- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
Arepa Café
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
490 Queen Street WestToronto, ON M5V 2B3
Neighbourhoods: Alexandra Park, Queen Street West
(416) 362-4111
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 10 am - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 10 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 8 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
46 reviews for Arepa Café
Review Highlights
"The shredded flank steak was almost perfect- very flavorful..."
(in 3 reviews)
"Scotch-bonnet hot sauce was a plus."
(in 8 reviews)
"Prices are reasonable and the sandwiches are very filling."
(in 4 reviews)
Loading...
46 reviews in English
-
Review from Candice H.
Mississauga, ON
1/22/2012
This was the first time that I have ever tried Venezuelan food so I wasn't sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. I went with a couple of friends, and we decided to order a couple of things to share since we wanted to try everything.
For appetizers we tried the Tequenos, which is basically a pastry filled with cheese. When you have a deep fried pastry and melted cheese you can't go wrong. We also had the Cassava and Guasacaca, which are deep fried cassava fries. The fries had texture similar to puff pastry and were really yummy. The avocado sauce that accompanies the fries was delicious. The 3 sauces that come with the food were great too. I loved the hot sauce, which is quiet hot.
The mains we had were the Arepas, which are grilled corn meal bread sandwiches with different fillings. We tried the Adobo Roasted Pork, Pabellon Arepa, and Carne Mechada. My favourite had to be the Pabellon Arepa, which has shredded flank steak, black beans, sweet plantain, and cheese.
For dessert we had the Alfajor, which is a cookie with caramel filling sprinkled with powdered sugar. The great thing about this is that they weren't too sweet, and small enough that you can still eat a dessert after all the other food.
The atmosphere in the place is casual and urban. I love the artwork on the walls; there are some cool necklaces showcased. It's a great place to chat with your friends and hangout and I would definitely go back and visit. -
Review from Natalie T.
East York, ON
2/10/2012
A-ree-pa? A-rape-a? I don't know.
VIBE
Located in the old Tequila Bookworm space, this is a haven for those who love Brick walls and a drafty breeze. You can wi-fi to your heart's content and have a beer as well. All kidding aside, we had great service and the space is light and airy. I like the space. And um, who knew there was Venezuelan food in TO?
WE ATE
They have some pretty awesome combos here - arepa of the day + beer for $12 so I got the carne mechada -shredded flank steak, tomato, garlic, pepper, cumin - wrapped in two pieces of dense corn bread paired with MIll Street Organic. My dining companion had the vegetarian arepa. Not my cup of tea to be honest.
The steak lacked flavour and it was a good 3 portions of meat. So yes, hearty, but no to lack of toppings. And the hot sauce is HOT. Like mouth-on-fire, get me a glass of milk stat hot. Caution on the hot sauce. As much as I wanted to love the food I was not impressed.
My friend seemed to like her vegetarian one but the consensus was this was a lot of food, even though it doesn't look like it.
I topped it off with an alfajore. It was nice but I think I was in the mood for something more chocolatey.
OBLIGATORY CATCHY REMARK
Great space; meh food. If you want a catch up with a friend, I'd come here for beers or coffee but I'd try something other than the arepa.Listed in: It's Just Lunch, Meat, Sweets and Treats
-
Review from Caroline W.
Scarborough, ON
1/15/2012
I've never tried Venezuelan food, but I'm glad I did. I've been to this place twice now and I think it'll become a favourite of mine.
An arepa is essentially a cornbread flatbread, filled with various things- vegetarian or non. I chose the Domino, which was just black beans and cheese. While it sounds kind of boring, it's actually really good, especially when you have it with their sauces. When you order an arepa, they give you 3 bottles of sauces: garlic mayo, green pepper, and a hot sauce (be forewarned, it's really hot, so just a drop or two will do!) The arepa comes served with a small side of coleslaw, which I find helps to cool down my mouth after having some hot sauce. The arepa may look small at first, but it's actually pretty filling. It's also really messy to eat, especially if you have multiple fillings in it. (My bf ordered the Carne Mechada, which was pretty much overflowing with meat and vegetables, the cornbread pocket didn't seem to hold all the fillings well).
They also have some sides that you can order, my favourite so far being the green plantain tostones. They come served with a side of garlic mayo. I've also seen some platters and desserts listed on the menu, but I haven't tried any of those yet. -
Review from Charles H.
Montréal, QC
2/1/2012
Not worth coming...make your arepas at home or go elsewhere
-
Review from Linda M.
12/16/2011
First off: they really need a new system for their front door. This is Toronto, where it is cold for about 8 months of the year, so a door that opens freely into your restaurant where people are trying to enjoy their meals, doesn't quite work. Luckily it wasn't too cold the night I visited - but seriously, a curtain, a double door, something.
Other than the occasional interruption from the December wind, I really enjoyed this place. I was a little worried when I heard this was where we would be having our most recent dining group meeting, because I'm not usually a big fan of cornbread. Something about it...the vague sweetness perhaps? It just doesn't mesh well for me. I decided to be bold anyways, and order one of their arepas rather than a platter. We also got an order of Tequenos to share, which were cheese pastries. They were basically mozzarella sticks, but with a very different pastry, and I believe they were baked. They were served with a green pepper sauce, which was quite tasty even though I don't like green peppers (I swear, I'm not a super picky eater!) I would definitely get that again. In fact, I'm pretty curious about all of their appetizers.
