From Gourmet Magazine Top Hispanic Restaurants in 14 Cities
ASPEN
Tom Passavant
Zocalito
Chef Michael Beary, formerly of Aspen's Cache Cache,
actually sources his own pasilla chiles from Oaxaca and he
uses them in a robust, spicy sauce served with grilled
steak. It's just one example of his efforts to capture
authentic tastes of Mexico and other Latin-American
countries. He also has one of the better lists of Spanish
wines in the country.
420 East Hyman Avenue; 970-920-2091
ATLANTA
Christiane Lauterbach
Pura Vida
At Pura Vida, Puerto Rican chef Hector Santiago serves up
astonishing small plates like bacalao en coctel casi
tradicional (salt cod marinated in piquillo tapioca and
served with green olives and a sour orange confit). Check
out the glossary of terms in the margin of the menu—it's a
big help in deciphering Santiago's creative (and
vocabulary-laden) menu.
656 North Highland Avenue Northeast; 404-870-9797
www.puravidatapas.com
BOSTON
Mat Schafer
El Triunfo
Although it's mostly take-out, this tiny Mexican-Salvadoran
hole-in-the-wall also has two (sometimes three) stools
available for those who choose to eat in. Try the crispy
Salvadorian-style shrimp or the pork pupusas with vinegar
and cabbage.
147 East Berkeley Street; 617-542-8499
La Jon Garrido for Phoenix City Council
This taqueria, the newest venture of Boston restaurateur Ken
Oringer (Clio, Toro), is literally in the shadow of Fenway
Park. The menu is relatively small, but the tortillas,
tortas, and tacos are all made on-site. The achiote chicken
taco and chile verde are both knockouts.
1 Landsdowne Street; 617-351-2580
Merengue
This upscale Dominican hotspot is known for its outstanding
mofongo (mashed plantains flavored with pork rinds), but the
extensive menu has something for everyone, including stellar
seafood options like the king fish or red snapper in coconut
sauce. The wine list, packed with South American selections,
is also a draw.
156-160 Blue Hill Avenue; 617-445-5403
www.merenguerestaurant.com
CHICAGO
DC & SURROUNDING AREA
Phyllis Richman
El Tapatio and La
Sirenita
These family-run restaurants are just two of the authentic
establishments found in Mexican neighborhoods throughout the
D.C. area. They're both casual and cheap, with little or no
English spoken by the staff. El Tapatio has a stellar birria
de chivo (spicy stew made with Mexican chiles and goat),
while La Sirenita serves one of the best chile rellenos
around.
El Tapatio 4309 Kenilworth Avenue, Bladensburg; 301-403-8882
La Sirenita 4911 Edminstron Road, Bladensburg; 301-864-0188
Oyamel and Café
Atlantico
Chef José Andrés is often credited with popularizing the
concept of small plates in America. Oyamel serves
traditional Mexican cuisine, including salads of baby cactus
and hearts of palm, while Café Atlantico is the place for
Pan-Latin cuisine (the guacamole prepared tableside has
developed a devoted following) and an outstanding drink
menu. Here, you can pair Hispanic dim sum with a signature
cocktail—we like pineapple shavings with tamarind oil
alongside an icy-cold Salt and Lime Air Margarita.
Oyamel. 401 7th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.; 202-628-1005.
www.oyamel.com
Café Atlantico. 405 8th Street N.W., Washington, D.C.;
202-393-0812.
www.cafeatlantico.com
Chi-Cha Lounge
It's not just the creative Andean cuisine that draws a
following at Chi-Cha Lounge—a funky lounge furnished with
sofas and hookahs lures young people looking to unwind while
diners enjoy a host of tapas and small plates. The jicama-stuffed
avocado and the sweet potatoes in peanut sauce are
can't-miss options.
1624 U Street NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-234-8400
DENVER
Tucker Shaw
El Taco De Mexico
In a city whose ethnic makeup is half Hispanic, the title of
best taco stand is no joke. El Taco de Mexico's open kitchen and
all-female staff are up to the task, serving carnitas,
chicharrons (pork skin), lengua (beef tongue), and other
delicious stuff for burritos and tacos. On weekends, you can
nurse your hangover with menudo (a spicy soup made of chiles and
hominy). Get a horchata (a milky rice drink) to wash it down.
