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The chicken-filled, pork crackling-studded "Reina de Chicharron" arepa at Chicken + Whiskey.
The chicken-filled, pork crackling-studded "Reina de Chicharron" arepa at Chicken + Whiskey.
Chicken + Whiskey

9 Arepas to Try Right Now

Cheese, beans, and assorted meats fill the popular corn cake sandwiches

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The chicken-filled, pork crackling-studded "Reina de Chicharron" arepa at Chicken + Whiskey.
| Chicken + Whiskey

Arepas, the easily adaptable corn cakes enjoyed throughout Venezuela, Colombia, and parts of the Caribbean continue finding their way onto the menus at local restaurants and roving food trucks.

Homegrown Arepa Zone, which started out serving its hearty sandwiches curbside, recently opened its first brick-and-mortar shop just below Logan Circle. Venezuelan chef Enrique Limardo worked gourmet arepas into his debut D.C. restaurant, Chicken + Whiskey. Meanwhile, family-owned restaurants such as Al Carbon in Rockville, Maryland, Arepas Pues in Silver Spring, and JPII Colombian Breeze in Gaithersburg are keeping arepa lovers well fed out in the ‘burbs.

Whether big or small (arepitas), fried or grilled (some people even bake them), stuffed or plain (go on, fill it with meat), arepas are here to stay.

The featured restaurants are not ranked; they are arranged geographically from north to south.

Don't see your favorite arepa spot? Sound off in the comments or shoot us an email (dc@eater.com)

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Colombian Breeze

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This 13-year-old Colombian restaurant in Gaithersburg weaves arepas into three appetizers and nine different breakfast dishes. The appetizer portion arrives with either grilled cheese, melted soft cheese or a crispy fried pork rind. One breakfast offering pairs the arepa with grilled steak, fried plantains, and sliced tomatoes.

Colombian Breeze MD food A meaty platter with an arepa at JPII Colombian Breeze. Photo by Terry C. / Yelp

Al Carbon

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This family-run restaurant offers several dishes that include arepas. Mini arepas with crema appear as appetizers, while three standalone selections inhabit the tapas menu: the peplada with shredded chicken, avocado and house dressing, the mechada with shredded beef and tomato sauce, and the domino with black beans and imported cheese.

Arepas Pues

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The arepas at this two-year-old Silver Spring restaurant can be grilled, baked or fried and stuffed with over two dozen featured fillings or toppings including seven cheeses, grilled vegetables, tuna salad, bacon, scrambled eggs with onions and more. Prefer to hand off the decision-making process? The restaurant prepares specialty arepas including a traditional pabellon featuring black beans, shredded beef and plantains.

Arepas Pues MD food A shredded chicken- and cheddar-filled arepa at Arepas Pues. Photo: Arepas Pues

Caracas de Ayer

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This Hyattsville mainstay concentrates on making Venezuelan-styles arepas every day. There are nearly a dozen pre-set combinations to choose from, including ham and cheese, roasted pork, and black beans with milky queso blanco.

Caracas de Ayer MD food Chicken- and ham-filled arepas at Caracas de Ayer. Photo by Natalie G. / Yelp

Arepa House DC

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This Venezuelan eatery joined Adams Morgan in 2017, bringing with it nearly a dozen specialty arepas including corn cakes filled with shredded beef, chicken salad, scrambled eggs and more.

Arepa House DC food A trio of arepas at area newcomer Arepa House. Photo: Arepa House DC

Enjoy arepas morning, noon, and night at this LeDroit Park coffeehouse that transforms into a bar and restaurant when the sun goes down. There’s egg-filled arepas at breakfast, while cheese-, beef-, and hearts of palm-filled varieties materialize in the afternoon.

Royal DC food A fried squash arepa at Royal. Photo by Rebecca D. / Yelp

Chicken + Whiskey

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Venezuelan chef Enrique Limardo combines his native cuisine with Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken at his debut D.C. restaurant. The featured “Reina de Chicharron” boasts an overstuffed arepa with pork cracklings worked into the dough.