I chose the Pabellon steak arepa, which came stuffed full of meat and black beans. With the garlic sauce and the green pepper sauce, it was very tasty. The hot sauce though...I love spicy. But this stuff was lethal - it actually had a "warning" label on it! I tried just a drop on one bite, and I still felt the heat. I didn't find that it had much of a flavour though, which is what I like spice for. The other girls were quite happy with theirs as well, although the one person who had been there before preferred her previous choice of the veggie pabellon to the la llanera she had this time.
I also had the dulce de leche cheesecake, but I was a little disappointed. I love cheesecake, but I like creamy, rich cheesecake. This was the crumbly variety, which just doesn't do it for me. I wished I had ordered the plantain dessert that one of my friends ordered a little later, or had one of the stuffed cookies.
I have to talk about the server. She was a very nice girl, but really shouldn't be a server. She didn't offer advice or even the dishes of the day. She couldn't keep any of the orders straight when she was delivering them, including the cheesecake even though I was the only one who ordered dessert at that time! Three ordered beer and one didn't, she gave a beer to the one who didn't. And when we went up to pay, she was splitting the bills right there with us telling her what we each had. But she still mixed them up, and we had to make up the differences between ourselves because she really just didn't GET that she wasn't getting it. She wasn't rude by any means, and she wasn't apologetic, she was just completely unaware. It took us about 20 minutes for 4 people to pay.
All in all: really tasty generous arepas, yummy appetizers, disappointing cheesecake, and completely aloof service. Considering the low price point, I enjoyed the food enough that I'll definitely be back again.
I should mention: the arepas, while delicious, are not easy to eat. Definitely not a place for a first date!Listed in: Dining group!
-
Review from Stefan P.
Toronto, ON
11/18/2011
In the interest of keeping things short and sweet, this place rules.
I wandered in not having any prior knowledge of the place and immediately perked up seeing the menu. Boners were had. I grabbed the adobo pork and caramelized onion arepa, and I couldn't have been happier. I sincerely hope this place doesn't tank as it was kinda empty for the lunch-hour, and I can see it being off-putting for those not super-adventurous who work in the area.
Scotch-bonnet hot sauce was a plus. Real-deal spice is hard to find. My only "complaint" was the sandwich was so full of delicious pork I still have more or less five (count 'em FIVE) little tubs of condiments. Boo-hoo.
Rules rules rules. -
Review from Precilla C.
Scarborough, ON
I'm officially in love with this place! I came here for lunch one day because Shanghai Cowgirl had a 45 minute wait, and I'm so glad I did. I'm quite fond of these grilled cornmeal sandwiches for its dense, crumbly texture.
My boyfriend ordered arepa of the day- ham and cheese, which came stuffed with an incredible amount of shredded cheddar. I would prefer all of the cheese to be melted, but the combination was delicious nevertheless.
I went for la llanera with beef tenderloin, avocado, fresco cheese and tomato. The meat was nicely charred and tender, and I loved the combination of the creamy avocado and fresco cheese. I wished that the filling was distributed more evenly within the sandwich. By the time I got to the bottom, all the avocado and beef were gone, and I was left with only cheese and sauce (which was still delicious).
The arepas come with three types of sauce: garlic mayo, green pepper sauce and hot sauce. The hot sauce, however, was spectacularly spicy! I'm normally quite tolerant with spicy food, after a few generous squeeze, I was in tears! Now that is what I call spicy! That said, it was really tasty, but next time I'll be more light handed with the hot sauce. My boyfriend particularly favoured the garlic mayo and he slathered it all over the sandwich between his bites.
Of course, we had to finish the meal with my favourite Dulce de Leche cheesecake. I'm officially proclaiming this cheesecake as my favourite in the city! It's just so good! Even my boyfriend, normally a cheesecake hater, really enjoyed the cake. It was delectable!
In addition, I also sampled the pumpkin cheesecake and alfajor cookie. I was actually disappointed with the alfajor cookie, as it had too much icing sugar on it. It was not nearly as delicious as the one I had from Aroma Espresso Bar. The pumpkin cheesecake was also delicious, but for $5, the portion seemed a little small.
All in all, I really love this place- the vibe, the people, the food. If I lived near Arepa Café, I'd be coming here at least once a week!1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/25/2011
I've been to Arepa Cafe once previously for dinner, but this time I've got my eyes set on the… Read more »
-
-
Review from jocelyn l.
11/17/2011
I've never had Venezuelan food (to my knowledge...or memory), so I was excited to check out Arepa Cafe's highly-touted arepas... sandwiches made of cornmeal baked into pita-like tortillas stuffed with anything from pulled pork to octopus.
We split the Octopus arepa and Shredded Flank Steak arepa.
I love octopus and this was done pefectly; not overcooked or too chewy.
