Though Hispanic + Latinx Heritage Month could also be over, that doesn’t imply we will’t proceed to take pleasure in Latin meals. And let’s face it, there may be nothing higher than a heat basket of chips paired with salsa earlier than a meal. Whether or not we’re speaking pupusas, arepas, empanadas, yuca frita, or scorching fajitas, there are such a lot of scrumptious methods to take pleasure in Latin delicacies. We’re so fortunate to have nice choices within the North Jersey space — and fortunate for you, we’ve rounded up a number of the greatest Latin food venues so that you can check out. Learn on for a information to Latin delicacies in Essex County and past.
Benji’s Taqueria Mexican Grill | 14 Major Road, West Orange + 408 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
Benji’s Taqueria Mexican Grill serves flavorful quesadillas, tortas, burritos, and tacos, filled with cheese, hen, and chorizo. It additionally provides agua frescas and Mexican bottled soda in addition to flan, tres leches, and churros. We propose ordering the chorizo tacos with a dimension of rice + beans.
Bodeguita Deli | 81 James Road, Bloomfield
(Photograph credit score: @bodeguitadeli)
Bodeguita Deli, one among Bloomfield’s hidden gems, is a Cuban-style basic nook deli. The spot has all-day breakfast, salads, burgers, wings, sandwiches, pizza, empanadas, and extra. Along with ready meals, Bodeguita can also be a comfort retailer. We propose ordering the Cuban pork tamal with a aspect of chicken soup.
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Cuban Pete’s | 428 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair
Assume trip in Havana: salsa music taking part in, palm timber lining the partitions, stay performances, vibrant colours, and genuine Cuban meals. The outside eating space right here will transport you to a tropical oasis. Carry a dry wine or rum, and Cuban Pete’s has all of the sangria and mojito mixers anybody may need. Right here, you get the bang to your buck with massive parts and inexpensive costs. Identified for the tapas, go for the empanadas, garlic shrimp, chicharron de Pollo (crispy hen lollipops with mojo sauce), masitas de Puerco (bite-size crispy pork), platanos Rellenos (stuffed plantain with floor beef and white cheese), or the hazelnut-stuffed goat cheese fritters with a candy honey French dressing.
Cubita Cafe | 234 Franklin Avenue, Nutley
(Photograph credit score: @cubitacafenj)
Nutley’s Cubita Cafe is a Latin eatery providing espresso, tea, antojitos, sandwiches, empanadas, desserts, and extra. It additionally has scholar specials. We propose ordering the Cuban dawg, which is a hotdog with ham, Swiss, pickle relish, and guava mustard. Pair your sandwich with one among their antojitos, that are little bites.
Deleite Mixto Restaurant + Deli | 20 Passaic Avenue, Fairfield
(Photograph credit score: @deleitemixto)
Deleite Mixto is a Dominican restaurant serving up a scrumptious assortment of Latin American pasta, sandwiches, and entrees. Breakfast choices embrace pancakes, omelets, and scrambled eggs. When it’s time for lunch and dinner, you possibly can select from a lot extra. Within the temper for empanadas? It has them. Desire a aspect of tostones? It has that too. In fact, you’ll need to pair that with one of many pure juices.
Empanada Lady | 20 Grove Avenue, Verona
(Photograph credit score: @cyndieempanadalady)
In case you are in search of crunchy and crispy empanadas, then the Empanada Girl in Verona is your reply. Cease by and seize three empanadas for simply $12.50. There are savory choices like BBQ pulled hen, spinach + feta, and pizza, in addition to candy flavors like strawberry Nutella and apple pie. Try their rotating each day specials which are available a small or massive choices. We propose ordering their Home Particular because it comes with two empanadas and your alternative of sides.
Guanaticos Restaurant | 261 Irvington Avenue, South Orange
Guanaticos Restaurant makes a speciality of conventional Costa Rican delicacies in addition to that of Central America. It provides empanadas, huevos rancheros, salad, soup, and quite a few seafood and steak dishes. We propose ordering the Arroz con Camarones with a aspect of sopa de res, or beef soup.
