Caracas Restaurants

  1. Arepera 24 Horas

    Open round-the-clock as the name suggests, this big, busy open-air joint is always good for a well-stuffed arepa - survey the fillings in the display case - or a big bowl of hervido (hearty chicken or beef boil).

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  2. Arepera Doña Petrica

    This arepa restaurant, serving healthy-sized, inexpensive portions to beer-drinking locals, makes a casual introduction to the basics of Venezuelan cuisine.

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  3. Café Il Botticello

    Small enough to fill up fast, this unpretentious Italian bistro produces some of the best pizzas around. While you're waiting, fill your plate from the antipasto bar.

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  4. Café St Honoré

    The greenery-enclosed deck at this modish bakery is perhaps the area's trendiest meeting place. Aside from amazing pastries, there are well-stuffed baguettes and breakfast specials.

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  5. Casa Farruco

    Decorated with beautiful tile work and ship models, this atmospheric locale offers tranquil dining upstairs and a boisterous bar downstairs. Go for the stuffed squid.

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  6. Catar

    One of several restaurants in the culinary mall known as the Cuadra Gastronómica, Catar has aggressively eclectic food, with decor to match. The emphasis is on fresh, natural ingredients, which show up in artistically presented sandwiches, salads and carpaccios.

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  7. Centro de Comida Rápida Plaza Broadway

    This budget food court packs in 50 or so fast-food outlets on two levels, serving everything from pad thai to tabbouleh.

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  8. Chef Woo

    This lively, neighborhood Chinese restaurant is popular for its tasty Szechuan fare and even more visited in the evening for cheap beer.

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  9. Chirú

    Chirú is one of a string of modish restaurants with terrace seating at a 'gastronomic shopping mall' in a quiet corner of the Los Palos Grandes district. Their specialty is Chinese-Peruvian, or Chirú, cuisine, with things like chupe, an Inca-style seafood soup, and chicken seasoned with chocle, a maize sauce.

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  10. Dulces Criollos

    The sweet-toothed will have a field day in this traditional candy store on the plaza, which sells gooey cakes, jellied fruits and other local confections.

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  11. El Barquero

    Always busy with faithful clientele, 'The Boatman' has been serving up excellent Spanish and Galician fish and seafood dishes for many a year. There's a good list of whiskey varieties to boot.

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  12. El Budaré de la Castellana

    Conveniently located in the heart of Las Mercedes' nightlife district, 'The Griddle' makes a good pit stop between clubs. The bustling, two-level restaurant offers good cachapas, and other Venezuelan standards.

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  13. El Gourmet Vegetariano

    After 50 years of successfully pulling in the customers, they must be doing something right. El Gourmet is a venerated vegetarian spot, renowned for its quality buffet.

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  14. El Salón del Sabor

    This vegetarian lunch hall is busiest at midday, when office workers load up their trays with veggie-stuffed burritos, cream of broccoli soup and so on.

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  15. Espetería

    Madeira-style kebabs are grilled - and served - on swords at this stone-walled eatery opposite the Hannsi crafts store.

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  16. Flor de Castilla

    Equipped with a fresh juice bar and front terrace seating, this makes a perfect morning coffee stop for those lodged at nearby hotels. The cannolis, eclairs and other pastries are of an especially high standard.

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  17. Gran Café

    Gran Café 'It's not what it used to be,' you'll hear repeatedly in reference to the sad decay of the surrounding zone, but the Gran Café's boulevard terrace still makes a fine place to relax over coffee and croissants and people-watch for a while, hysterical warnings notwithstanding.

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  18. Gran Yen

    Fronted by neon palm trees with a rainbow over the entryway, this old-school Chinese palace has a celebratory atmosphere and is invariably crowded with fans of Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine. There are lots of dim sum choices (served lunchtime only).

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  19. Hajillo's

    A block west and half a block north of the plaza, this small chef-managed restaurant offers some adventurous culinary hybrids of Venezuelan and Asian fare, with assuredly aphrodisiacal ingredients. The whitewashed plank dining room opens on lush gardens.

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  20. K'Sualmania

    Run by a corps of kinetic young women, this spiffy little Middle Eastern joint has some of the finest falafels and tabaquitos (stuffed grape leaves) around. The menu is helpfully illustrated on the wall.

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  21. Kafta

    This Middle Eastern eatery situated above a busy street market serves fresh and filling platters, including great veggie combos.

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  22. Kasuki

    Chef/owner Luis Kasuki prepares Japanese cuisine that's strongly influenced by his native Sao Paulo in a stylish space located a block east and half a block north of the plaza. Gluttons should plan to dine here on all-you-can-eat Wednesdays and Saturdays.

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  23. La Casa del Llano

    A veritable arepa (hamburger-size corn pancake stuffed with juicy fillings) factory, this huge no-nonsense diner sticks to traditional plains fare. Hungry locals flock here not just for the arepas but for charcoal-grilled steaks and hearty soups.

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  24. La Castañuela

    Located on a particularly busy corner of Las Mercedes, this is an updated drive-up version of a traditional tasca (Spanish-style bar-restaurant) with a boisterous atmosphere enhanced by freely flowing scotch and lounge singers. The waiters seem constantly in motion, toting enormous pans of paella or trays of tapas to big groups of revelers.

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  25. La Cita

    This corner classic is one of the liveliest in the zone, with the day's seafood catch on display.

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