The shredded flank steak was almost perfect- very flavorful, tender and juicy. We wanted to check out a cheese (queso?) arepa, but were suprised by how rich those 2 seemingly small arepas were.
I laced my arepas with the red (habernero) and white (garlic) sauces. The green one was a little too grassy for me and i felt like a cow after tasting it with my yucca fries
I didn't think the red sauce was That spicy...certainly not to the extent of drowning yourselves with water as some other Yelpers have expressed.
Besides, if you were a seasoned hot sauce user, you'd know that dunking water is the Worst solution if your mouth is burning...milk and bread, folks! Works every time!
We also shared a side of yucca fries.
I usually really enjoy a plate of yucca fries...where I've had them crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.
Disappointingly, these were not fluffy.
They actually tasted a little undercooked? Not tasty.
We split an alfajores after inhaling our arepas;a cookie sprinkled with powdered sugar and stuffed with chocolate creme in the middle. It was lovely and although not huge, was satisfying after the 2 arepas.
I'd ventured back to Arepa Cafe for lunch... -
Review from Thu N.
North York, ON
10/26/2011
Thanks to Gloria B. I was introduced to a Venezuelan sandwich - essentially cornbread filled some delicious stuffing of your choice. I ordered the bacalao special on the board....sooo much food. Don't let the size of the sandwich deceive you, I couldn't even finish it.
The fun part is the sauces you get to put in your sandwich - there's a ranch one, a relish one, and a freaking hot sauce. So hot, so delicious, though expect some sweat and tears.
Great quick place for lunch for $8. -
Review from Raman B.
Toronto, ON
11/12/2011
I have been to Arepa once before, but prior to my yelping days.
My first experience was a good one, I got the Beef Tenderloin, packed it on with some hot sauuuuce, life was great. The day I had happened to go, it was somewhat empty, I presume due to the rain and the odd Friday afternoon timing.
The GF wanted to try it this time so we went to Arepa for lunch yesterday around 1pm. It was somewhat packed, but not overly busy.
The place itself is a cool space, I mean whose not a fan of exposed brick.
The menu is simple, the speciality being the Arepa sandwiches. They make the Arepa's fresh and have different fillings.
I thought id be a little more adventourous this time and got the Cod Fish. I have to say I wasnt very impressed. It was shreaded codfish in a sauce with some onions and peppers. It was tasty, but not as tasty as the beef tendorloin I had my first experience. My gf decided to get their flagship chicken arepa. In a nutshell, it was grilled chicken mixed in with avocado, a little underwhelming I'd say.
Also, the service was fairly lacklustre, it is a cafe so I am not expecting the world, but our entree's came before our sides of Yuca and Empanadas and I had to ask twice for a glass of water. Normally I wouldn't mind but I felt the waiters were their to save us the effort of getting up to the counter rather then taking care of the patrons.
All in all, good eats but to sum it up its regular sandwiches in a fresh corn meal bun. Its good not great. -
Review from Gloria B.
Toronto, ON
10/21/2011
Regularly visit because I seem to be addicted. Good food, fairly priced. I ordered the Domino - they are really flexible about substituting ingredients within reason. They are quick and friendly. But watch out for the hot sauce - its hot but also delicious. A little too hot for me but they do warn you in advance. Most people love the heat :)
All-in-all, if you like Latin American Food, this is a must visit! -
Review from Mel C.
9/20/2011 1 photo
I got the Curvy Queen (chicken, avocado, red onion and coriander) for $8 and I also tried their dessert which was a dulce de leche cheesecake (I asked the cashier, and she said they make their own desserts).
I absolutely love this place! The Curvy Queen was delicious and what's great about this place is that they made a variety of sauces (not hot to mild to very hot) to accompany your arepa.
The cheesecake was also very delicious and wasn't overly sweet even though there was the dulce de leche on top of the cheesecake.
I had the pumpkin cheesecake here and loved it. It reminded me of the pumpkin cheesecake I had at Bier Markt which was also very delicious. There was a lot of pumpkin flavor and the cheese taste wasn't overpowering. Unfortunately, I think this is a seasonal dessert.
I highly recommend this place for a nice snack! -
Review from Maheen M.
8/21/2011
We visited Arepa Cafe on my sister's recommendation. Our party of 4 gladly found a table in this open, lofty cafe. The atmosphere was laid back with neat art across the brick walls.
For those that are not sure what an Arepa is, it is a Venezuelan sandwich of sorts. Instead of bread, they were a puffy small corn tortilla, think polenta meets tortilla. They have various filling from chicken & avocado to adobe pork.
I order the cod platter with black beans and rice while the rest of my party went with a different stuffed arepa. **disclaimer if you are watching your sodium, avoid the cod. It is marinaded in salt, very good but can be quite salty for some**
My platter was delish, the black beans was perfect cooked with the right amount of cheese. The also include sweet plantain and half a unstuffed arepa. The rest of my party enjoyed their arepas.
The best part of the meal were the three sauces they provide you for your meals. The green pepper sauce is absolutely yummy, so refreshing, I literally was pouring it on my rice. The garlic sauce was also yummy. If you like spicy, the orange sauce, it is a habenro (sp?) pepper sauce. I tried a pea size drop and my mouth was on fire.
