Arepittas

Best place for authentic Venezuelan food! On Sundays they serve a delicious and cozy soup, it’s a hug on your belly! Love this place! Bonus: Coffee Lemonade is freaking awesome!

I don't remember which Arepa I had but it was: 1. VEGAN (I simply asked for them to withhold the cheeses) 2. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!! 😋 I also tasted some of my friend's plantains (Platanos maduros) and they were cooked to perfection. I can be VERY picky about where I eat plantains but I'm definitely coming back to order my own. (Along with the coffee lemonade that I keep hearing about!) The restaurant was nice and clean inside, and we didn't wait long. Although, when we arrived, we were the only 3 customers so they weren't busy. The only reason I can't give 5 Stars is because everyone working just kind of stared at us when we walked in. No one said hello. And when I approached the counter to order, the guy at the register just looked at me until I spoke. It wasn't necessarily rude. Just ... Extremely Awkward. Maybe they were having an off day. I'm going to give them another try though!

I am so glad we found this spot. Everything we ordered was seasoned to perfection and tasted truly authentic. The sauces are the absolute standout—I could put them on everything! Unlike the overpriced chains nearby, the prices here are fair and the quality is much higher. Highly recommend if you actually care about flavor.

Got the bowl option with pernil. The food was fresh, well seasoned, and hit the spot. I didn’t try the stuffed arepas but I will next time. The service was a little slow but it was understandable because it was being made to order and there were only three employees working that I could see.

Just when we thought Pittsburgh downtown could not get any better, my wife and I discovered Arepittas! Both of our arepas were excellent. Their subtle, yet full flavors made for a perfect lunch.

I love arepas but rarely find them up north. What a treat this place is. Delicious and authentic food with an excellent selection. Even vegan and gluten free, not my thing but my Mrs couldn’t stop talking about it. We were only in town for a few days but fortunately found this restaurant on the first day and had something different each day. All delicious and served by a welcoming and friendly staff. Live a good Mom and Pops. Even though they were busy the food was out in no time and was piping hot. The whole time we were there people were popping in for pick up and dine in. Don’t miss out on this wonderful place.

So good! Was starving after my flight in for work and needed something quick. I got the choriqueso empanada, eggplant arepa and fish arepa and one of their drinks. I think the empanada was my favorite followed by the eggplant arepa which had great flavor. Highly recommend stopping in. I would have been fine with 2 items but wanted to try 3 so I had left overs. It's an order at the counter/take out place with a cute seating area.

It would be so easy to get addicted to this food because it truly is that incredible! Just go here and thank me later 😂 Loooved the pabellon empanada, such a flavorful mix and great level and blend of spices. My bowl was also amazing. Truly can't go wrong here. Love love love!

The pabellon arepa was really delicious, I especially loved the delicious plantains inside and the spicy cilantro sauce was a great pairing. I also loved the fish tacos on soft corn tortillas--they were huge and the tortillas tasted very fresh. I'd also highly recommend the spicy avocado sauce, as well. The service was wonderful...I believe it was the owner who checked up on us during our meal there, which I appreciated! I definitely get the hype of this local spot, I'm looking forward to returning next time I'm in Pittsburgh.

Don't miss this gem! Stopped in for lunch to go because good arepas are hard to find. Reviewed the menu and saw they had meat and vegan options. Ordered the eggplant and soy chorizo arepas to go. You order at the counter, pay, take a number, and wait for your order. Fairly fast service at noon on a weekday. My order came out with napkins, utensils, and the herbaceous green sauce for each. The only thing I wished they'd change is the styrofoam packaging. I get it's cheap, but love the environment a little more. The branded arepa was a fun surprise. See my photo. Menu is clearly marked with vegan or vegetarian options. The eggplant was my fav. So flavorful! The soy chorizo was good too, but not as delicious IMO. I walked here, but street parking is available.

