The Richmond area's Venezuelan food scene is booming
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The Arepa Vegallon at Bocata Arepa Bar. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios
Venezuelan restaurants are having a (hopefully permanent) moment in the Richmond area.
Why it matters: The crisis in Venezuela has forced more than 7.7 million people to flee, and our food has become a way to keep parts of our culture alive — no matter where we live.
The big picture: Venezuelan cuisine, largely known for its arepas, hasn't been widely popular in Richmond.
- Kanoa Latin Cuisine, one of Richmond's earlier (and only) Venezuelan restaurants, closed in 2016 after barely a year.
Yes, but: Now we have at least seven spots.
- One of the most known is Bocata, which opened in Southside in 2016 before moving to Short Pump in 2020.
- In 2023, Yelp named it as one of the top 100 best places to eat in the U.S.
Others include:
- Happy Arepas food truck.
- Chamos Arepa House on Hull Street in Chesterfield.
- Coco Cafe and Bistro on West Broad Street in Henrico.
- Con Salsa on Mountain Road in Henrico.
- Canaima on Hungary Spring Road in Henrico.
The latest: Then there's Maracucho's RVA, which opened a little over a month ago in Midlothian.
- The name is a reference to a nickname given to Venezuelans from Maracaibo, which has a famous bridge that's part of the restaurant's logo.
Naturally, I went with my dad. Here's what we got.
For drinks:
- Maltin Polar, a malt beverage made from cane sugar. $3.50.
- Chicha, a creamy rice-based drink that's mixed with condensed milk, vanilla and cinnamon. $6.
For food:
- Two rounds of tequeños. $10 for 5.
- Empanadas with cheese and carne mechada. $3.50 each.
- Agüita de Sapo arepa, the owner's recommendation, which is two fried arepas holding together shredded pork, fried cheese, shredded cabbage and house sauces. $16.
The bottom line: I've been Venezuelan my entire life, and eating at Maracucho's was the first time I'd had an arepa like that — and I loved it.
- Now I'm manifesting more Venezuelan restaurants on the way to try and recommend.