BITES ON A BUDGET is a toothsome and tasty series where members of the OC family forage for great food––under $10!
These days, acclaimed eateries are blooming like daisies on even the most unassuming corners of Bushwick. AREPERA GUACUCO is one of my new favorites. Concealed in a strip of 99 cent stores and laundromats on Irving Avenue, its 41 dish menu will get you going H.A.M on zesty Venezuelan snacks, every time.
When I hit up this joint on a recent weekend, waiting for these snacks was a mildly stressful experience given the lines pouring out the door. But nearly everything I tasted was worth it. Among the street food-esque small plates were empanadas, arepas, plantain appetizers, and velvety fruit smoothies. I went for a sweet and salty combo: the salted beef empanada ($4.00) with the ambrosial Cocada ($4.00) milkshake, infused with bursts of cinnamon and brittle coconut flakes that I couldn't help digging around for at the bottom of my glass. My more health-conscious pal gave the fruit and veggie Tres en Uno smoothie ($6.00) a spin, along with a buttery Arepa.
For those seeking more O.G Venezuelan cuisine, definitely don't miss the national dish the Pabellon Criollo (at $12.50, one of the menu's most expensive items). It's a veritable feast, stacked with plantains, rice, beans, salted beef, and smoky aged cheese.
AREPA GUACUCO
44 Irving Ave
Brooklyn, New York
MAP![]()
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Two delicious smoothies, the Cocada and the Tres en Uno
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The salted beef empanada
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An arepa
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These days, acclaimed eateries are blooming like daisies on even the most unassuming corners of Bushwick. AREPERA GUACUCO is one of my new favorites. Concealed in a strip of 99 cent stores and laundromats on Irving Avenue, its 41 dish menu will get you going H.A.M on zesty Venezuelan snacks, every time.
When I hit up this joint on a recent weekend, waiting for these snacks was a mildly stressful experience given the lines pouring out the door. But nearly everything I tasted was worth it. Among the street food-esque small plates were empanadas, arepas, plantain appetizers, and velvety fruit smoothies. I went for a sweet and salty combo: the salted beef empanada ($4.00) with the ambrosial Cocada ($4.00) milkshake, infused with bursts of cinnamon and brittle coconut flakes that I couldn't help digging around for at the bottom of my glass. My more health-conscious pal gave the fruit and veggie Tres en Uno smoothie ($6.00) a spin, along with a buttery Arepa.
For those seeking more O.G Venezuelan cuisine, definitely don't miss the national dish the Pabellon Criollo (at $12.50, one of the menu's most expensive items). It's a veritable feast, stacked with plantains, rice, beans, salted beef, and smoky aged cheese.
AREPA GUACUCO
44 Irving Ave
Brooklyn, New York
MAP
Two delicious smoothies, the Cocada and the Tres en Uno
The salted beef empanada
An arepa