Fantastic Venezuelan food in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh! I must admit this was not what I was expecting while visiting with family, but it far exceeded my expectations. The shop is a small, quaint location just off the beaten path. The owners/staff were all very friendly and helpful. Offering suggestions and giving ideas. We ended getting the Venezuelan National dish of Pabellon Criollo (beef bowl) and the most popular meal in Venezuela, a Reina Pepiada (chicken). Both dishes were fantastic! Loaded with flavor and light complexities, especially when adding their green sauce. 10/10 would recommend!

My coworkers and I ordered lunch from Arepittas recently. We tried to place an order over the phone but there was no answer. I ended up placing a takeout order through Uber Eats. The order was ready about 20 minutes later. I ordered the cheese and jalepeno tequenos and a choriqueso empanada. My coworkers ordered a variety of different items like yuca fries, sweet plantains, empanadas and arepas. Overall, the feedback was positive. The coworkers who ordered the arepas mentioned that they didn't have much flavor. We all enjoyed the sauces that accompanied our dishes.

Went Friday for lunch with a friend. Perfect, lunch spot. Food came out fresh and rather quickly. Staff was nice, helpful and patient. I ordered the llanera which was delicious. The steak, grilled white cheese, green sauce and veggies complimented each other so well.

Stopped by for lunch. The menu is pretty extensive and definitely has a lot of solid options. We went with two empanadas and one arepa. The seafood empanada was definitely my favorite of the three. Full of delicious seafood and really packed with ingredients. The pork one I found to be a little lacking in filling and didn't really reach anything until about halfway through. The arepa in the end we did enjoy, but it's a bit hard to eat. I also think arepas just aren't my favorite, as the arepa portion itself can be a bit dense. I do with that the ingredients were a bit more mixed, as I felt like I ate most of the cheese at the top and mostly meat at the bottom. Service was friendly but did take a bit of time during lunch. We grabbed the sugar cane/limon drink which was definitely not worth. The sauces were all incredible, we went with three different and the garlic was my favorite. I appreciate the branding a lot on the actual dishes, which I think both serves the purpose for the restaurant and for the consumer. It's a super unassuming place and would be easy to walk by in the area. If I lived in the area I would probably come back.

The most delicious arrepa. I got the shredded chicken salad in a warm arrepa served with a side of crema. So refreshing and delicious perfect for a summer afternoon lunch. Lots of choices and options. I'd drive from Toledo Ohio again for these.

We are staying at a hotel by the Station Square. There is no good food here. I ordered the beef, plantain, and black bean arepittas. Sooo good. They have amazing guacamole too.

Such an amazing hole in the wall. Amazing service, staff are the sweetest! And the food. Wow. Delish!! So so so good.

A truly hidden gem tucked away on Cherry Way in Downtown Pittsburgh--blink and you might miss it, but you definitely shouldn't. This family-owned Venezuelan-style eatery is serving up authentic, homemade street food that's bursting with flavor. Open daily with online ordering (highly recommended during the busy lunch rush!), they offer both indoor and outdoor seating. The menu is full of Venezuelan staples like empanadas, arepas, tostones, tacos, and bowls--all made fresh in-house. I started with the tostón chips & avocado chunky--warm, crisp plantain chips paired with homemade guac. Absolute perfection. I also tried the shredded chicken empanada, a golden fried corn dough crescent served with their signature pink sauce--crispy, savory, and so satisfying. But the star of the show? The pabellón arepa--a corn flour flatbread stuffed with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and grated white cheese, served with a spicy cilantro sauce. It's the most popular Venezuelan dish for a reason. The arepas come stamped with the restaurant name- how cool!!!! To drink, I had the papelón con limón--a traditional Venezuelan refresher made with raw brown sugar, fresh lemon juice, and water. Light, tangy, and super refreshing. Spice, freshness, and big flavor are not missing from any dish here. A must-try for anyone wanting to explore vibrant Latin American street food--right in the heart of the city. Truly where Pittsburgh meets Venezuela!

