Coppelia
Cuban restaurant · Chelsea ·
24/7 Pan-Latin diner with colorful decor and strong drinks
24/7 Pan-Latin diner with colorful decor and strong drinks
"Late‑night hunger led me into this 24‑hour pan‑Latin diner with retro touches, bustling even in the middle of the night as people sipped mojitos and dug into pancakes, Cubanos, and churrasco. The La Llarena arepa ($14) won me over: skirt steak cooked to medium rare—well‑seasoned and tender—tucked inside a pleasantly crisp arepa with ripe avocado and tomatoes, plus just‑salty‑enough queso fresco to tie it together. Far from relying on charm alone, the food delivered, and this spot is in my regular late‑night Manhattan rotation." - Bettina Makalintal
"We were pretty fired up about Coppelia when it opened. A latin-themed diner from the good people behind Infatuation favorites Yerba Buena and Toloache? Sign us up. Sadly, we weren't overly impressed the first time we went. Neither were we on the second, third, fourth or fifth. We keep coming back though, despite not being blown away by the food. Here's why. Coppelia is CHEAP. We're not talking affordable by NYC standards, we're talking cheap in Des Moines, Iowa. The majority of the menu clocks in under $10 which makes it possible to eat like a king and get a beer for under $20. Being that it is so cheap, it's hard to hate on the food all that much. You could be doing a lot worse. Coppelia's pedigree almost works against them because we hold Yerba Buena in such high regard. However, we need to keep in mind that this is just a diner. And if this was a random diner we stumbled into knowing nothing about, we'd have found a diamond in the rough. Another reason we're cool with Coppelia is because it's open 24 hours. This may be the city that never sleeps, but when it's 4am and you need to eat, there really aren't that many solid options. This is one of them. Additionally, Coppelia is centrally located between the West Village, Chelsea and Meatpacking making it convenient anytime you're on the West side. More importantly, the best part about Coppelia is that it's right next door to one of our favorite establishments in NYC - The Donut Pub. Skip dessert and go for a black & white cookie. You can thank us later. Food Rundown Huevos Rancheros/Huevos Coppelia They have a tendency to overcook the eggs at Coppelia, therefore drying out the entire dish. Both the Huevos Rancheros and Huevos Coppelia suffered a similar fate, as did the omelette we got on the following trip. Maybe it's the Latin way, but we don't like our eggs dry like the desert. Get something else off the all day breakfast menu. Home Made Ricotta Waffles Solid. We enjoyed these light, airy waffles. Nachos One of our favorite things here, we've ordered the nachos every time we've visited. Made with chihuahua cheese, black beans, jalapeño, and chopped beef short ribs, this is fun for the whole table. Empanadas The empanadas are one of the highlights of the menu and definitely warrant investing some stomach real estate towards. Our two favorites are the Oxtail Empanada and the Sweet Corn and Chicken Empanada. Cubano Sandwich Nothing wrong with this guy. There's a nice ratio of roasted pork with ham, swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard. Order it. Frita Cubana Burger This is a very good and unique burger. However, the description - roast pork, chicharron, lettuce, tomato, onions, and pickles - sound way better than it is. It's kind of a mess and hard to eat. Ropa Vieja This Cuban classic is one of Coppelia's most popular orders. For good reason, too. Dessert Another reminder to go next door and get the black and white cookie at The Donut Pub." - Andrew Steinthal
"Coppelia is a Latin diner in Chelsea and it may not be your first choice in the neighborhood at 8pm—but when it’s super late and everything is closed, this spot suddenly feels like one of the best restaurants in the city. Grab a stool at the long counter or a booth if you’re with a group, and have some early-morning arroz con pollo, ropa vieja, or huevos rancheros. The Cubano—with the ideal ratio of roasted pork, ham, and swiss—is another solid choice. You can get one at 5am, because this place is open 24 hours." - willa moore, will hartman, neha talreja, bryan kim, sonal shah
"Your friend convinced you to try that JumpRopeBodyFit class on ClassPass and the teacher yelled at you with an extremely shrill voice the entire time. You need to feed yourself well, and would be wise to consider Coppelia, 24-hour Latin diner on 14th Street. It’s extremely casual, but serves dishes a little more interesting than your standard diner eggs, pancakes, and a kind-of-weird Cobb salad. Huevos Rancheros for dinner are a good idea." - bryan kim, hillary reinsberg, matt tervooren
"If you’re still up late and you need a good meal, Coppelia on 14th Street is open 24/7 and has an amazing chicken quesadilla. Get rice and beans on the side, duh." - cat cohen