidney, sweetbread, and sausage. There’s sure to be a winner in there for every member of the family. Argentinian wine makes the perfect accompaniment for the adults (the kids have a wide selection of sodas to choose from, including Inca Cola, which is sure to become a new favorite). You can also purchase raw meat to cook at home.
94-67 Corona Ave.
Elmhurst, Queens
Online: laesquinacriolla.nyc
The Best Bolivian Restaurants in New York
Bolivian Llama Party
The fun and colorful name is a hint to this restaurant’s atmosphere (currently, as far as we can tell, the only Bolivian eatery in NYC). Bolivian Llama Party sports the colors of the Bolivian flag, indoor and outdoor seating, and a menu chock-full of Bolivian specialties. A definite must-try are the salteñas, a small savory treat somewhere between a soup dumpling and an empanada. The menu is as appealing to kids as adults, featuring excellent fries, chola sandwiches with meat, salsa, and pickled veggies, the wonderfully nutty sopa de Maní, and much more to choose from (including ice cream!).
If you fall in love with the salteñas or the gluten-free cheese bread cunapes, you can buy both frozen to take home and follow the instructions on the website to prepare them. And be on the lookout for the restaurant’s cheeky “Deflation Specials,” where a choice menu item is placed on sale for $10 because, as the site says, “I can’t seem to eat anything for $10 these days.”
44-14 48th Ave.
Sunnyside, Queens
Online: blp.nyc
The Best Chilean Restaurants in New York
Dulceria
Do you have a sweet tooth? This Chilean bakery is sure to hit the spot. The tasty creations here are as beautiful as they are delicious and rich. These are treats that may seem familiar—like thousand layer cake and sandwich cookies—with a Chilean twist thanks to the addition of lucuma cream (a South American fruit) or dulce de leche sandwiched between different kinds of cookies, from ones that melt in your mouth to crunchy and airy ones.
Although you might come for the desserts, stay for the empanadas, which are more expensive than usual but much larger and more filling than your typical empanadita. Other savory options include sandwiches with different kinds of bread like amasado, which is made with lard.
2220 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
Harlem, Manhattan
Online: dulcerianyc.com
Empanada Mia
You can get your empanada craving filled at Empanada Mia, where the large dough pockets are loaded with meat, chicken, mushroom, cheese, and some less expected ingredients like hardboiled egg, olives, and bacon. The recipes are special to Empanada Mia, including the Chilean beef empanada, which is touted to be “grandmother’s recipe.” Don’t miss out on the pastel de choclo (“corn pie”), a traditional Chilean dish that’s a bit like cornbread but made with beef and sweet corn. Empanada Mia is a five-minute walk from the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum, making it perfect for a post-museum fix.
612 W 46th St.
Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan
Online: empanadamia.dine.online
The Best Colombian Restaurants in New York
Colombia in Park Slope
This Colombian restaurant features hearty homemade meals with no frills. Snack on some cheese and corn arepas—a kind of flat corn bread—with a beef of your choice (or not!) while you decide on your main meal. There are a number of house specials that all sound equally appetizing: There’s grilled steak in a special house-recipe sauce, pork chops marinated in tamarind sauce, and the picada Colombiana (a mixed platter consisting of chunks of steak pork, chorizo, cassava, and more), to name just a few. Most dishes are accompanied by rice, beans, salad, and either fried plantains or cassava (aka yucca) fries. As a bonus, the restaurant has a beautiful and cozy patio out back.
376 5th Ave.
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Online: colombiany.com
Arepa Lady
Maria Piedad Cano, the original Arepa Lady, got her start as a street vendor. Her sons have continued her legacy with a physical space that continues to serve the same traditional Colombian fare that their mother peddled, only now you can sit in the charming restaurant while you enjoy your meal. Of course, the Arepa Lady still focuses on her namesake by presenting a pretty massive selection of arepas, including gluten-free and vegetarian options, as well as chicken, shredded beef, sirloin, pork belly, and sausage for unbeatable prices. But you’ll also find more fun choices on the menu, like patacones (fried plantain with avocado) and picada (a mixed meat platter).
If the Jackson Heights location is a bit far for you to travel, there’s a small takeout spot located in the Dekalb Market Hall at 445 Gold St. in Brooklyn.