And always get your order "smothered," because the green chile
is truly out of this world.
714 Santa Fe Drive; 303-623-3926
www.eltacodemexico.com
Buenos Aires Pizza
Granted, the craving for Argentine pizza is fairly specific, but
when you need a slice with chimichurri and ham and a glass of
cheap Malbec, nothing else will do. Denver isn't a haven of
unique, focused restaurants like this, but the Argentine gelato
shop next door has made the strip a destination for people
looking for a taste of this corner of South America.
1320 22nd Street; 303-296-6710
Limon
This hip, high-end newcomer specializes in Andean dishes like
chuleton (pork chop) with a sauerkraut-like potato-cabbage hash,
and locro serrano, a squash and quinoa stew served with a fried
egg. The highlands of Peru have similar growing conditions to
Colorado, so many of the ingredients are acquired locally.
1618 East 17th Avenue; 303-322-0898
HOBOKEN
Andrea Clurfeld
Cuchramama and Zafra
Maricel Presilla, chef/owner of both Cuchramama and Zafra in
Hoboken, NJ, is fluent in both the culture and the cuisine of
Latin America. From the traditional South American dishes at
Cuchramama (our favorites are potato and peanut-filled tamale
and saice, or spicy Bolivian-style braised beef) to the casual
Pan-Latin fare at Zafra (try the albondiguitas, or mini-Cuban
meatballs), the dishes showcase the wealth of Presilla's
knowledge.
Cuchramama 233 Clinton Street; 201-420-1700
Zafra 301 Willow Avenue; 201-610-9801
Mexico Lindo
New Latin immigrants occupying a broad spectrum of cultures are
bringing dishes not just from their homelands but from their
hometowns to New Jersey—especially along the Shore. An example
is Mexico Lindo's "memelita," a tortilla hand-formed by members
of the Guerrero family into a small tart and filled with black
beans, fresh queso, cilantro, and tomato salsa. They are an
everyday food back in their native village in Puebla, and a rush
of Jersey suburbanites clamors for them every night.
1135 Burnt Tavern Road, Brick; 732-202-1930.
AMAGANSETT
Colman Andrews
La Fondita
In spite of its location smack in the middle of the Hamptons, La
Fondita is considered one of the most authentic Mexican take-out
places anywhere. Devour a soft-shelled crab taco with chipotle
mayo and shredded cabbage amidst a sea of country clubs, or just
grab a bottle of salsa de habañero to take home.
74 Montauk Highway, Amagansett; 631-267-8800
www.lafondita.net
LOS ANGELES
Sherry Virbila
Chichen Itza
At Chichen Itza, a new Mexican restaurant near the downtown
area, the emphasis is on flavors from the Yucatan. Chef/owner
Gilberto Cetina loves to use tropical flourishes in dishes like
cochinita pibil (marinated pork roasted in a banana leaf) and
yellow chiles stuffed with fresh tuna.
2501 W. 6th Street, Los Angeles; 213-380-0051
Guelaguetza
This modest Oaxacan café serves a killer breakfast, complete
with pan de yema (egg bread), big cups of milky coffee and great
huevos rancheros. Try the green mole soup flavored with pork
bones, epazote, and cilantro, or the intricate mole negro de
Oaxaca with chicken. Though there are several Guelaguetzas
around town, this is the original, and the best.
11127 Palms Boulevard, Palms; 310-837-1153
La Serenata di Garibaldi
Chef/owner Jose Rodriguez is known for his subtle sauces. At
lunch, tables are filled with lawyers and politicos reveling in
camerones (shrimp) in cilantro sauce, rock shrimp gorditas, and
chicken flautas napped with velvety guacamole.
1841 E. 1st Street, Los Angeles; 323-265-2887
Ciudad
Ciudad celebrates the cuisines of the great Latin cities, from
Havana and Buenos Aires to Lisbon and Barcelona. The menu is a
terrific compendium of little dishes—rabbit and ham croquettes,
Peruvian ceviche, carnitas tacos—as well as a variety of platos
principales. The bar also has a dazzling selection of
margaritas, mojitos, sherries, and rums.