Chicken + Whiskey DC food The reina de chicharron arepa at Chicken + Whiskey. Photo: Chicken + Whiskey

Arepa Zone (Multiple locations)

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What began as a food truck has grown into a thriving business with not one, but now two physical locations. In addition to running a food stall at Union Market, Arepa Zone opened its first brick-and-mortar spot in late 2017. The new restaurant features individual arepas (cheese; shredded beef; pulled chicken), arepa flights (“meat lovers” or vegetarian), and sweet corn pancakes known as cachapas.

Arepa Zone DC grill Arepas on the grill at Arepa Zone’s new brick-and-mortar location. Photo: Arepa Zone

Toro Toro

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This upscale Latin restaurant stacks its braised short rib arepas with hoisin sauce, achiote, guacamole, serrano peppers and crema. Snag the arepa with the express lunch or on its own during dinner.

Toro Toro DC food Short rib arepas at Toro Toro. Photo: Toro Toro

Colombian Breeze

This 13-year-old Colombian restaurant in Gaithersburg weaves arepas into three appetizers and nine different breakfast dishes. The appetizer portion arrives with either grilled cheese, melted soft cheese or a crispy fried pork rind. One breakfast offering pairs the arepa with grilled steak, fried plantains, and sliced tomatoes.

Colombian Breeze MD food A meaty platter with an arepa at JPII Colombian Breeze. Photo by Terry C. / Yelp

Al Carbon

This family-run restaurant offers several dishes that include arepas. Mini arepas with crema appear as appetizers, while three standalone selections inhabit the tapas menu: the peplada with shredded chicken, avocado and house dressing, the mechada with shredded beef and tomato sauce, and the domino with black beans and imported cheese.

Arepas Pues

The arepas at this two-year-old Silver Spring restaurant can be grilled, baked or fried and stuffed with over two dozen featured fillings or toppings including seven cheeses, grilled vegetables, tuna salad, bacon, scrambled eggs with onions and more. Prefer to hand off the decision-making process? The restaurant prepares specialty arepas including a traditional pabellon featuring black beans, shredded beef and plantains.

Arepas Pues MD food A shredded chicken- and cheddar-filled arepa at Arepas Pues. Photo: Arepas Pues

Caracas de Ayer

This Hyattsville mainstay concentrates on making Venezuelan-styles arepas every day. There are nearly a dozen pre-set combinations to choose from, including ham and cheese, roasted pork, and black beans with milky queso blanco.

Caracas de Ayer MD food Chicken- and ham-filled arepas at Caracas de Ayer. Photo by Natalie G. / Yelp

Arepa House DC

This Venezuelan eatery joined Adams Morgan in 2017, bringing with it nearly a dozen specialty arepas including corn cakes filled with shredded beef, chicken salad, scrambled eggs and more.

Arepa House DC food A trio of arepas at area newcomer Arepa House. Photo: Arepa House DC

Royal

Enjoy arepas morning, noon, and night at this LeDroit Park coffeehouse that transforms into a bar and restaurant when the sun goes down. There’s egg-filled arepas at breakfast, while cheese-, beef-, and hearts of palm-filled varieties materialize in the afternoon.

Royal DC food A fried squash arepa at Royal. Photo by Rebecca D. / Yelp

Chicken + Whiskey

Venezuelan chef Enrique Limardo combines his native cuisine with Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken at his debut D.C. restaurant. The featured “Reina de Chicharron” boasts an overstuffed arepa with pork cracklings worked into the dough.

Chicken + Whiskey DC food The reina de chicharron arepa at Chicken + Whiskey. Photo: Chicken + Whiskey

Arepa Zone (Multiple locations)

What began as a food truck has grown into a thriving business with not one, but now two physical locations. In addition to running a food stall at Union Market, Arepa Zone opened its first brick-and-mortar spot in late 2017. The new restaurant features individual arepas (cheese; shredded beef; pulled chicken), arepa flights (“meat lovers” or vegetarian), and sweet corn pancakes known as cachapas.

Arepa Zone DC grill Arepas on the grill at Arepa Zone’s new brick-and-mortar location. Photo: Arepa Zone

Toro Toro

This upscale Latin restaurant stacks its braised short rib arepas with hoisin sauce, achiote, guacamole, serrano peppers and crema. Snag the arepa with the express lunch or on its own during dinner.

Toro Toro DC food Short rib arepas at Toro Toro. Photo: Toro Toro

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