77-17 37th Ave.
Jackson Heights, Queens
Online: facebook.com
The Best Cuban Restaurants in New York
Cuba
This incredibly stylish and popular Cuban restaurant aims to recreate a piece of Old Havana in the middle of NYC. Entering the space feels like walking onto a Cuban street, with brick walls, brightly colored shutters, paintings hanging on the walls, beautiful plants to bring a pop of color, and the odd prop like a guitar thrown in here and there for effect. You can even catch live music on Thursday nights to complete your transportation out of New York.
The menu has plenty of authentic Cuban dishes to choose from like sopa de ajiaco (a traditional Cuban soup loaded with chicken, beef, pork, and veggies), ropa vieja (literally “old clothes” which is tastier than it sounds with shredded skirt steak in special salsa), oxtail, fish, and much more. Those of legal drinking age may want to check out the drinks menu, which has an extensive list of cocktails, wines, and rums from all over the world with a special focus on Latin American booze. Stop by on Saturday and Sunday between 12-4 p.m. for fixed-rate brunch and unlimited drinks for the adults.
222 Thompson St.
Greenwich Village, Manhattan
Online: cubanyc.com
Rincon Criollo
The Rincon Criollo has been bringing the tastes of Havana to NYC since 1976 — and since the 50s in Cuba. The checkered red tablecloths add a pop of color and playfulness to the space while the walls burst with memories in the form of framed photographs and paintings. Meals consist of hearty dishes with a focus on meats and beans, like the lechon asado (roast pork with raw onions) and the rabo encendido (stewed oxtail). The restaurant also offers appetizers, sandwiches, and seafood — and if you opt for a seafood mix platter, be forewarned that everything is made fresh and your order will take about an hour to cook. Save room for dessert! You’ll want to try the flan de leche (caramel custard), and you can never go wrong with tres leches cake.
40-09 Junction Blvd.
Elmhurst, Queens
Online: rincon-criollo.com
The Best Dominican Republic Restaurants in New York
Ajo y Oregano
Started by three brothers who grew up in the Dominican Republic, Ajo y Oregano (“Garlic and Oregano”) is as close to the country as you can get from the streets of NYC. In this case, we’re being literal: The space is designed and decorated to look like a country home in DR. The green paint job and bright pink windows invite you in, while the multicolored wood slat walls, mural, and pink ceiling beams inside make you want to stay forever.
The menu rotates daily, focusing on different specials each day of the week. Dishes are seasoned with custom mixes and prepared lovingly by the owners’ two aunts, and you can, of course, find many Dominican traditional recipes in the mix. For a real taste of DR, try the mondongo, a tripe-based soup, or the churrasco, grilled skirt steak paired with pico de gallo and chimichurri. This is a popular restaurant that tends to get crowded on weekends, so visit on a weekday if you can.
1556 White Plains Rd.
Parkchester, Bronx
Online: ajoyoregano.com
Mamajuana Cafe
With four locations around the city (and more outside of it), Mamajuana is no stranger to serving a good meal. Each spot is just as cozy — and as delicious — as the last. The restaurant was founded by chef Ricardo Cardona and features Nuevo Latino cuisine that’s strongly influenced by Dominican cuisines. The dishes take traditional Dominican recipes and kick them up a notch with a modern twist and an eye-catching presentation.
Try the seafood, which includes a seafood paella with lobster, shrimp, calamari, and more, or opt for one of the non-seafood options like pechuga rellena — chicken breast stuffed with Dominican sausage and various veggies and greens. While Latin American cuisine is pretty heavy on the meat dishes, Mamajuana does offer a vegetarian plate with garlic spinach, rice, beans, and plantains, served with arepas.
If you happen to visit the Inwood/Washington Heights location, you’ll be right smack dab in the middle of Little Dominican Republic. You may also want to explore the neighborhood for even more Dominican restaurants, street food, and pastry shops!