They also had some lovely desserts but we were all too full from dinner. The portion sizes look deceiving as the meals were quite filling. I would go back for dessert.
For the 4 of us, four meals and an appetizer (cassava fries and guac), the bill was $50 with tip and taxes!
If you are in the mood for some latin inspired eats, Arepa Cafe is definitely a place to check out! -
Review from Vivek S.
5/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's fair to say that every country has made at least one lasting contribution to the global pocket food scene. India has the samosa; Turkey the schwarma; Canada can be proud of the Pizza Pocket, and Venezuela has the Arepa (uh-ray-pa): a soft round corn-flour oval stuffed (and I mean stuffed) with tempting and delicious innards. There are many ways to fill an arepa, and this Queen West eatery (just west of Spadina) has figured most of them out.
It's a lovely space. Long, slender and pretty colour-crazy inside. We decided to start out with an order of the tequeños, which are like gourmet mozzasticks. Instead of a deep fried breaded coating they have a tender flaky coating and the cheese inside is oh-so-gooey. I'll get them again.
For dinner, Crystal and I shared an arepa. It must be said that this dish is virtually unshareable. Even though we tried valiantly, the process was messy. But that didn't make it any less delicious. We tried a vegetarian option with beans, cheese and avocado. It was pretty amazing. The toppings are fresh and the corn pita is soft and delicious. At $7.50+ some would consider arepas a pricy snack, but for me they are actually quite filling. Sharing an app, you could easily call it dinner.
There are too many options on the venue to end this story here, plus I hear they have killer desserts. I will definitely return.
Obligatory Title Pun: Tramping out the vintage where The AREPEs of wrath are stored.
Menu Readability: I remember it being like the restaurant: bright and narrow.
Need to mention: You can order beer here.
What this place teaches me about myself: Like people, arepas hate being bisected in two.Listed in: Queen Street Address, Latin American Food in Toronto
-
Review from Maritza L.
Scarborough, ON
11/2/2011
A casual place where you can find authentic Venezuelan snacks and some traditional meals. Being Venezuelan, this place definitely reminded me of back home with their tequeños, guarapo, and arepas!!
-
Review from Brian T.
Toronto, ON
6/11/2011 3 Check-ins Here
There is something that is so effortlessly cool about this place that you can't help but just want to hang out here all the time. The space is very bright, clean and modern and on a warm summery night (or day for that matter) they open up the giant window at the front so that a cool city breeze comes in an mingles with the stylish young patrons as they enjoy the evening and eat their Venezuelan corn pockets.
But this place is more than just style, the food is also really great, and after trying my first arepa earlier this year in NYC, the arepa Cafe has become a once a month staple for me.
I have now had the flank steak, marinated octopus and adobo pork arepas and they were all great. The corn pockets they are served in are freshly made an nicely crispy on the outside and fillings on the inside are uniformly tasty and well prepared.
If I had to pick a favourite I would go with the octopus as a) it's a nice change of pace from the typical meat based sandwich and b) and because this particularly tender mollusc was marinated in just the right amount of citrusy deliciousness.
Other useful things to know about this place:
1) My gluten-free friend is able to eat here which is a huge plus.
2) For best results, the garlicky white sauce should be squeezed generously onto your arepa throughout your meal
3) The vibrantly orange habanero based hot sauce is actually f'ing hot - but if you like spice you will have a hard time not dabbing (seriously dabbing is all you need) drop after drop of nose running, sweat inducing zing onto every bite
4) It is not possible to eat this without getting at least some of it on you
5) Don't forget to jam some of the coleslaw they give you into the arepa as well
6) The portion sizes aren't huge (but not necessarily small either), which on the bright side means that you should definitely make room for dessert. They have a fried plantaine, cheese and honey dish that is hits all the right notes while being deceptively simple which I highly recommend.
In terms of price, the last time we went (and dined in) my wife and I each had an arepa and a bottle of Mill St. Organic and we ended up paying about $32 all-in, so you're getting reasonably good value.
What more can I say, go check this place out. -
Review from Clara K.
Toronto, ON
11/26/2011
The arepas are pretty good here. The first time I tried an arepa was at the Caracas Arepa Bar in the East Village Manhattan and they were so mouthwateringly delicious, greasy and crispy and sooo filling from such a tiny little sandwich. I was addicted. I can't help but compare the Arepa Cafe to this place. I thought the arepas at Arepa Cafe a little modest and dry. One day I'll have to try them in Venezuela.
-
Review from Alan K.
London, ON
1/2/2012
I was thrilled to find a place that serves arepas as it's been so many years since I've had one. The place has a nice casual ambiance and the service, while somewhat confused at times, was polite and friendly. The food overall was solid. I had the adobo roasted pork arepa with caramelized onions and it came with a small cole slaw and some sort of mashed avocado mixture (I don't think it was guacamole as it tasted like it had mayonnaise in it - I could be wrong about that though). The pork was juicy and tender but it could've been a little hotter in terms of both the temperature and spice-metre. But our server gave us 3 sauces for the latter: garlic mayonnaise, green pepper, and habanero. I tried both the green pepper and habanero and both were great, the habanero packed quite a punch. My only real complaint about the food was with the arepa itself as I prefer my arepas to be slightly thin and a bit more crispy. But that's just a personal preference as I know many who prefer theirs to be plumper and softer. But even if, the arepa itself wasn't terribly hot as it was kind of lukewarm. Who knows though, maybe that's just another personal preference but I prefer to eat arepas a bit hotter than lukewarm.
