It's a maelstrom of emotions right now for Venezuelans (and Caribbeans, Mexicans, Canadians, Greenlanders, and most other Earth-based societies), whether they're cheering the removal of a dictator, railing against the overreaches of U.S. imperialism, watching the sky for killer flying robots, or doing all of those things simultaneously.
All of which is to say, our Venezuelan-Angeleno businesses could use your support and a touch of humanity right now. Nearly as much as you may need a dulce de leche-drizzled churro to take the edge off of the post-holiday come-down.
So without further explanation of what any of us are doing here, these are L.A.'s nine best places for getting to know Venezuelan cooking, from its beloved arepas, tequeños, and cachapas, to its national dish of pabellón criollo and occasional, odd, masa-encased odes to Inglewood.
AREPAS EL CHAMO ~ WEST HILLS
Come to Arepas El Chamo's San Fernando Valley truck for the soft, stuffed, and fluffy arepas, and will wind up staying in their garden seating area, going crazy for the cachapas with golden-brown craters, oozing with cheese and the sweet aromas of fresh corn.
But you can pretty much take your pick of Venezulean standards to enjoy in these lovely outdoors, like the chicken-and-avocado-stuffed "reina pipada" arepas, casual burgers and dogs, sopa de mondongo, pernil-topped patacones (fried and smashed plantains), and shrimp-stuffed empanadas.
You can always take your tequeños to go rather than submit. Never submit.
9745 Burnet Ave. North Hills East 91343
CARIACO TO-GO ~ GLENDALE
Cariaco is a big name in L.A.'s Venezuelan empanada game, serving 18 varieties of the fried savory pastry, which come bigger than you may be used to, are made with both wheat-and-corn flour, and are served with garlic and guasacaca, a tangy sauce made with avocado, vinegar, and cilantro.
You'll find them to-go and made with the usual kinds of things, like spinach, shredded beef, guava jam, and cheese, but you arguably haven't tasted a Venezuelan empanada until you've had them stuffed with the country's national dish of pabellón criollo, a blend of beef, black beans, fried ripe plantains, and cheese, or the caripe empanada, which ditches the beans to shine a bigger light on those plantains.
There are also hallacas, banana leaf-wrapped tamales with a picadillo of raisins, capers, and olives. Plus, the sliver of a storefront has favorite Venezuelan groceries like Susy bars, Pirulin cookies, and tricolor cups and flags on hand for the homesick.
And should a few stray tostones, arepas, dulce de leche-drizzed churros, spoonfuls of sancocho, or wedges of fried cheese fall into your mouth along the way, all the better.
211 W. Wilson Ave. Glendale, CA 91203
CHURROS CALIENTES ~ SAWTELLE
Churros Calientes is more than just a diminutive Sawtelle tavern for suggestively curved and perfectly crisp churros, thick chocolate, cafe cubanos, and juice cups of "tres en uno" after a foreign flick at the Laemmle next door.
It's also somewhat of a nocturnal rallying point for Angelenos of South American origins, where you may begin a long conversation with an Argentine rake and the Brazilian supermodel who loves him, as they tuck into bocadillos milanesas. Or you may eye the sandwich of jamon serrano and manchego as its cradled in the hands of a neighboring Antioquian, while you ponder life and the menu of churros and espresso drinks.
Or you may just come here and really dig the churros with several scoops of ice cream, alone and content. Either way, it's here for you and whatever holes need filling.
And speaking of supermodels, there's a reason owner Sandro "Mr. Venezueal 1997" Finocchio may look familiar.
1521 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, California 90025
AMARA'S CHOCOLATE AND COFFEE ~ PASADENA
Amara is a bright cafe with an extensive menu of Venezuelan eats, a dedication to rich hot chocolate, and robust coffee prepared in a wide spectrum of styles.
Central to the menu are eight arepas, each more tempting than the next with fillings like pernil, honey-stewed marina-marinated chicken, beef-and-gouda, and a vegan version with sweet banana and soy chorizo. There's also a gluten-free arepa, for those who want it.