Various locations around NYC (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens)
Online: mamajuana-cafe.com
The Best Ecuadorian Restaurants in New York
Rincón Melania
Visit Ecuador through this restaurant, which highlights traditional recipes from all over the country. The brightly lit interior has a comfy couch lining one side with tables for the fam all along it. The dishes are straightforward and familiar—grilled steak, baked salmon, garlic shrimp—but prepared using traditional Ecuadorian recipes for an authentic taste you can’t quite find elsewhere. Each main dish is served with two side dishes of your choice, which include everything from yucca fries and fried plantain to kidney beans. If you’re a vegetarian who’s always wanted to try ceviche, the restaurant has a ceviche made with cherry tomato, garbanzo beans, and quinoa.
35-19 Queens Blvd.
Long Island City, Queens
Online: rinconmelanianyc.com
Ñaño Ecuadorian Kitchen
Ñaño means brother in Quechua, an indigenous language from Ecuador (and other regions of South America). In Ecuador, the word is used as slang to mean brother on a deeper level than the Spanish word hermano can convey. All that’s to say, when you’re here, you’re family. The menu is frequently updated to bring more of the country’s cuisine into the mix. Some recipes come from the owner’s mother and grandmother, like the fan favorite seco de pollo (chicken stew), which is made with pulp from a South American fruit, Naranjilla. This little restaurant can get pretty cramped, especially when there are a lot of people, but you can escape to the outdoor seating for some fresh air.
691 10th Ave.
Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan
Online: nanobarnyc.com
The Best El Salvadorian Restaurants in New York
Mi Pequeño El Salvador
El Salvador is known for pupusas—thick corn cakes with a savory filling. The pupusas at Mi Pequeño El Salvador are served with a spicy tomato sauce and vinegar sauce and come with a variety of fillings, like beans, cheese, pork rind, and other interesting mixes. Of course, it’s not all about pupusas at this restaurant, with an expansive menu that heavily features meats and seafood. You’ll also find traditional Salvadoran flavors, including atole de elote (a thick corn- and milk-based drink) and a hearty carne asada (grilled steak) with rice, refried beans, tortillas, cheese, avocado, and salad (try to still be hungry after all that!). The kids menu is worth mentioning here, as it serves similar fare but sized (and priced) down for the little ones.
In addition to this restaurant, the owners also own the Salvatoria Kitchen and Bar in Astoria where you can also find plenty of Salvadoran cooking.
94-16 37th Ave.
Jackson Heights, Queens
Online: mipequenoesr.com
https://www.instagram.com/p/By1I9e_B4Jf/?hidecaption=true
Ricas Pupusas & Mas
This small Salvadoran restaurant has humble beginnings: It started as a food stand to raise funds for a Jackson Heights church. Ricas Pupusas & Mas, which is run by three generations of women, now occupies a small but charmingly decorated festive space that specializes in, of course, pupusas. Fillings are here are custom made and you can concoct your own combinations of up to four ingredients: cheese or beans (all fillings must have one or the other), a maximum of one meat, and a variety of other additions like jalapeños, squash, spinach, onion, and a few more. Besides the pupusas, this restaurant also serves tacos, quesadillas, burritos, tamales, and a small menu of sides.
47-55 47th St
Woodside, Queens
Online: ricaspupusas.us
The Best Guatemalan Restaurants in New York
Ix
Ix (pronounced “eesh”) is located just a short distance from Prospect Park Zoo, making it a perfect post-exploration stop for the family. The restaurant is decorated in a charmingly eclectic manner, featuring guitars hanging on walls alongside framed paintings, cute bird silhouettes, quirky napkin holders and a striking mural featuring a jaguar — the restaurant’s namesake — and the Mayan jaguar pyramid along the back wall.
The soups and stews shine here, including the unbelievably green chicken and tomatillo stew, the jocon, and a spicy kimchi noodle soup. Salads, omelets, and appetizers make up the rest of the menu. The brunch menu, served Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. has ethnic twists on beloved meals, like a grilled cheese sandwich that’s made with manchego cheese and kimchi, and dipped in a black garlic-yuzu sauce. Don’t miss out on the hot cocoas, which are thicker and less sweet than you might be used to and has various spices to choose from. The restaurant often hosts live music and has worked with various local organizations and shops to unite the community through events and popups.