My friend had the americano coffee with her arepa and she said it was incredible. We were going to try one of their desserts but didn't in the end. Looking back, I wish we did because they looked fantastic in the display. The prices are a bit high for what's basically Venezuelan street food but nothing overly outrageous. Overall, I'd say this place is a nice addition to the food scene in Toronto. -
Review from The Vong Choice I.
Toronto, ON
6/22/2011
I've been curious to try the Arepa cafe on Queen since I've moved down to Queen West mainly because I had no idea what an Arepa was. Being the food-thusiastic curious person I am, I needed to figure that out. The thing about the cafe is you can order at the counter to take out your meal or wait to be served.
Arepas are small cornbread sandwiches mainly sold in Venezuela and stuffed with a variety of fillings. There are over 10 kinds of Arepas at the cafe to choose from with fillings such as meat, pork, steak, chorizo, octopus, beans, plantains, avocado and cheese just to name a few. There is also a fresh juice bar which I will have to try next time and some other entrees, salads and desserts.
It's a good place for a small meal or snack. -
Review from Laura T.
Toronto, ON
4/20/2011
What the heck is an arepa?
Let me tell you, it's a delicious cornbread pita stuff with yummy fillings.
The menu here is pretty lengthy with lots of delicious treats.. but let's start with the arepas. All come with tasty coleslaw, an array of dipping sauces, and of course, a vast sea of fillings. For example...(brace yourself)
-Chicken, avocado, red onion and coriander
-Roasted pork, anatto & caramelized onions
-Flank steak, garlic pepper, cumin
-Grilled chicken, tomato and herb mayo
-And the list goes on....and on (including vegetarian options)
The arepas range from $7.50 - $9ish, and are also offered as a combo. Drink choices include pop, coffee or beer (yes it's licensed).
Other dishes include salads (watercress salad, chayote coleslaw, beet salad with parsley), finger foods like tequenos (stuffed cheese pastery) and empanadas, and platters to share.
The icing on the cake? Literally, because they have cakes and sweets, but you MUST try the dolce de lece cookie. A shortbread-like cookie covered in icing sugar and filled with a soft caramel center. To. Die. For.
For a picky eater, I'm a big, big fan! Also great for grabbing a tea of espresso! Yay for Venezuelan food! -
Review from Bryan G.
Toronto, ON
3/23/2011
GENERAL NOTES
An arepa is a Venezuelan corn-bread like pita thing stuffed with delicious meats and veggies. The meat is generally the kind you'd scoop out of a chafing dish with a large ice cream scooper. You can get lots of different things on the arepa but the most common inclusions are beans, plantains, cheese and avocado. They are moderately sized and delicious.
The arepa itself is just the cornbread thing and you can get it one the side of a platter which just contains the toppings on a plate. These are bigger and also delicious.
The also apparently offer breakfast arepas. Most likely delicious.
MENU RECOMMENDATIONS
Pabellon Arepa - shredded flank steak, beans, cheese, sweet plantain
It's a small wet baseball of delicious shredded meat with the listed toppings and although sort of messy, this is a big win. I was a little dissatisfied in paying $9.50 for this and I didn't get $9.50 full but it was very tasty.
I'd be tempted to try the Pabellon Caraqueno (platter) version of this for $12.50 as you get that much more of everything...except the arepa! (you only get a 1/2)
LOCATION NOTES
North side of Queen just West of Augusta. Cafe style seating for 15-20.
SERVICE NOTES
I always feel like I'm getting something authentic if the person serving me has what I believe is an authentic accent. Our server was great, very knowledge and helpful and said everything in a wonderfully difficult to understand Venezuelan accent. It was a little slow for a cafe but her helpfulness more than made up for that.
HUMOUROUS STORY
Our server had that weird, extra terrestrial-looking hotness to her that made me flash back to being really weirded out by myself as a 14 year old for sort of being attracted to the women of Star Trek. Is it wrong to like aliens? I mean, they're not humans and I was under the impression that everything non-human was off the table, at least in terms of social acceptance. Ah...sexual discovery... -
Review from Real B.
Toronto, ON
7/8/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Sugarcane lemonade! :-)
When in the area and needing a snack, this place hits the spot - yummy and very filling. Love the sugarcane lemonade and alfajores as well! -
Review from Ana W.
2/21/2011 3 photos
Being from Venezuela, this place brings back childhood memories, just fancier and cleaner, authentic in taste.
The coffee is smooth... Arepas are stuffed with goodness... Queso Fresco, one of my favourite cheese!... and Malte Polar, which is like a malt soda... *drool*
I love how many variations of arepas they serve here. The desserts are great too! Prices are not exactly cheap, considering arepas in Venezuela are like "doughnuts" in Toronto, you can pick them up in the corner neighborhood cafe.
