Cocina Casera South American Restaurant

I never had Venezuelan food before and was excited to give it a try. The owners are hospitable and friendly. They clearly put a lot of love into the food and service. The food is tasty and service is quick. It definitely feels like you’re having a family meal. Seating and parking are limited. Bonus: They offer a completely halal menu making this a fairly unique option for halal eaters.

Delicious, clean, wholesome food. The owners are absolutely wonderful and you can taste the love and care they put into their recipes. I especially love that they’re open late. In a part of town where there aren’t a lot of good options at that time of night, it’s nice to see another wonderful small business adding some extra vibrancy and quality food to the neighborhood. The yuca fries are crispy and dense, and the sauces to pair with them give added flavor and complexity. But the fusion rice bowl might be the MVP of the menu, which is such a wonderfully balanced and filling meal with so many great textures flavors. I’ll definitely be coming back.

Our new fav! A new spot has popped up in the heart of White Center where Bok-a-Bok used to be! Cocina Casera is a Venezualen/South American restaurant with a delicious menu. This minority, women owned business just moved from a takeout/delivery only outfit in Capitol Hill and now has room for you to dine in! They have halal and vegan options and a vibrant, innovative menu that changes seasonally. The food is delish! The beef was a bit dry and lacked flavor but the chicken was flavorful and juicy. We’re so excited to try the arepas. The yuca are delicious!! Plantains were cooked perfectly. The avocado sauce was tasty and picante had a super kick to it!

Finally good home-cooked authentica Venezuelano food! Just great food period for this White Center Area. Seattle and surrounding area is finally becoming a real melting pot con Sabor. Existing locals better step it up! South Ameri a, Caribbean, New York, Chicago, The South are here!

This gem is a rare find in Seattle—a fully HALAL South American restaurant (probably one the very few in the country) with food that tastes absolutely authentic. The chef is a registered dietitian, which means the food isn’t just delicious but thoughtfully prepared. My Panamanian husband gave it his stamp of approval, which says a lot. We ordered Lomo Saltado and Pabellón criollo and I would highly recommend both these dishes. Plus, they’re open till MIDNIGHT, making it a perfect spot for a late-night meal. If you’re craving real South American food with heart, this is the place.

This restaurant is Seattle's—and possibly the USA's—first South American establishment offering a completely Halal menu. With two seasoned chefs who bring decades of experience, they seamlessly blend their cultural heritage with authentic cuisine, freshness, inclusivity, and sustainability, crafting the ultimate take-out experience. The Pabellón Criollo, Venezuela's national dish, arrived in an adorable bento box and was the highlight of my meal. The slowly braised beef was bursting with rich flavors, while the creamy black beans melted in my mouth. The cilantro-infused rice was perfectly cooked, its zesty lime notes leaving me craving more. Sweet fried plantains provided the ideal balance, complemented by fresh avocado and corn. Each component could be enjoyed individually or mixed together for a harmonious blend. Paired with a refreshing non-alcoholic mock sangria, the meal was an absolute delight. The Arepa, filled with juicy chicken and vegan chorizo, was a flavor explosion. Its texture was impeccable, with a crispy exterior and a soft, cakey interior. This traditional South American staple, enjoyed for over 2,800 years, delivered a taste of ancient culinary excellence. Another standout was the Empanada. Unlike any I had tried before, this Colombian-Venezuelan style empanada featured a thin, crunchy cornmeal dough filled with savory braised beef, potatoes, vegetables, and rice. Each bite was a delightful combination of textures and flavors. Accompanying sauces added to the experience, with the fresh avocado sauce and the spicy kick of picante sauce enhancing every dish. To end the meal, I indulged in a chocolate mousse cake that was both creamy and blissfully chocolaty—one of the best I’ve ever had. The chefs at Cocina Casera are passionate about creating memorable dining experiences. They told me everything is made fresh from scratch. They go above and beyond that mentioning your family members when ordering may even result in personalized touches, making each meal even more special.

My second time eating here, first time was at the Issaquah Farmers Market. Everything was awesome. We had sweet plantains, canoa de platano with beef, salad, bean cheese and plantain arepa. Presentation looked great, everything was well cooked. The orange sauce was great but a little spicy for me, loved the green sauce. Will definitely be coming back. It’s great to have takeout that’s satisfying but also feels healthy and not too heavy.

This place is OUTSTANDING! They seem to serve mostly Venezuelan food with some Peruvian specials. The flavor profiles are unique to anything else I've had in Seattle, the ingredients are obviously high quality and every dish is made with care. It's also surprisingly veg- friendly with "vegan chorizo" a protein option on most dishes - my omnivore husband said he wouldn't even have known it wasn't meat. Butternut squash soup, arepas, Pabellón Criollo, plantain canoes - all excellent - and my husband will be ordering the Lomo Saltado as long as they offer it. Plus the folks running/cooking are the sweetest and obviously really care what they're serving. White Center has no shortage of amazing casual food options and Cocina Casera is priced higher than most of them - for obvious reasons once you've tried it. It feels like being hosted in someone's home and you can really taste the love they put into preparing the food.