43 Lincoln Rd.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn
Online: ixrestaurantny.com
Claudia’s
Claudia’s covers every meal of the day, from breakfast and brunch all the way through to dinner and, of course, dessert. Guatemalan cuisine is presented with fun names and a bright and inviting space. Stop by in the morning for a traditional Guatemalan breakfast, a loaded dish that consists of scrambled eggs, tomato, onion, black bean, and even more. Depending on what time of day you show up, you might find salads, egg-based dishes, salmon with mango salsa, steak topped with chimichurri or fried egg, and the wonderfully named “Elote Super Loco” (“super crazy corn”). Unlike many other Latin American restaurants, Claudia’s has vegetarian and even vegan options for visitors.
Claudia’s is also served up at Evil Twin Brewing in Ridgewood, though that location is for the over-21 family members only.
39 Bushwick Ave.
East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Online: claudiasbk.com
The Best Honduran Restaurants in New York
Progresso
It’s not easy to find Honduran cuisine in NYC, but Progresso, named for the city of El Progresso in Honduras, will give you a taste of the nation’s traditional dishes. You can snag a typical Honduran breakfast here (which includes eggs, chorizo, beans, cheese, and sweet plantain) as well as a selection of various meat and seafood dishes. Keep in mind that everything is cooked to order so orders tend to take a while. We recommend ordering ahead and taking your meal to the little park across the street, which also has a playground for the kids.
5303 Fort Hamilton Pkwy.
Borough Park, Brooklyn
The Best Mexican Restaurants in New York
Editor’s Note: Although we’ve tried to limit our listings for each Latin American country, it’s hard to choose just two Mexican spots in NYC. Some runners up include La Contenta for Mexican food with a French twist, Casa Carmen for its specialty recipes by chef Carmen Ramirez, Cosme for the duck carnitas (and the brush with fame from when the Obamas ate there), and too many others to name.
Besides these restaurants, some of the best Mexican food in NYC can often be found in food trucks. Our personal favorites are the taco trucks near the Jefferson Ave. 7 train station, but there are definitely many more throughout the city. If you and the fam get a hankering for some tacos or cemitas, just look for the truck with the longest line!
Taqueria Nixtamal
Handmade tortillas made from scratch with nixtamal corn set this taqueria apart from the many others in the city. Although it used to have its own space in Queens, this beloved spot now resides in the Delancey Market Line Cellar food hall. You can get huge and filling ramen bowls and appetizers like sliders here, but let’s face it, you’re probably here for the tacos. There’s a pretty long list of options, from slow-simmered pork carnitas to roasted chipotle and jalapaño tacos (yes, just the peppers—don’t worry, the avocado it’s topped with will cut the spice!).
Love the tacos? Take some home! Taqueria Nixtamal sells its tortillas by the pound, as well as taco kits that have everything you need to make your own nixtamal tacos at home.
115 Delancey St.
Lower East Side, Manhattan
Online: nixtamal.nyc
https://www.instagram.com/p/CgSSXZCvLKl/?hidecaption=true
Toloache
Toloache is a Mexican plant that’s known for its many uses, from medicinal, to hallucinogenic, and even to aphrodisiac. It’s one big name for a Mexican restaurant with an equally big atmosphere. Started by chef Julian Medina, Toloache is the place to go to eat contemporary Mexican food cooked in a wood-burning oven, while you enjoy the imported Mexican elements of decor.
As for the food, you can expect a classy Mexican food experience, with the usual traditional Mexican fare like tacos, quesadillas, and various meat and fish options to satisfy everyone’s taste buds. Especially worth a try are the different types of guacamole, which are made to order and always fresh. The shrimp dishes are also usually hits with visitors, like the shrimp quesadilla, which is made with chile de arbol sauce (a type of Mexican hot pepper), Chihuahua cheese and pineapple and red onion salad. Adults may also want to peruse the drinks menu, which has an impressive collection of margaritas and, at the 82nd Street location, high-quality tequilas and tequila-based cocktails.