Not somewhere in downtown Pittsburgh that gets a ton of foot traffic, Arepittas can easily get overlooked. The food here, however, is worth a visit. The Pabellon arepas are one of their signature / staple dishes, and being that it's shredded beef with beans and cheese (plus soft and sweet plantains) sandwiches between cornmeal patties, it's hard not to love it. Everything had plenty of flavor. Of course, the menu has much more than arepas and includes vegetarian options too. For the amount of people in the restaurant that evening, the service was fast. I'll be back to try more and encourage anyone reading this to go if you haven't already.

We had the Arepa Pabellon and the Super Bowl. For the $4.50 difference in cost, the Super Bowl has a huge amount of shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains plus you get salad, scrambled eggs and a canned drink. The Super Bowl is the winner. But if you are doing takeout, double check to be sure they include your canned drink. I was disappointed with our Arepa Pabellon. Not with the taste because it was excellent, but with the size and amount of fillings, shredded beef, black beans and sweet plaintains. And that is all you get, a sandwich about the size of a woman's small hand. The value for Arepa Pabellon just wasnt there for me. So on our next visit, I will just get the Super Bowl. I liked the bowl. This was my first time with Venezuelan food. It was well worth wandering Pittsburgh's screwy streets finding it. I not only will return but I will seek out Venezuelan food in other cities.

In town for one night for work. Too humid to wander too far from room at The Joinery hotel. Saw this listed on Yelp as the closest five star spot. 100% accurate. Fantastic welcome from the staff and amazing food. Best empanadas I've ever had. Loved the cilantro and garlic sauce for both my empanadas and arepa. Ordered two days in a row, with the second time through DoorDash pick up. Would absolutely visit again when in town.

The Pabellon Empanada was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life! So delicious.

The food was deliciously flavorful. The inside seating was cozy with pops of bright yellow. We tried a Pabellón arepa and chicken empanada, but they were sadly out of pork when we got there. I'm taking a star off for the service and the long wait for the food. It can be a difficult restaurant to find. It is locally owned and the food was amazing!

tldr tasty Venezuelan arepas + empanadas with lots of protein/flavor options for a quick bite in the heart of downtown Pittsburgh visiting pittsburgh i was delighted to see a venezuelan spot with the aunties and friendly staff whipping up fresh food thru a fast causal set up ordered a llanera (diced beef arepa), cachapa (shredded beef sweet corn arepa), and ground beef empanada llanera (4/5) tasty and savory bite with plentiful diced beef and green sauce to complement the corn arepa - a bit bland without the sauce and meat was just a bit tough empanada (5/5) fresh seasoned ground beef filling with a corn/mochi like exterior and piping hot + creamy white sauce was great addition cachapa with shredded beef (5/5) sweet corn arepa filled with a tender flavorful shredded beef topped with tomatoes and a slice of grilled cheese - great on its own but sauce was bomb there was a decent amount of seating with a modern interior! only critique is the restaurant does get pretty smoky and warm when food is being made food 4.5/5 service 4/5 ambiance 4/5 value 5/5

Best arepas in town! -- We ordered an assortment from pulled beef arepa to the empanada. Our personal favorite was the grilled steak arepa topped with the delicious sauces that came with it. Their service was quick, and they have generous indoor seating. Be aware that they have only one bathroom, and people came in to use the restroom without ordering.

Omg this food is to die for. Delicious. The staff is a bit clueless, but the food is Worth a small wait.

I was in town on business and ordered through Uber Eats. It was worth the way. Fresh and delicious.

I'm a huge empanada lover and these did NOT disappoint. Dare I say, they may have been the best empanadas i've ever had. Perfectly cooked and I loved the sauce on the side. The service was slightly slow, but I didn't mind at all because it was definitely worth the wait. Also the prices cannot be beat. This is how things should be priced!!! I hate going places now and you get a taco and it's like $9 for one taco. If they ever raise their prices, i'd be super disappointed. Also i thought we had a great portion for the price. They were big and filling. I'm really excited to come back.

