Hola Arepa - Minneapolis

We had a great experience with takeout from this restaurant while visiting from out of town. As a vegan, I was pleased to find a delicious option, and my omnivore friends were able to find something they enjoyed as well. The fried sweet plantains were perfectly cooked, and my jackfruit al pastor arepa was fantastic. The meal was very filling, especially with the addition of the plantains. The use of fresh ingredients made everything taste so delicious.

The rice bowl I ordered was tasty, but it was the only choice available. The only vegan arepa option was the vegetarian option with the cheese removed. I hope that in the future there will be more options for plant-based meats so that vegans can fully enjoy their arepas without having to leave out a key ingredient. On a positive note, the restaurant offers mainly gluten-free options that are mostly based on corn. This review has been updated from a previous review on September 4, 2022.

There are a few vegan options on the menu, but the star of the show is the Arepa.

Nice location. Limited parking for dine-in (spots reserved for take out). Street parking available. Friendly staff. Knowledgeable about menu and able to give suggestions. Started with chips 3 salsas Guac. They have 4 salsas to choose from I tried the Hola (Mild Sweet), tomatillo (mild-med), and red Chile tomato (med). I really enjoyed the Hola. The tomatillo was also good and started to turn up the heat. I was not a fan of the red Chile tomato (paste like consistency). Guac was good. Not typical Guac i have had in the past. This Guac had a sweetness to it. It was good. Small portion of Guac for an extra $4. Chips were good and seasoned … not plain. That added a new level of flavor. I moved onto the Caribbean chickpea Arepa with yuka fries. The fries were thick, crispy, and hot. Very well made. The arepa was very flavorful. Looking forward to coming back and enjoying that one again. There are two additional Arepas that can be made Vegan, as well as salads/bowls, and small plate options. Plenty to choose from. Don’t pass this place up if you are in the mood for some arepas.

Menu clearly marked vegan options or options that could be made vegetarian. The black bean arepa was good even without the crema because the chimichurri was so delicious and flavorful! Passion fruit lemonade was neat too. They charge 20% on top of your meal instead of doing tips.