I never had Venezuelan food before and was excited to give it a try. The owners are hospitable and friendly. They clearly put a lot of love into the food and service. The food is tasty and service is quick. It definitely feels like you're having a family meal. Seating and parking are limited. Bonus: They offer a completely halal menu making this a fairly unique option for halal eaters.

We just tried Cucina Casera, and had a lovely experience. Everything on the menu looked and sounded delicious, so we asked the owner if he had any recommendations. He took the time to explain the dishes, and is clearly passionate about the food. We ordered and were not disappointed. The smashed avocado with plantain chips, the pabellon, and the spiced bowel were all delicious. For the food and the service, we will definitely be going back and are excited to have this great addition to our local restaurants.

Delicious food -- their braised beef is so flavorful, plantains are perfectly cooked, and sauces are delicious. I've only gotten takeout but it's been great every time.

I haven't been impressed by a restaurant in Seattle in ages. This little gem is a winner in all ways. The vegan chorizo empanadas!

South America 5 stars cuisineThe Seattle community & the needs to know about this restaurant now! Support them

Amazing food and great service. Delicious food and I love the Halal menu. I will stop by any time I am in the area for more dishes.

Delicious, clean, wholesome food. The owners are absolutely wonderful and you can taste the love and care they put into their recipes. I especially love that they're open late. In a part of town where there aren't a lot of good options at that time of night, it's nice to see another wonderful small business adding some extra vibrancy and quality food to the neighborhood. The yuca fries are crispy and dense, and the sauces to pair with them give added flavor and complexity. But the fusion rice bowl might be the MVP of the menu, which is such a wonderfully balanced and filling meal with so many great textures flavors. I'll definitely be coming back.

I stopped by Cocina Casera to pickup takeout and ordered their a la plancha bento, latin bowl and empanadas. Placing my order was super easy, you can order on various delivery apps or on cap hill kitchen's website. Pickup was very smooth, I got my order through the lockers. The one downside is that parking is hard - I was looking for parking for a while and the lot across the street was $20 after 5pm. :( The loading zones were taken as there are alot of delivery drivers also picking up food. The a la plancha bento was amazing! I got it with their chicken, which is braised for 24 hours. It was packed with flavors and tasted super fresh, as if it was made to order. I liked the yucca fries and salad it came with, as well as the plantains. The latin bowl was my favorite and I ordered it with the braised beef. Again, the beef was so tender and very well flavored. I liked how the bowl was stuffed with rice, beans and meat. I wish that it came with a bit more veggies (it came with arugula) and an option for sour cream, but other than that, this will definitely be a go to! I topped mine off with the red sauce and the avocado green sauce and it was delicious. Lastly, we got the empanadas which was another star of the show. The empanadas are made fresh in house and the breading was very flaky and crispy. They did not skimp out on the meat inside and I loved pairing these with their dipping sauce. All in all, I would highly recommend ordering from here! My boyfriend took the a la plancha bento box to work the next day and he got so many compliments on the presentation!

Have eaten here twice and both times have been excellent! 5 stars for the food. I would eat here more often if the prices weren't so expensive, but overall I highly recommend this place.

Delicioso!! I was lucky enough to try Cocina Casera's arepas at an event. The plantain, bean, and cheese arepa is crave-worthy and so satisfying. It's a perfect combination of savory and sweet. I have chili & pepper sensitivities that make it difficult to enjoy many dishes from South & Central America. This was perfect to get the delicious flavors safely. Please open a location on the eastside when you can expand!

My Colombian husband and I stumbled on this White Center gem via a DoorDash review and decided to check this place out in person. As soon as we walked in we were warmly greeted by owner Eda. We only wanted a snack and we each got an empañada, chicken and beef. ¡Madre Maria! Tender, flavorful, freshly made. Two sauces to choose from for toppings. And big! Afterwards we chit-chatted with Eda and her husband/co-owner, Ángel, and they walked us through their vision for the future and passion for delicious South American food. We can guarantee we will be back. Cocina Casera is a great addition to the vibrant White Center neighborhood.

Cocina Casera at Cap Hill Kitchens has captured my children's hearts and appetites, securing its spot as our family's favorite dining takeout. The tostones are perfectly crispy and salty, while the empanadas are filled with savory, mouthwatering flavors that even my pickiest eaters can't resist - and I have some picky eaters! If you're looking for family-friendly food, Cocina Casera is a must! Trust me, your taste buds and your little ones will thank you!

Absolutely the best food we ever had. Everything we ordered was on the level of the upper class. Recommended appetizers: Empanadas, Canoas de Platanos, Tostones. Soups are delicious. Entrees we recommend are Pabellón Criollo Bento Box, Mechada Bowl. But I would not stop on that and would consider any other dish since everything from this restaurant is delicious. My wife and I did order twice and both times there was no miss.

I've placed an order 2x now through Uber Eats for this place (two separate occasions). Boy is this place PHENOMENAL! The flavors are out of this world and it seems like the restaurant has prepared really well for delivery--all the items came separately in a container (bento box) and all were hot. We'll absolutely be coming back!

insanely good. lots of vegetarian Venezuelan options, can sub any meat with veg chorizo, too.