I would definitely go back. Yum! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
2/18/2011 5 photos
Arepa Cafe is a nice place to drop by having a light snack.....
If everyone is still hungry eating that Arepa just like me? I definitely felt the same after eating my Arepa and that half a mouthful of coleslaw..
Arepa+Juice ($10.50)
- I always have problem decide what to eat because I just like eating anything? so I told the waiter the Special and did not even ask what that special is.. (as far as I know, none of the Arepa has raisins inside so I am A-OK)
- End up the Special of the Day is Shredded Pork and Tomato.. not bad tasting at all... and the pork is nice and soft and I love tomato too..
- That sauce!! oh I love that mind blowing, mouth numbing hot sauce!! Now that's what I call spicy!! (hot hot hot!!)
- The guava juice is quite nice...but I think I will need the beer combo to put out the hot spicy sensation! :)
The arepa itself is really good.. but a little pricey... I have still hungry, but lucky I am at Queen St West an area with a lot of other food choices to fill me up! NEXT!Listed in: A Day in Queen Street…, Latin American in Toronto!
-
Review from Julia L.
Toronto, ON
8/21/2011
If I closed my eyes while sitting here on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I almost felt like I was in Venezuela (disclaimer: I have never been to Venezuela). Bright and welcoming, a friend and I specifically planned our day around trying this place, and I'm glad we did.
Upon entering the cafe, we were a little confused with the ordering process...there's a counter with a menu board behind it (for take-out, I assume), but they also do table service so you can sit down and look at a menu before placing your order. I ordered the tequenos (I learned that it's pronounced: teckenYOS), a veggie arepa, and a 1/2 pint of Mill St. Organic. The tequenos were SO GOOD, and came with a generous dollop of guacamole. Ultimately, my eyes were bigger than my stomach, as after I gobbled down all 4 delicious tequenos I could hardly finish half of my arepa. The arepa "pocket" was a little bit unexpected for me in both taste and texture...kind of sweet and kind of crumbly, yet kind of savory and chewy at the same time. My friend ordered lemonade, chicken empanada and some sort of beef arepa whose name eludes me at the moment - the empanada received raved reviews, but the arepa, not so much.
To be honest I'm a bit on the fence about arepas. Maybe they're an acquired taste. But would I be willing to go back and try another? Definitely. With a 1/2 pint of Mill St. Organic, please. -
Review from Gord M.
East York, ON
11/18/2010
A little bit of avocado heaven.
Even with the positive reviews before mine, this was still a refreshing experience in so many ways.
Freshly painted interior on Queen W? Very refreshing!
Fresh-tasting avocado? Refreshing again!
Friendly and efficient service. Three-times-a-refreshing!
Clean restrooms? Quattro refresho.
My bladder? Fiiiiive golden rings!
This was my first sampling of an arepa and it was a pretty cool sensory experience. It's doughy and crunchy and buttery all at once. (Yes, refreshing). I'd like to dunk that bad boy into a big vat of gravy and go to town.
And the arepa filling choices were aces all around.
In the end, I was in for $16 for a beer, an arepa, tax and tip and that's alright in my books. My only beef: the portion size. I could easily tuck back three of them without blinking, so bring a second lunch if you're planning on eating here. That, or a big vat of gravy.
Mmmm ... vat of gravy. -
Review from Shari M.
Toronto, ON
10/24/2010 ROTD 1/8/2011
Very cute cafe. Industrial chairs, minimalist decor. As per Toronto protocol - bathroom downstairs. Note that it is single washrooms and if you close the door behind you - it will automatically lock and you will need to get an employee to unlock it.
Back upstairs to the food. My friend and I each had an arepa. Small sandwiches packed with goodness slammed between cornmeal patties. The side slaw is one of the best ones I have ever had. Very flavourful. Wish they gave me more than just a drop of it! If you are really hungry, you are going to need to order one of their platters. The arepas are small if your tummy is empty.
Be cautious with their red sauce that they will bring to the table. The little wee sticker that said "very hot" was not noticed by my friend and I until after our faces were beet red, we were crying and fanning our faces. I have had some hot stuff in my day, but oh dear god...this stuff is hell in a bottle. Gillian K suggested it be called the mind eraser as we were in agony for about 10 minutes and could not remember what we were talking about beforehand. That sauce should come with its own waiver. I felt like I was punched in the face and my lips went numb.
Red sauce aside, I had a good time at Arepa and will be back to try one of their platters and dessert.
Their coffee - really good - and hot - as it should be!!! -
Review from Downtown D.
Toronto, ON
1/31/2011
Service was quick, place is bright and clean and the arepas are a-okay. My only complaint is the size, more like an appetizer than a main course.
An arepa is a small bread made of corn flour with various fillings. I had the Carne Mechada - shredded steak, tomato, garlic pepper & cumin.
The place was busy on a Tuesday night - a good sign on a cold, wintery night. -
Review from Sergio B.