I have had my eye on this place for a couple of years and finally made it in. I once had a Colombian roommate that made delicious arepas and have been a fan of them ever since. The restaurant is small but a good atmosphere and clean. The staff were all very friendly and helpful as we maneuvered our way to seat with a stroller. We got two orders of arepas with beef and pork and the flavors were SO good. Filling food and though it was a little pricier than we would have supposed, it was worth it. We will definitely be back and will be recommending this place to anyone looking in the area.

Absolutely fantastic. Nearly everything is gluten free and clearly marked. 100% coming here again to try everything on the menu.

As someone who was born and raised in Venezuela, I tend to be picky with Venezuelan restaurants as sometimes they try to be creative and it sort of fails. But Arepittas did not disappoint at all! To the contrary, it is as amazing as the other reviews say. The food is fresh, authentic, has great and fast service. I felt like back at home with every bite. I wish I lived in Pittsburgh so I could eat here every week (we went twice in a row during our stay!).

What a great little find! This place has amazing food! We wanted a quick dinner after site seeing all day. We had the shredded beef tacos, the eggplant arepitta, and an order of tostones with cheese. It was just enough food for two. The arepitta is about 5-6" in diameter and stuffed full. The tacos are stuffed generously as well. The inside is small and more like a fast food dining vibe, so we took it to go. The employees were very helpful and kind. Everything was served with a smile!

Friendly service here. We walked in to order takeout unexpectedly while downtown. The inside is decorated in black and yellow for Pittsburgh. Cute vibe, very clean. Menu has a ton of options, and there are is a whole separate plant based menu for the vegans out there! We ordered a choripollo and pabellón arepa. Both were flavorful!! Can tell everything is hand made with love. 10/10.

Esta delicioso! Lunchtime Venezuelan delights await you at this downtown restaurant: Everything we tried was cooked to order and absolutely delicious. There was a line just before noon on a Monday but the cooks made the orders quickly. The chicken empanada and the super yummy green sauce that comes with it was one of the best I've ever had. The chicken was extremely well seasoned and moist. I liked the yucca fries too that came with cheese and sauce. The shredded beef arepa with the white sauce black beans and sweet plantains was killer. This place is spectacular!

No question, this place is phenomenal. Come for the food, stay longer for some more food. I promise you won't be let down; I mean unless you don't like delicious things. The staff is friendly and the food is absolutely busting. Personal recommendations: Pabellon arepa and a cachapa con todo. I'm also told by my bro that the tres leches cake is fantastic.

This is a great example of the value of Yelp! I was in a different one of my downtown employer's buildings and thinking about how I'm kind of bored with all of my usual lunch options. I thought, is there anything around here I'm not thinking of? Just typed in, "lunch," and one of the closest results to me was this little spot, with five stars. I recognized it, have passed it, and honestly never considered going in because it just looked so unassuming and I didn't think Venezuelan food interested me. The reviews couldn't be denied, though, so I stopped. Wow, have I been missing out. They have an extensive vegetarian section on their menu, for starters. So many choices for me! When I said I wanted a vegetarian bowl, he asked which one and showed the lengthy list of options. I am not used to this kind of choice! When I ordered the soy chorizo bowl, the server made sure to ask if cheese was OK on my beans, which is always something I appreciate. I paid at the calendar and sat down at one of the indoor seats for a few minutes, then someone brought me my food for takeout. Everything was absolutely delicious. This was a really filling lunch option with so much protein. The sweet plantains were my favorite part of the meal. With so many choices. I immediately started thinking about when I would be in the area next time so I could try another option. Learn from my mistake and do not sleep on this place! It's a gem!

Food was hot, fresh, and delicious. So much flavor!! We had arepas and can't wait to try something else next time.