251 W 50th St.
Midtown West, Manhattan
166 E 82nd St.
Upper East Side, Manhattan
Online: toloachenyc.com
The Best Nicaraguan Restaurants in New York
Café Integral
Although several food spots have popped in and out of existence over the past few years, there’s currently no Nicaraguan restaurant in NYC. If you or another family member is a coffee aficionado, though, you can get your Nicaraguan coffee fix at the Nica-owned Café Integral. The little coffee spot sources its coffee beans from the four main coffee-producing regions of the country, resulting in completely unique coffee bean packets to take home that have farm family names attached to them. Or, you can get a coffee on the spot and enjoy it in the bright and cozy Nolita cafe.
149 Elizabeth St.
Nolita, Manhattan
Online: cafeintegral.com
Panama
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KC Gourmet Empanadas
This small Panamanian-owned restaurant has more than 30 empanadas to choose from! Some fillings are what you might expect—chicken pesto, steak with onions and peppers, ground beef and raisins—while others are on the more unusual side, like a medley of seafood (named the Aquaman, naturally), a mix of sweet plantains with beans and rice, and the one with meatballs with cheese in marinara sauce. Want dessert? Have another empanada! Dessert empanadas come in apple, guava, and strawberry shortcake.
Aside from empanadas, this restaurant cooks up many other options including traditional Panamanian meals including picadillo bofe (a stew made from cow lung), caramiñolas (cheesy stuffed yuca meat pies), and chicheme (a drink made with corn and milk, served over ice).
38 Avenue B
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Online: kcgourmetempanadas.com
The Best Paraguayan Restaurants in New York
I Love Paraguay Restaurant
You’ll love Paraguay, too, after you’ve visited this restaurant, which serves homemade Paraguayan dishes from the kitchen of Nancy and Carlos Ojeda. The Queens spot is a sequel of sorts to their restaurant, in Asuncion, Paraguay, where they spend years honing their trade. The owners’ goal was to bring the culture and cuisine of their native Paraguay to NYC, and they did so with delicious food, welcoming decor, and the occasional live harpist playing traditional live music.
The soup on offer changes every day, and each is a must-try—especially the vori vori (a soup with corn balls) and the vegetarian bean-based kumanda kesu. The main dishes mostly center around beef and chicken, and a lot of pasta options. There’s even a pretty large children’s menu that has kid-friendly versions of the larger portions like grilled chicken or beef with mashed potatoes, milanesa (breaded chicken or beef) with french fries, and a few other spaghetti and rice dishes.
4316 Greenpoint Ave.
Sunnyside, Queens
Online: ilovepy.com
Peru
Pio Pio
The adorably named Pio Pio (which means “cheep cheep”) does Peruvian food the way abuela makes it. You can get a variety of authentic and hearty Peruvian meals here, like pollo a la brasa—rotisserie chicken with a crispy skin and deliciously moist meat— and ceviche, a selection of raw fish in a lemony marinade.
The drinks menu here is vast, featuring everything from sangrias and wines to cocktails with Pisco, a potent Peruvian brandy. And, since there are eight locations across three of NYC’s boroughs, you’re sure to find one relatively close to you. Just keep in mind that the different locations may have slightly different menus.
Various locations around NYC (Bronx, Manhattan, Queens)
Online: piopio.shop
El Pollo Inka Peru
El Pollo Inka Peru also serves up pollo a la brasa and ceviche, along with many other traditional Peruvian dishes like causa (chicken, tuna, or crab meat sandwiched between slightly spicy mashed potato) or the lomo saltado (stir fried beef strips with onion and tomatoes). The Pollo Inka locations also do a mean jalea—a heaping mountain of breaded seafood with yucca fries (claim yours before they’re gone!).
If you don’t mind a kick of spiciness, drizzle all the hot food with aji verde, a Peruvian sauce made with cilantro, jalapeños, mayonnaise, and parmesan—and if that makes you want to add the sauce to literally everything you ever eat again (trust us, you will), you can usually ask for extra sauce for a small fee (both here and at Pio Pio).
920 101st Ave.
Ozone Park, Queens
8912 Northern Blvd.
Corona, Queens
112-20 Queens Blvd.
Forest Hills, Queens
The Best Puerto Rican Restaurants in New York
La Fonda Boricua
La Fonda restaurant and tapas bar is, using its own words, the heart of el barrio. The spot has been a center of the community for more than 30 years, excluding one alarming year when the space almost closed down for good. The interior is welcoming, decorated with colorful paintings and live flowers, but you may want to move dinner to the massive covered patio out back, which is often kept popping by a live DJ (and there’s now even more seating out front).