Jose Tejas | 647 US Freeway 46 West, Fairfield + 700 US Freeway 1, Iselin
Since 1996, Jose Tejas has been serving Mexican meals and drinks to the Fairfield space. When seated, the staff serves you heat chips and salsa that you may hold refilling all through the meal. Their menu consists of pastelitos, quesadillas, fajitas, enchiladas, tacos, jambalaya, and empanadas. We propose ordering the hen quesadilla as a result of it’s simply so good and it comes with bitter cream, lettuce, and salsa. You can also’t miss with the fajitas — which come out on a scorching skillet with heat tortillas and many contemporary toppings. Whereas not in Essex County, there’s additionally a location in Woodbridge Township.
La Celeste Bakery + Restaurant | 292 Major Road, West Orange
(Photograph credit score: @lacelestebakerynj)
La Celeste Bakery & Restaurant is serving up pastries, pies, espresso, and extra impressed by Uruguayan, French, and Italian delicacies. Open six days every week and situated close to West Orange’s historic Tory Nook, this venue is ideal for individuals who love the Major Road space. Along with their customized made desserts, it additionally serves bizcochos, alfajores, torta frita, croissants, and extra.
La Villa Mexican + Salvadoran Food | 261 Irvington Avenue, South Orange
La Villa Mexican and Salvadoran Meals in South Orange serves Mexican and Salvadoran delicacies reminiscent of tostados, empanadas, and pupusas. The venue has indoor and outside seating and is open day by day of the week besides Sundays. Once you dine, we advise ordering the Pollo Asado and paring it with a aspect of platano frito.
Miti Miti Latin Street Food | 10 Sloan Road, South Orange
(Photograph credit score: @mitimitinj)
Situated in downtown South Orange, Miti Miti is serving up genuine Latin Road meals for all. Breakfast is obtainable from 8AM till midday with choices of tacos, empanadas, avocado toast, huevos rancheros, and extra. Lunch and dinner choices embrace salads, arepas, empanadas, quesadillas, soups, ceviche, dessert, and such. We propose ordering the arepa de choclo and high it with chorizo and guacamole.
Noches de Colombia | 19 Elm Road, Montclair + Varied North Jersey Areas
Noches de Colombia serves Colombian baked items, seafood, sandwiches, soups, and extra. Scrumptious baked items embrace their pandebonos, empanadas, arepas de choclo, and pasteles de espinaca. Dishes reminiscent of their arroz con camarones, Pollo salteado, avocado salad, and crunchy arepa con Pollo can be found for dine-in, take-out, or supply. This venue is ideal for giant teams and for catered occasions.
Pepe’s BBQ | 977 Nice Valley Manner, West Orange
(Photograph credit score: @pepes.bbq)
Pepe’s BBQ is an genuine Peruvian restaurant providing conventional dishes and barbecue favorites. In case you are feeling like Peruvian specialties, then try the lomo saltado or Arroz chaufa. In case you are in search of one thing off the grill, try their porterhouse steak, beef ribs, or fried fish sandwich. These flavorful dishes are good to pair with a aspect of yellow rice, yuca frita, or candy plantains.
Puebla de Noche | 6 Park Road, Montclair
This newer restaurant opened throughout the pandemic and serves genuine Mexican bites plus a rotating forged of seasonal menu objects to attempt. From guacamole to flautas, barritos, tacos, and enchiladas, you actually can’t go mistaken right here. Plus, it’s BYOB — and the staff will make horchata from the alcohol you convey.
Restaurante Salvadoreno Las Canastillas | 326 Broad Road, Newark
Newark’s Restaurante Salvadoreno Las Canastillas has been serving genuine Salvadoran meals for practically three a long time. They serve pupusas, fajitas, rice, hen dishes, seafood dishes, salads, and extra. Their drink menu consists of quite a few beers and a wide range of cocktails reminiscent of Pina Coladas, mojitos, and sangria.
Rombiolo Bakery Cafe | 119 Broughton Avenue, Bloomfield
(Photograph credit score: @rombiolobakerycafe)
Open six days every week, this Argentine bakery in Bloomfield is serving up pastries, cookies, and bread. The spot serves chaja, pastafrola, bizcochos, and extra. The scent of their heat baked items and their ornamental partitions create an inviting feeling for all. We propose ordering an alfajor, a candy pastry fabricated from flour, honey, and nuts, and pairing it with a cappuccino.