Etobicoke, ON
5/1/2011
Fantastic Arepas
South American cuisine in Toronto has had it's ups and downs and in the past it was mostly due to ingredients. Now with global trade it is getting easier and Arepa Cafe is trying to certainly take advantage of that. First Areparia I have found that gets it close. Missing the proverbial SPAM Arepa but that may just be because it is tastier at home with the F1 race going on in the background.
Super friendly atmosphere, food tasted delicious and on the mark. It was served fresh and properly and the dessert was great as well so all in all. Fantastic place to visit. Highly recommended. -
Review from Evan J.
Toronto, ON
8/25/2011
I really enjoy this place. It's a great place to go in the afternoon and read or work while you eat a tasty meal. There are always a few people so it's not dead, but never too packed.
The food is always tasty and a change from the everyday flavours in my lunch meals. Fresh, compact, but very filling. I usually get the arepa with black beans, avocado, plantain and cheese. The cassava fries are great too, as are the desserts if you have room. -
Review from Sarah O.
Toronto, ON
5/16/2011
My belly was bursting with joy after eating here! I never took notice of this place as I've rode my bike past it countless times but it's on my radar now.
Staff were friendly and told me how to pronounce "pabellon" (my memory is as good as my ability to master a foreign language). I ordered the Pabellon Veggie Arepa (avocado, beans, cheese and sweet plantain) and split the tequeno (stuffed cheese pastry) with my friend. The arepa doesn't look that large but it's quite filling. I thought the arepa would crumble apart since it was made with corn but it had more of a texture of an english muffin (not the same taste though).
They provide you with an herb mayo, green mild sauce and a hot sauce. That mayo concoction added a nice flavour to the sandwich.
The tequeno's are like a wad of cheese wrapped in pilsbury dough. They were delicious!
This was all washed down with a mill street organic beer. The meal and drinks came to about $22. Not too shabby! -
Review from Josephine T.
North York, ON
7/21/2011
This place is really good. Their arepa is definitely something different in Toronto. Basically you put anything you want inside a corn bread. I liked the adobe arepa. The meat is really soft. Get the guava juice. It's really good with the arepas. Nice and clean place. Desserts are just amazing. We had the Plantain with honey and pistachio and I don't remember the name of the other dessert but it's really really good. See my pictures. Next time I'll come just for the dessert.
-
Review from Johnny L.
Toronto, ON
7/16/2010
I really love Arepa Cafe and I'm happy it's close to home. It's clean and inviting inside with a good streetside view of Queen.
The portions are not huge but it's a good midday snack with a beer kind of place. Some would call that lunch but I just won't. The beef, avocado, cheese and tomato arepa is fantastic. I've also tried the pulled pork one which was equally tasty. All the arepas come with a couple forkfuls of slaw to help calm down the heat of the accompanying sauces. The food comes with 3 sauces which they bring on the side. The green sauce is nice but the yellow sauce is freaking hot.
Pricing is reasonable. -
Review from Christine C.
Etobicoke, ON
11/20/2009 8 photos
Started out for lunch with all intentions of hitting up TO's newest burger addition, Oh Boy, only to discover they were not flipping the patties due to a technical glitch with their grill. So we crossed the street to the other newest addition to this section of Queen Street, the Arepa Cafe. It opened only yesterday so that means I'm scooping the FTR on this joint!
The menu at Arepa is focused on Venezuelan food so we just went with the flow. My SO and I ordered up a couple of Arepas which are the Venezuelan version of a sandwich. They look like a large English muffin and are made of corn meal. They are cooked on a griddle, then moved to a grill and then slit open, pulled apart and stuffed like a pocket. I ordered the pork & caramelized onions and my SO ordered the Cod with sweet peppers & onions. There are about 9 or so options of how you can have your Arepa stuffed from Tuna to Chicken to Cheese & Avocado. The Arepa is hot and freshly made to order and the average price is about $7 each.
For the most part we enjoyed them although I would have liked some condiments on the tables because my pork and onion sandwich was screaming out for a splash of Kozlik's mustard or something comparable. My other comment would be that they would really do the Arepa justice to side it with something, either some salad or some Venezuelan cole slaw (which is on the menu) because if you have any sort of appetite you'll be left wanting for more. Which is exactly what we found. The Arepa comes in a basket all by its lonesome self. It needs something to keep it company.
We also ordered a platter (all the proper Venezuelan names of the platters etc. is escaping my brain!) of flank steak with rice, black beans and fried plantain. The flank steak was delicious. It was shredded and mixed with some red & yellow peppers, onions and some sort of sauce. The only problem with it was there just wasn't enough of it. This platter was $11 and like the Arepa, my SO and I agreed, these were small servings.
My feelings about Venezuelan food is that it doesn't have the flavour pop of Thai or Indian foods. I like food with an attitude and I'm not just talking about heat, but foods that have truly distinct flavours that make you close your eyes and brings on the mmmmmmmm factor. The shredded flank steak was there but its meager portion disappointed us. The soup of the day was a butternut squash with honey and almonds. I didn't try it but I did ask the couple next to me about it and they really liked it. It did look like it had the consistency of a veloute.
