Alma Cocina Latina

"This transportive dining room at this Venezuelan Station North oasis features a diverse tangle of healthy, green plants, playful wall murals of a fish and a rooster, and a playlist of Latin music in the background. Alma was where top chef Enrique Limardo got his start before heading to D.C. to open Seven Reasons. Now, rising Venezuelan chef David Zamudio meticulously plates Latin gyoza, Caribbean scallops, stuffed arepas, and a stunning burrata salad bursting with South American ingredients. Most of their menu is gluten free, with lots of vegan and vegetarian options. In 2023, Alma owner Irena Stein came out with an arepa cookbook." - Jess Mayhugh, Eater Staff

"Alma started with an SBA loan with an interest rate of 4.6 percent, nine years ago. Our landlord also gave some money for the construction because he wanted to do a whole renewal of a very historic building in Baltimore. After seven years, we paid off the loan and we were very rigorous about it." - Morgan Goldberg

"Alma Cocina Latina feels like part restaurant, part Chesapeake Bay zen garden—there’s monstera everywhere, light pours in, the staff is calm and friendly, and everything smells so damn good. This was one of the first Venezuelan spots in Baltimore, but their dishes go far beyond the classics: there’s latin gyoza, pescado frito, and a hamachi tiradito with brushes of squid ink and pops of salmon roe that could get an impressionist hyped. Bring a date, a group of friends, or your favorite plant daddy to hang out in the jungle vibes and share the Cacao 7 dessert. It’s so rich with chocolate sorbet, fudge, mousse, and glaze, it might as well have a Swiss bank account." - Michele Berry

"Alma Cocina Latina feels like part restaurant, part Chesapeake Bay zen garden—there’s monstera everywhere, light pours in, the staff is calm and friendly, and everything smells so damn good. This was one of the first Venezuelan spots in Baltimore, but their dishes go far beyond the classics: there’s latin gyoza, pescado frito, and a hamachi tiradito with brushes of squid ink and pops of salmon roe that could get an impressionist hyped. The bar spans the length of the entire restaurant, and commuters come for Happy Hour before catching the MARC or Amtrak at Penn Station (yes, we have one too) across the street. Bring a date, a group of friends, or your favorite plant daddy to hang out in the jungle vibes and share the Cacao 7 dessert. It’s so rich with chocolate sorbet, fudge, mousse, and glaze, it might as well have a Swiss bank account." - Michele Berry

"Alma Cocina Latina is a restaurant located in Baltimore that was previously helmed by Chef Enrique Limardo. His cooking at the restaurant attracted the attention of Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema and led to a business partnership with Ezequiel Vázquez-Ger." - Tierney Plumb