On the menu's flanks are slightly elevated versions of cachapas, asada negro, tostones, breakfast burritos, and sandwiches like a spicy cubano on ciabatta with pulled pernil, ham, and cheese. Breakfast, which finds dishes like dulce de leche corn pancakes, guava-and-cheese-topped churros, and cachapas with sides of meat and eggs, is a big draw here.
Then there's the sweet stuff. Mochas made with 70% dark chocolate made from cacao sourced from Venezuela. Lattes of the Nutella and dulce de leche kind. A proprietary house hot chocolate blend. Churros loaded with ice cream. Churros with Nutella and cream cheese striped like Beetlejuice's blazer. Milkshakes and cookies. Golfiados and almond croissants. It's enough to make you forswear new year's resolutions.
55 S. Raymond Ave. Pasadena, CA 91105
CHAINSAW ~ LARCHMONT
Chainsaw's Melrose realm was built on a certain passionfruit-key lime pie and marquesa de chocolate icebox pies that reached fervent demand in the business' pop-up days. Now it presides over this new, tiny, and rustic bakery space, where its cult-favorite pies, tres leches, and pastries are joined by the likes of pork milanesa arepas, empanadas, and various other specials scrawled on the mirror. But perfection may be found in a simple cortado at an outside table, alone, reading your Luz Machado.
5022 Melrose Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90038
THE AREPA STAND ~ FARMERS MARKETS
A favorite of farmers market-goers, The Arepa Stand is owned by Lucques veteran Mercedes Rojas and Zeus Ferrini, a brother-and-sister duo from Venezuela, who treat the eight hulking handmade arepas on their menu as their life's very art.
The Cheester, stuffed only with a slab of queso de mano, is the simplest option before things get significantly crazier in options like the East L.A., barely able to get its mouth around the chorizo, egg, plantains, garlic sauce, and shredded gouda inside. Other intriguing arepas include The Inglewood with braised barbecue pork, chile de arbol, and avocado, and The Notti's, in which a whole fried egg peeks out of the masa, folded up with plantains and cheese.
Once you try one, you'll want to try them all.
See their Instagram account for schedule.
DOG.R ~ VARIOUS LOCATIONS
We were the first to cover Dog.R L.A., Gerardo Pacheco's Venezuelan hot dog truck that was showering sausages in cheese, chips, and corn while serving streetside "pepito" steak sandwiches along Venice Boulevard and among the Sunday crowds at Smorgasburg. Today, you'll find Dog.R serving its Venezuelan-style dogs, burgers, pepitos, and fries at local festivals and events, with appearances posted to Instagram stories. Pacheco is also running his own catering operation for DOG.R, available to book at your parties and celebrations.
CHAMO ~ PASADENA
Chamo is a charming, casual stop in Pasadena for great, traditional Venezuelan food you won't usually find among its competitors, from plates of fried yuca with fried pork, to the national dish of pabellón (beef machaca with black beans, plantains, and rice), to daily-prepared arepas stuffed with quail eggs, tuna, pork rinds, or even double cheese.
They also have chef-collab arepas like the one with chorizo designed by chef Aron Sanchez. "Chamo," after all, is basically the Venezuelan equivalent of dude/che/güey/chum.
950 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena, CA 91106
PEPITERIA+ 58 ~ GARDENA
Pepiteria +58 is an awesome Venezuelan experience that's been open about a year in Glendale and prides itself on making everything from scratch, including breads baked daily for their eponymous pepito sandwiches.
Go for the parilla plate, which pairs sliced steak with plantains and impressive lengths of chicharrón curled around French fries, and pair it with a refreshing chicha made with condensed milk.
If you're on the run, grab an arepa, hot dog, double burgers, or one of the many loaded-beyond-belief versions of the pepito, an open-faced sandwich bearing a load of meats, sauces, corn, and sprinkled cheese with the resolve of Atlas.
Either way, you're in good hands here. And won't be going hungry.
2225 Rosecrans Ave. Gardena, CA 90249