The cafe itself is lovely. Bright, airy, spacious and spotless. The staff were super friendly and quite chatty. They also have some lovely little desserts and coffee which might make this a sweet spot for an afternoon cafe leche and something to tame the sweet tooth. I brought back some cookies for my office which were like two layers of thin shortbread with Dulce La Leche slathered in between holding them together. These were exquisite.
Pics to follow. I'd like to wish Eduardo Lee all the best at their introduction to what he calls "Venezuelan urbanity" to the Queen Street core. -
Review from Denise S.
4/5/2010
Awesome Venezuelan sandwiches! I had the Reina Pepiada which is sort of like chicken salad but way yummier and more flavourful, served on a perfect round bun (crispy on the outside, dough-y and soft on the inside). If you like avocados, this is the sandwich of your dreams.
The sandwiches come with a variety of sauces from mild to spicy.
The place itself is stylish and spacious and the staff are very relaxed and friendly (they actually seem to like their jobs, always refreshing).
Prices are reasonable and the sandwiches are very filling!
I really want this place to do well:) -
Review from Joanna L.
Toronto, ON
3/8/2010
Arepa Café is destined to become one of my regular hangouts..
The food is fresh + flavourful.
The service is very accommodating + laid back.
The ambience is loungy + funky. I love it.
The prices are also great and it's one of the very few, if not only, Venezuelan cafés in the city.
For an appetizer (and believe me it's a must-have) I tried the tequeños-basically an amazing version of cheese sticks...
For the main portion of my meal I tried the avocado and fresh cheese arepa, a type of venezuelan corn bread bun filled with fresh cold/hot ingredients. It was lovely.
I also tried the sugarcane lemonade. yum.
Some of my friends tried the desserts. They looked so good.
I'll be back, that's for sure. -
Review from geraldine g.
Toronto, ON
7/2/2010
Ever since I saw Bobby Flay do a Throwdown episode with a woman who makes these amazing arepas - I have been on a hunt to find an establishment that sold them. Had to find out what all the buzz is about.
I have to admit I was a little disappointed. Ok. Maybe I was expecting the same kind of people working and making those arepas like I saw on TV. Lame, I know.
It is overpriced for what you get. This I can`t comprehend because the essentials of making an arepa are so easy, cheap and quick. I can make them lick-ed-i-split.
That aside, I`m going out to eat. The portions are small and the `side`salad it came with - which was incredible - was literally one tablespoon size. Seriously? Give the people more!
I had the gentleman behind the counter choose which arepa he felt was there best (chicken with guacamole/avocado). I think if my arepa was not burnt I would have liked it more. I was so disappointed by that. I could not shake that charred flavour out of my mouth.
With my cafe con leche, the bill was almost $14. I have to admit I was floored.
I think this worthwhile to try. It`s different. Another plus, it`s gluten free. -
Review from Karen S.
9/17/2011
This is definitely a place I found thanks to my fellow yelpers. I have passed this restaurant so many times without even realizing that it was there or the delicious menu that lay inside. I've never even heard of Venesuzlan sandwiches before. I had whatever it was that was first on the menu. Chicken. Avocado. Sold! The arepa was stuffed to the brim with the filling and the avocado, my absolute favourite, was generously mashed in. I was expecting a skimpy thin layer on the green stuff like most other places, and I was so pleasantly surprised. The creamy coleslaw on the side was a very nice touch. Hubby had the special of the day that happened to be flank steak. The man loves meat and even he was saying that the mount of shredded beef inside the delicious cornmeal bun was more than enough for him. He also loved the crazy hot orange spicy sauce that he finally admitted was actually very spicy, just the way he likes it. I adored the garlic sauce they had. So garlicky. So good! The chill atmosphere in the restaurant was very easy goung and made for a very relaxing experience.
-
Review from Michael O.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2010
I've never had an arepa before coming to this place, so I can't comment on the authenticity on their product, but whatever it is, it's pretty tasty...
...and combine those South American flavours with a clean and modern interior and very friendly service (everyone who works here is strangely warm and fuzzy), and this place is a definite pick for a quick and reasonably inexpensive meal.
I first wandered in on a Saturday morning not quite understanding the whole arepa-thing and expecting a more traditional brunch, but these little sandwiches actually go quite well with their very good coffee. -
Review from Kat T.
Updated - 1/8/2011
Now that Arepa has fully taken hold and people all over town are talking about "that arepa place", I have been back to see if things have changed. Shari's comment about a drop of coleslaw is correct- so for the price you get a small arepa and a tablespoon of coleslaw. That's still not gonna fill me up. The most recent trip there, I tried a different variation of the seafood arepa and got the octopus. Amazing- ceviche-like flavour. The empolyee advised me that it was cold- which is good to know in advance. But, i was really impressed with the quality of the octupus- texture and fresh lime flavor were great. To fill up, I also split the cachapa again. Not so special, really- corn pancakes that get cold fast. This is still not the place I'm going for a quick take-out dinner. But when others suggest it, I know what I'll be eating next time (2 octopus arepa)!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
11/22/2009
The Arepa Cafe took over the space formerly of GreenAvi Cafe. Same gorgeous brick walls, same wood… Read more »
-