Was so excited to try this place after reading all the reviews. Never had arepas before, but I'm now a fan! I ordered their beef and pork arepas. Both were great, but the pork I liked the much much more than the beef. The pork was juicier and tasted like it had better seasoning. The arepas were crispy, but with sustenance. Also very saucy. The service here was great, one guy saw me making a mess with all the juices dripping from my hands, he read my mind and grabbed a handful of napkins for me. I also ordered an empanada with shredded beef. So good, but so greasy. When it was brought to my table there were literal pools of grease just soaking into the empanada. A little off putting, I wished they would have dabbed some off or let the oil drain a bit, but the taste was undeniably perfection. They stuffed it with a hefty portion of juicy beef, so good. Would come back again!

While I wasn't particularly hankering for Venezualan, I was drawn by the promise of quality. This cuisine is good for special diets; with ample vegetarian options and of course it's very good if you're avoiding gluten. Avoiding dairy is a bit more of a stretch, but it could be done. I ended up with my favorite arepa, a domino with black beans and cheese. The beans were wonderfully spiced, adding a slightly bitter, complex flavor to the less subtle salted cheese and grilled corn. Their yucca fries came with cheese and the delicious pink sauce these restaurants usually have. It was very satisfying stuff. They gave be a side of guasaca (avocado-based sauce), and while I wasn't thrilled that you had to pay for more sauces if you wanted them, I had plenty of flavor as things were. They had some interesting drink options. It was really fast food with cheap plastic utensils offered and such, but to have found such a fresh and delicious meal where I did, I was happy.

Amazing little family restaurant!! I'd never had Venezuelan food before, but I'll definitely be back. It's such a cute little place, and the prices are super reasonable. The lady at the register was super patient with my friend and I, we struggled with what to order.

This is not the place to go if you're looking for a quick bite. Very very slow and if you're on a typical lunch break you're sol waiting for your order here

I have been wanting to try Arepittas for a long time. So since I am working on the north shore, and not often downtown, I checked Door Dash and was able to have my order delivered to the north shore. I realized after I placed the order that you can order delivery or take out via yelp. I will do that next time for sure. My expectations were no doubt met! I really enjoyed the Llanera which is a steak with avocado& fried egg on a cornmeal flat bread. It was so fresh! I drizzled the cilantro sauce on it too. I also ordered a beef empanada and it was quite delicious and fresh as well. Nice size too. The Yuca Frita were ok. This was my first time trying yuca's. I thought they were similar to French fries but less of a strong taste. The taste was mild. I added salt n pepper. They were fun to try and dip in the cilantro sauce. They were a great accompaniment to my meal. I look forward to ordering again and ordering different items on the menu.

They make what it says on the tin, as it were. Arepas here are delicious! It's pretty much like a loose meat sandwich except instead of bread you have tasty rounds of masa corn. They also have empanadas but I didn't get a chance to try them. They looked really, really good though. If they're anything like the arepas I'm sure you can't go wrong with them either. It's Venezuelan street food executed well. It's hard to go wrong with that.

Absolutely excellent! Family run and just so special. Don't miss this place. Food was excellent, service top notch and atmosphere clean and bright.

Sooooo incredibly delicious!! The staff is also extremely friendly and the decor is so cute for some fun pics!!!

Some of the freshest most authentic food you are going to find in the city. Everything I have tried here has been delicious. The empanadas are my favorite. The chicken, beef, and vegetarian ones are so full of flavor. Great prices too. There is always a wait so be prepared for that, but the food is well worth it!

While downtown for the Christmas markets my family was looking for something new and novel to try when we were reminded of Arepitta's existence! We had tried to come here probably more than a year ago but hadn't looked carefully enough at the times and showed up when they were closed. Not the case today! We stepped in and were greeted with music, bold black and yellow tables/chairs, and a friendly staff that helped us get settled with our stroller and children in tow. There isn't a ton of seating, but maybe 6 or 7 tables that can sit between 2-4 persons depending. We ordered two of the arepas to share (we correctly assumed our toddlers wouldn't be interested and provided snacks from home for them instead). Food is made to order and so it was probably 10-15 minutes later that the food came out to the table. Flavors were really good and the arepas were loaded with toppings, sauces, veggies and cheese. We were really pleased with the experience and would love to come back soon and try some of the plates perhaps.