445 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles; 213-486-5171
NEW ORLEANS
Brett Anderson
Felipe's
This popular new taqueria is quickly becoming known as the best
in the area. The Mexican chef (whose brother runs the original
Felipe's in Boston) uses fresh ingredients to make almost
everything in-house (excluding the tortillas), including a great
selection of hot sauces, pickled vegetables, and salsas. The
carnitas are made in small batches to ensure freshness, and the
margaritas are made with fresh-squeezed key-lime juice.
6215 South Miro Street; 504-309-2776
RioMar
Chef Adolfo Garcia embraces his Panamanian heritage in this
high-end restaurant, infusing traditional Latin cuisine with
local ingredients. The menu is laden with seafood options like
bacalaitos (salt cod fritters) and tuna empanadas, but also
features grilled pressed sandwiches and dried cured meats.
800 South Peters Street; 504-525-3474
PORTLAND
Janie Hibler
Andina
Looking for a respite from the land of tacos? Andina has a host
of innovative Hispanic options (including an entire gluten-free
menu in addition to the main offerings). The homemade bread
served with three sauces-peanut, passion fruit, and aji
Amarillo, a Peruvian chili pepper-is extraordinary, and the
golden beet and mushroom quinoa "risotto" is also a standout.
1314 Northwest Glisan Street; 503-228-9535
www.andinarestaurant.com
Nuestra Cucina
Dining at Nuestra Cucina is akin to eating at the best home
kitchen in Mexico, thanks to the unpretentious dishes the
chef-owner learned to make in his Mexican grandmother's kitchen.
All the food is made from scratch, including the handmade
tortillas and the long-simmered moles. The small but satisfying
menu features fresh daily seafood, Painted Hills beef, and
Carlton pork.
2135 Southeast Division Street; 503-232-2135
www.nuestra-cocina.com
Por Que No Taqueria
This tiny taqueria is located in a converted garage outfitted
with a lone counter lined with jars of aqua fresca and several
small tables. While traditional items like tacos, enchiladas,
carnitas, and tamales are solid, the best picks are the ones
made with local ingredients, such as the Carlton pork carnitas
and the line-caught fish tacos served with crèma, cabbage,
mango, and cilantro.
3524 North Mississippi Avenue; 503-467-4149
SEATTLE
Providence Cicero
Mixtura
Chef Emmanuel Piqueras brought New Andean cooking to the Pacific
Northwest. He fuses European techniques with the traditions and
flavors of Peru, which means the menu has tremendous range.
Settle into a plate of Afro-Peruvian fire-roasted beef heart or
try the Incan tabbouleh.
148 Lake Street South, Kirkland; 425-803-3310
www.mixtura.biz
La Carta de Oaxaca
Oaxacan home cooking is the draw at this simple restaurant. No
detail is spared, whether the dishes are modest (tacos, molotes,
masa filled with chorizo and potato, and picaditas made with
fresh tortillas) or more substantial (entomatada, fluffy tamales
stuffed with pork, or chicken served with a sweet black mole
sauce). There's a fresh salsa bar and another that dispenses
premium tequilas, single-village mescals, and Mexican beer.
5431 Ballard Avenue NW, Seattle; 206-782-8722
www.lacartadeoaxaca.com
ST. PAUL
Kathie Jenkins
El Patio
Although it's been open less than a year, El Patio has already
become a downtown hotspot. (The great patio doesn't hurt.) The
food is straightforward Mexican cuisine—seafood cocktails,
enchiladas, tostadas, oysters on the half shell, and whole,
deep-fried fish with garlic, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
The slow-roasted pork carnitas are worth a trip.
242 W. Seventh Street, St. Paul; 651-209-9210
El Burrito Mercado
With both a Hispanic market and a bustling restaurant, El Burrito
Mercado attracts patrons from all over the Twin Cities. Sample
one of the tortas, gorditas, carne asada tacos, or tamales (the
best in town), then wash it all down with one of the many
authentic Hispanic beverages, from Jumex juices to Modelo beer.
175 Concord Street, St. Paul; 651-227-2202
www.elburritomercado.com
Pineda Tacos 3
The burritos at Pineda Tacos 3 are not for amateurs. Stuffed
with rice, beans, and as much hot sauce as you can handle, one
could easily feed a family of four. Try the burrito with stewed
chicken, potato, and tomatillo sauce—although the portion is
outrageous, you won't want to share.
1304 S. Robert Street, West St. Paul; 651-455-6833
