412-418 Cherry Way, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Introduction
Arepittas is a family-owned restaurant that opened in 2019. It is located on Cherry Way in Downtown Pittsburgh. We spent a chilly Pittsburgh Saturday eating delicious Venezuelan food in addition to hearing about Venezuelan culture and getting to know the inspirational owners of Arepittas. It was quite the Saturday afternoon, to say the least.
The Owners
During our visit, we had the chance to sit down with the owners - Carlos Antela, Danielle Figueroa, and Jonathan Rosas - and talk about their journey from Venezuela to Pittsburgh, their food, and great insight into their delicious menu. Arepittas is run by a husband and wife duo, Carlos and Danielle. Both are originally from Venezuela and have brought their culture and influence to the Pittsburgh community. Danielle was originally a lawyer and Carlos earned a bachelor in administration. They explained that the situation in Venezuela seemed to be taking a downturn, so after a few visits to the United States and persuasion from their friend in Pittsburgh, they decided that Pittsburgh would be their new home. “The immigration process was very challenging,” they explained, but Danielle persisted through the endless paperwork and procedures.
On November 15, 2015, Carlos and Danielle arrived in the US, hoping to start a new life together. Previously, Carlos wanted to open a food truck in Venezuela and considered focusing on Mexican food in Pittsburgh, mainly because Mexican food is very popular in the US. The couple initially worked in a Pittsburgh restaurant that served both Venezuelan and Mexican food, but after a few years, they decided it was time to start Arepittas with the help of their family and close friends. The time finally came in 2019, when the doors of Arepittas were opened and the couple was ready to start serving authentic Venezuelan food to the Pittsburgh community.
The Restaurant
Located on Cherry Way in Downtown Pittsburgh, Arepittas has a small yet open layout with an array of chairs and stools, making it quite easy to either eat a quick takeout meal or sit down and enjoy your food As you enter the restaurant, you are met with aromatic smells coming from the food being cooked right in front of you. The restaurant's main color is yellow, making the environment vibrant and lively.
Dealing with COVID-19 was a task that the owners had to tackle head-on, similar to the approach taken by many other restaurants. After opening in January 2019, Arepittas had one year of full service, but since the pandemic hit in 2020, they ultimately closed for around six months. “We opened back up in June 2020 with the plan of persisting until at least December, but if it did not work out, we would be forced to close our restaurant,” Danielle and Carlos explained, recalling the struggles faced during the pandemic. It was a full family effort to keep Arepittas running, with Danielle keeping track of the paperwork and Carlos’ mom helping with the cooking while he handled the finances. This system worked effectively, but they still incurred the pressing need to make more money. They experienced a boost in business after partnering with a Pittsburgh Downtown Program that served hundreds of meals to people in need. Today, Arepittas is extremely successful and has seen an uptick in business with people returning to offices and stopping by for takeout meals or in-house dining.
From the friendly owners to the delicious food, Arepittas showcases true authenticity through and through. As we enjoyed our meal, Carlos and Danielle showed us their fresh ingredients, multiple dishes, and the ways in which they ensure the true Venezuelan experience is felt throughout every dish. They even offered insight into how dishes are named after different Venezuelan slang words. Overall, their passion can be seen not only in the food, but also in the owners’ dedication in explaining and presenting their culture to the Pittsburgh community.
The Food
Maya: I ordered the reina pepiada arepa and the quesillo, which is a sweet custardy dessert. My arepa was filled with shredded chicken, mayo, and avocado inside a hot, crunchy cornmeal flatbread. The food tasted fresh and was surprisingly filling. The quesillo was not as sweet as its cousin flan, but had the same light, smooth, custard texture. My favorite food that I tried is actually a sample the owners offered us. They served us tostones, which are fried plantains covered in cheese and sauce. The soft texture and savory combination of ingredients was delicious. The kind and generous owners made this experience especially memorable, and I will definitely be ordering from this restaurant again.
Sierra: To start off, I want to highlight the drink I had. I got the coffee lemonade and it had a taste I’ve never experienced before. Although very refreshing, it had a cinnamon and almost Christmas feeling to it. After inquiring about the drink we found out brown cane sugar was a key ingredient in the drink, giving it a depth of flavor that was so new to me. Danielle’s brother, who has extensive bartending experience, is the mastermind behind this drink. It’s mixed with coffee syrup, brown sugar cane, and lemonade. In Venezuela, brown sugar and lemonade is a traditional drink, but the addition of coffee syrup was a part of Danielle’s brother’s own recipe. As for food, I got the Choripolla arepa, which included grilled chicken, spicy sausage, and grated yellow cheese. Accompanied with the delicious cilantro sauce, the rich flavor of the arepa was cut through with the freshness of the cilantro and avocado sauce. The owners told us that arepas are a dish eaten for all 3 meals of the day. At one point, it was also voted the number #1 breakfast food in the world. Their restaurant has an array of arepas, and I can’t wait to try more.
Deandra: I ordered the Granjera arepa. When I first bit into it, it tasted like a well-seasoned chicken arepa with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. On my second bite, I got a taste of avocado that elevated the entire dish. The creaminess of the avocado smoothed out the crispy and tender texture of the arepa and made it a complete meal (and yes, one arepa is enough). I washed my arepa down with some coffee lemonade. The unique infusion of coffee syrup into lemonade sweetened by brown cane sugar made the drink difficult to describe but impossible to put down. It was spicy, sour, sweet, and more importantly, refreshing. I would love to have it again.
Kaycee: I got a traditional chicken taco, quesillo, and a passion fruit juice! I asked the server at the front if they have orange juice, but they told me that today's special was passion fruit juice. My first reaction was "Okay, this is new… let me give it a try.” Turns out, I made a great decision because the passion fruit juice was SO refreshing and good! I definitely will come back to try new dishes. Good price for a good quantity of healthy food!