Move over, bagel. There’s a new favorite vessel for lox, cheese and all kinds of delicious toppings: a Colombian arepa. We owe this delicious discovery to Arepitas Bar, the newest eatery to join Time Out Market Miami, which opens this Friday, May 7, from the team who brought you Vietnamese hot spot, Pho Mo.
Arepitas is chef Cesar Zapata’s delicious ode to his Colombian roots—a chance to get creative and sling Miami-style arepas like this city has never seen before. The aforementioned salmon? It’s a deli hit with cheese, onions, capers and everything spices sprinkled on top. There’s also a buffalo chicken combo with spicy sauce, coleslaw and blue cheese crumbles that’s sure to replace all of your game-day eats.
In addition to wowing us with his version of the classic cornmeal cakes—which are thick and toothsome, with an impossibly crispy exterior and soft, doughy insides—the Medellín-born chef gives us a fresh way to experience the bandeja paisa, Colombia’s signature dish. The plated feast is called the cazuela de abuela and it’s hardly recognizable in bowl form but, trust us, this mound of rice, beans, sizzling chicharrón, chorizo, avocado, plantains and a fried-egg topper will put you to bed just as fast as the original.
Arepitas Bar kicks things off this Friday in true Colombian fashion with an aguardiente-fueled celebration you don’t want to miss. RSVP and get a free shot. Buy something from the restaurant and get a free shot. Basically, it’s like Oprah planned the party because everyone will be getting shots of aguardiente.