While staying downtown for work, I sought an interesting lunch and found Arepittas on Google and when I saw they were a Venezuelan restaurant and the reviews were amazing, I walked here to give them a try. Service was excellent... friendly and helpful! Their menu is quite nice and varied, with empanadas and arepas, as well as many other delicious options. I opted for their Reina Pepiada arepa and a side of yuca, with sides of their avocado green sauce and spicy green sauce. Everything was excellent! The sauces were tasty and the arepa was excellent! Yuca we really good too. Definitely recommend stopping in... Really good eats here!!

Always looking for something different (not a chain girl) when I am traveling. Girls weekend with my mom and sister. My Mom is not one to explore new cuisines, especially those that she feels will be to the Mexican side of food. After some coaxing, she finished her chicken avo sandwich and said "that was amazing!" My sister and I loved ours as well (chicken and a veggie bowl). Owner was amazing and checked on us while we were there to make sure everything was great. If you are in Pitt, make this a stop....you won't be disappointed!

Small, no-frills place with excellent food. Lots of vegetarian and gluten-free options. I got the tostones with soy chorizo and it was delicious. Will be back!

This is a truly amazing place to eat authentic, tasty, good quality Venezuelan food. Stopped at Arepittas with my family including two kids and every one LOVED their food. We had 3 different kind of arepas, a pabellon plate, tequeños (cheese sticks) plus drinks that included a delicious papelon con limon (venezuelan cane sugar lemonade). We were lucky to meet Maria Luisa de venezuelan hands behind the kitchen and thanked her from the bottom of our heart for giving us the gift of tasting delicious venezuelan food here in Pittsburgh. We will come back for sure! Expect great service, great food and fair prices.

Arepittas is a Venezuelan restaurant that serves empanadas, arepas, arepittas bowls, tacos, appetizers, sides, desserts, and drinks. Prices are approximately several dollars per menu item. At the Pittsburgh Taco Festival, my husband ordered an arepa and a tres leches from the restaurant's food truck. (Arepas are cornmeal flatbread that are stuffed with meats and other fillings.) My husband enjoyed the arepa very much, and he wants to eat more arepas in the future. My tres leches consisted of the typical milk-soaked cake and was covered in a topping of very rich cream cheese. I think that my husband and I should make a trip into the city to try out this restaurant's other menu items...

3.25 stars. I don't doubt the reviews that state these are the best arepas in town as I suspect they might be the only ones in town. And I'll say that the various fillings you receive for their arepas are certainly hefty. Each arepa I ordered was overflowing with the selected filling. The shrimp tasted great, the shredded chicken came smothered in a heavy light green mayo based sauce, and the avocado was fresh albeit slightly wilted from the heat of the arepa. I ordered an empanada as well, and while I felt it was a bit more one note than the arepas, it was overall satisfying. All that said, the reason my review isn't much higher are the actual arepas and empanadas themselves. The arepa is two thick discs of corn that did a good job of holding the fillings but had a less appealing flavor on its own. The empanadas tend toward the thicker side as well so keep that in mind. It very well could be your preference as it is for many others who have reviewed this place.

Amazing food! Great service! I would absolutely come Back next time I'm in town. The flavor of the food was so good!

Genuinely the most phenomenal meal! Went as a group of 10 and are still raving about this meal. The staff were so incredibly nice and service was excellent. Between us all we tried the entire menu and it was the best meal of our weekend. Flavorful, great portions, and handmade with such care.

Worth finding. Yes - from the outside it looks like a parking ramp office but inside is bright and clean. The menu was expansive but stuck with the favorite beef and pork arepas. Size was generous so could have just ordered one but both were delicious with unique flavors and great texture for the cornmeal patties.

Very authentic and very busy. As a new comer, I definitely got confused with the big menu and extensive options (keep in mind they have two menus up, one is completely vegan and the other is the regular menu but the two are hard to tell apart). Food took a little bit but came out hot and fresh. Cool experience trying something new.