Arepa Zone

"What started out as a stall operating out of Union Market, this bustling emporium for hearty, griddled Venezuelan sandwiches has gone on to become an ideal spot for a quick lunch, a filling family dinner, or for late-night hangs with friends — complete with the hum of vintage Latin pop music videos playing from a pair of television screens in the dining area. A bonus for vegans, Arepa Zone’s vegana arepa offers what I like to think of as the quintessential Latin breakfast in handheld form. Each one is stuffed with savory black beans that counteract pieces of sweet plantains and that all comes together with creamy chunks of avocado. Combined and tucked into the arepa’s slightly crisped cornmeal shell and you’ve got all of the components needed for a satisfying meal. It reminds me of the many typical Central American breakfast platters that I’ve indulged in over the years — with black bean puree, plantains, and crema — that provide the right balance of salty, sweet, and creaminess." - Eater Staff

"Arepa Zone first started making waves when their door-to-door delivery service providing mouthwatering arepas and other Venezuelan classics grew a massive following. So when they started opening fast-casual restaurants throughout the city (there are currently 3), for a moment life made sense and happiness felt attainable. Head to the 14th St. restaurant, where you'll join a zigzagging line of college kids, tourists, and those who that Arepa Zone serves some of the best cachapas and patacons in the city." - Omnia Saed

"Arepa Zone first started making waves when their door-to-door delivery service providing mouthwatering arepas and other Venezuelan classics grew a massive following. So when they started opening fast-casual restaurants throughout the city (there are currently 3), for a moment life made sense and happiness felt attainable. Head to the 14th St. restaurant, where you'll join a zigzagging line of college kids, tourists, and those who that Arepa Zone serves some of the best cachapas and patacons in the city." - Omnia Saed

"This popular lunch spot downtown started out as a food truck and opened a stall at Union Market before landing its dedicate space right by Thomas Circle. Besides classics like fried tequenos (cheese sticks) and cachapas (sweet corn pancakes folded like tacos with various fillings), the restaurant offers chicken or beef pabellión bowls with black beans, basmati rice and sweet plantains. There’s also patacón — a sandwich stuffed with plantains, cole slaw, cheese, and a choice of chicken, beef, or veggies." - Lenore Adkins

"Arepa Zone: A top destination dish is the pabellón cachaca, a sweet corn pancake with venezuelan queso de mano cheese, sweet plantains, black beans, and shredded beef." - Tierney Plumb