You’ll find all the Puerto Rican classics here, like chicken or beef stew, perníl (roasted pork), ensalada de bacalao (cod salad), and mofongos rellenos—a dish made of fried and mashed green plantains with garlic and filled with various meats. For dessert, the flan de coco (coconut custard) is on fire—literally! La Fonda has weekend brunch, and often hosts live music and comedy shows.
169 E 106th St.
East Harlem, Manhattan
Online: fondaboricua.com
Casa Adela
Casa Adela was founded in 1973 by Adela Fargas. And although she passed away in 2018, her spirit lives on through her recipes. When this family-owned restaurant had a close call with closure due to a staggering rent hike, neighbors and community members rallied together to support the beloved restaurant. It seems the Casa is here to stay, at least for now, which means you get to enjoy its delicious homemade meals and discover what has made it such a special place for the community.
The pollo asado (rotisserie chicken) is a crowd-pleaser here, as are the hearty stews, made with beef or chicken. For a taste of “just about everything,” try the sancocho, which is packed with oxtails, plantains, and root vegetables. Before you head in, you should be forewarned that the place is cash only!
66 Loisaida Ave.
Alphabet City, Manhattan
Online: casa-adela-puerto-rican-restaurant.business.site
The Best Uruguayan Restaurants in New York
La Gran Uruguaya Restaurant
Opened in 1986, this Uruguayan restaurant and bakery can both sate your appetite and satisfy your sweet tooth. The restaurant offers Uruguayan and Colombian dishes, with a heavy emphasis on meat and especially beef. The steak is mouth-watering and the Uruguayan mixed grill—which includes short ribs, blood sausage, sweetbread, veal, and more—is a great choice for any group of meat lovers. Of course, there are plenty of other meals to choose from if a plateful of meat isn’t your thing. Try some tostones (fried green plantain) with house-made guac, a chivito (“little goat”) sandwich, and don’t forget to save room for dessert like arroz con leche or budin de pan (bread pudding) from the bakery side of the establishment.
85-02 37th Ave.
Jackson Heights, Queens
Online: lauruguayanyc.com
El Chivito D’Oro
Located literally a block down from La Gran Uruguaya Restaurant, El Chivito D’Oro (“the little goat of gold”) is a more down-home steakhouse. Its extensive menu includes everything from meat and chicken to seafood and even Italian-Uruguayan fusion meals. El Chivito serves up comfort food, with some favorites being the chorizo, the grilled meats platter, and short ribs, all served with chimichurri and complimentary bread. Tips here are cash only, so have some on hand to show appreciation to the waitstaff.
84-02 37th Ave.
Jackson Heights, Queens
The Best Venezuelan Restaurants in New York
Arepas Grill
This restaurant is fairly small, but it rarely gets too crowded, making it a good spot to enjoy a quiet meal. It’s also one of the only places in the city to eat Venezuelan arepas (corn cakes stuffed with various fillings). The arepas at Arepas Grill, as you may expect, are absolutely delectable. They’re stuffed to overflowing with a choice of more than 20 fillings, including corn salad, shredded meats cooked in various sauces and veggies, mushrooms sautéed in white wine, ham, and cheese, and so much more. And a bonus: They’re gluten-free!
In the unlikely event that the arepas leave you hungry for more, the menu has other options, including traditional Venezuelan cheese sticks, tequenos, and the pabellon criollo—shredded beef served with rice, black beans, cheese, and fried sweet plantains.
2119 Broadway
Astoria, Queens
Online: arepasny.com
Arepera Guacuco
This stylish Arepera—a store that sells arepas—is nostalgically named after the beach in Venezuela where owner Leonardo Molina was born. The meals feel like they were cooked by grandma, perhaps because they are: The head chef is the owner’s mother, Carmen. The space pulls Caribbean influences into its menu of arelas, empanadas, and freshly made juices. The arepas come with a variety of meats, veggies, and cheeses, and take a bit of time to prepare since each is made to order.
360 Throop Ave.
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
44 Irving Ave.
Bushwick, Brooklyn
Online: guacuconyc.com
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