Sabor de mi Tierra | 640 Bloomfield Avenue, Verona
Colombian Restaurant, Sabor de mi Tierra opened up in Downtown Verona earlier this 12 months and has already turn out to be an space favourite. Their menu consists of pictures of all their primary dishes permitting you to get a full image of what you’re ordering earlier than you do. They’ve plentiful meat, seafood, and hen dishes with a number of sides. We propose ordering shrimp ceviche with a aspect of sauteed mini corn desserts and one of many quite a few pure juices.
Sabor Peru | 373 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell
(Photograph credit score: @saborperunj)
In downtown Caldwell, Sabor Peru is serving up wonderful flavors and experiences for all their friends. With an unimaginable inside and hospitable service, this Peruvian restaurant will nearly transport you to the Andes. This can be a great place in case you are in search of someplace to host a child bathe or marriage ceremony anniversary. Their menu consists of dishes reminiscent of tallarines, tacu tacu, calamar, jalea, and apanados. We propose making an attempt the bistec a lo pobre, a grilled steak topped with eggs, rice, beans, French fries, candy bananas, and salsa criollo.
Saveur Creole | 131 Grove Avenue, Montclair
Saveur Creole is a Haitian restaurant in Montclair serving up daring and vibrant flavors. You possibly can take pleasure in lambi bouki, mambo gumbo, or conch creole, both inside or exterior. We propose ordering the Trini hen, which is hen breast sautéed in coconut curry sauce, and pairing it with a aspect of basmati rice.
Samba | 7 Park Road, Montclair
Samba is a fully gluten-free Brazilian restaurant in downtown Montclair. Right here, conventional Brazilian delicacies is served in a classy house with classic pots, vintage decor, and lavish vegetation. From brunch to lunch to dinner, the menu is full of contemporary fruits, flavorful meat, and heat bread. We propose beginning the meal off with an order of the salgadinhos sortidos, this appetizer consists of three pastries every full of hen, cheese, and meat and a dipping sauce. After that, it’s as much as you to determine what to get.
Scratch Taco | 147 Maplewood Avenue, Maplewood
(Photograph credit score: @scratchtaco)
Scratch Taco is serving up thrilling flavors at its Maplewood location. Its artistic cooks from Ecuador, Cuba, and Mexico encourage all of the dishes with parts from their homeland, but additionally add a twist. They provide classics like tacos, empanadas, and burritos. Their taco of the month is a Buffalo Hen taco which incorporates Buffalo hen, home ranch, and pickles. Final October, the spot featured a Mac the Ripper taco — which included a hotdog, ketchup, and mac + cheese.
Sweets + Cortaditos | 138 Washington Avenue, Belleville
(Photograph credit score: @sweetscortaditos)
For over a decade, Sweets + Cortaditos has been serving Cuban items reminiscent of pastelillos, empanadas, cake, and sandwiches. We propose ordering the guava and cheese empanada and a ham croquette, and naturally, you’ll additionally need to order one of many coffees right here.
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Taino’s Kitchen | 849 Mount Prospect Avenue, Newark
Tainos Kitchen is a restaurant serving Caribbean and Puerto Rican delicacies in Newark. The spot has many hen, seafood, and pork dishes in addition to empanadas, salads, and sandwiches. We propose ordering mofongos de Pollo, a Puerto Rican dish fabricated from boiled or roasted plantains mashed along with spices and oil.
Yelta’s Restaurant + Deli | 342 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove
Open six days every week, Yetlas is a takeout and dine-in Mexican restaurant + deli in Cedar Grove. The colourful inside and alluring employees add to the expertise. The spot serves up sandwiches, tacos, burritos, burgers, fajitas, drinks, and desserts. We propose ordering the tacos, which include lime, radish, and dipping sauces, and are supplied in hen, chorizo, fried pork, marinated pork, vegetable, and beef tongue choices.
