Editor’s Note: Flatiron continues to feature excellent value-based fast-casual options for those in the district, with a wealth of choices along the 23rd Street corridor. I have watched with great interest as work was completed for the new areppas site, which features the home cuisine of Venezuela. Below is the excellent write-up I came across on the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership’s website. It does a great job explaining the history and background of this exciting new option for Flatiron denizens and NYC Seminar and Conference Center patrons.
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership welcomes areppas to the district at 115 East 23rd Street serving authentic, Venezuelan cuisine made with quality artisan grains, proteins, and seasonal ingredients. This outpost is husband-and-wife team Celestino Diaz and Brooke Carrie Hil’s second areppas location, the first one located at 954 Third Avenue. The couple is also looking to open a third location in SoHo very soon.
“Flatiron is definitely one of our favorite neighborhoods in New York City. From the bustling energy of the streets to the great diversity of people here, Flatiron serves to reinforce one of our foremost goals in introducing areppas to the local community. Our mission is to fuse a rejuvenated version of traditional Latin cuisine with New York City’s need for savory, customizable and quick meal options,” says owner, Celestino Diaz. “With Flatiron’s expansive demographic of people, we’re here to provide catering options to local businesses and to satiate the palettes of all of our customers in the neighborhood.”
An arepa is a traditional Venezuelan corn pocket that you can fill with endless food combinations. areppas is taking the process back to its roots using only non-industrialized corn, herbs, and spices to keep things fresh and liven them up. Hand-made with artisan grain, areppa’s version of the dish is a little thinner and sturdier, yet lighter and fluffier than a traditional arepa. You can stuff your arepa with cheese, meats, avocados, and other homemade fillings. areppas serves traditional and some more inventive interpretations of the classic Venezuelan dish.
The Downtown Arepa is about as traditional as it gets with short rib and de mano cheese (a soft white cheese that is most commonly found in Venezuelan cuisine). Then, on the more creative side, there is The Uptown Arepa that has cilantro, parsley, and lime baked into the dough (known as a verde arepa) and is served with pulled pork, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno. For those with a vegan or vegetarian diet, there are options for you as well, including The Brooklyn Arepa, which includes a verde arepa stuffed with an organic veggie burger blend that is made with organic whole grains, vegetables, avocado, radish, and jalapeno.
While they may be known for their namesake, areppas offers a wide variety of items. They have bowls, salads, cachapas (a variation on the arepa also made with corn dough, but more closely resembling a pancake), empanadas, and churros that you can pair with soft-serve ice cream for an epic sundae. They serve traditional sides like the popular tequnos, or cheese sticks, and sweet plantains. areppas’ Chef and Nutritionist, Lorena Farias also curated smoothies to augment the menu’s flavors, and the restaurant serves beer and wine.
areppas is deeply committed to giving back. For every meal purchased, a hungry child in Latin America is also provided with a nutritious meal. areppas believes in the importance of providing quality, inclusive programs for people living in marginalized and impoverished countries. areppas also partners with Fundacion Fe y Alegria to provide educational opportunities and bring about social change in Latin American and African countries.
areppas is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.
areppas, 115 East 23rd Street between Park Avenue South and Lexington Avenue, @areppasofficial
NYC Theater News
New Venezuelan Fast Casual Addition to Flatiron Dining – areppas!
New Neighbor: areppas
Editor’s Note: Flatiron continues to feature excellent value-based fast-casual options for those in the district, with a wealth of choices along the 23rd Street corridor. I have watched with great interest as work was completed for the new areppas site, which features the home cuisine of Venezuela. Below is the excellent write-up I came across on the Flatiron 23rd Street Partnership’s website. It does a great job explaining the history and background of this exciting new option for Flatiron denizens and NYC Seminar and Conference Center patrons.
The Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership welcomes areppas to the district at 115 East 23rd Street serving authentic, Venezuelan cuisine made with quality artisan grains, proteins, and seasonal ingredients. This outpost is husband-and-wife team Celestino Diaz and Brooke Carrie Hil’s second areppas location, the first one located at 954 Third Avenue. The couple is also looking to open a third location in SoHo very soon.
“Flatiron is definitely one of our favorite neighborhoods in New York City. From the bustling energy of the streets to the great diversity of people here, Flatiron serves to reinforce one of our foremost goals in introducing areppas to the local community. Our mission is to fuse a rejuvenated version of traditional Latin cuisine with New York City’s need for savory, customizable and quick meal options,” says owner, Celestino Diaz. “With Flatiron’s expansive demographic of people, we’re here to provide catering options to local businesses and to satiate the palettes of all of our customers in the neighborhood.”
An arepa is a traditional Venezuelan corn pocket that you can fill with endless food combinations. areppas is taking the process back to its roots using only non-industrialized corn, herbs, and spices to keep things fresh and liven them up. Hand-made with artisan grain, areppa’s version of the dish is a little thinner and sturdier, yet lighter and fluffier than a traditional arepa. You can stuff your arepa with cheese, meats, avocados, and other homemade fillings. areppas serves traditional and some more inventive interpretations of the classic Venezuelan dish.
The Downtown Arepa is about as traditional as it gets with short rib and de mano cheese (a soft white cheese that is most commonly found in Venezuelan cuisine). Then, on the more creative side, there is The Uptown Arepa that has cilantro, parsley, and lime baked into the dough (known as a verde arepa) and is served with pulled pork, avocado, tomato, and jalapeno. For those with a vegan or vegetarian diet, there are options for you as well, including The Brooklyn Arepa, which includes a verde arepa stuffed with an organic veggie burger blend that is made with organic whole grains, vegetables, avocado, radish, and jalapeno.
While they may be known for their namesake, areppas offers a wide variety of items. They have bowls, salads, cachapas (a variation on the arepa also made with corn dough, but more closely resembling a pancake), empanadas, and churros that you can pair with soft-serve ice cream for an epic sundae. They serve traditional sides like the popular tequnos, or cheese sticks, and sweet plantains. areppas’ Chef and Nutritionist, Lorena Farias also curated smoothies to augment the menu’s flavors, and the restaurant serves beer and wine.
areppas is deeply committed to giving back. For every meal purchased, a hungry child in Latin America is also provided with a nutritious meal. areppas believes in the importance of providing quality, inclusive programs for people living in marginalized and impoverished countries. areppas also partners with Fundacion Fe y Alegria to provide educational opportunities and bring about social change in Latin American and African countries.
areppas is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 am to 10 pm, closed on Sundays.
areppas, 115 East 23rd Street between Park Avenue South and Lexington Avenue, @areppasofficial