Submitted by icecreammanjc t3_10pjwgp in jerseycity

I'm genuinely curious as I know the heights has a strong hispanic population but anytime I see restaurant recs here, it's always these. as a non-expert in any type of hispanic cuisine, is the food just not good for that type?

this is the list I always see:

Pizza Masters

Salt and Bread

Franklin

Hutton

Corkscrew

Fox and Crow

Corto

Griot

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Baberoni1 t1_j6kvqvv wrote

Torta Truck for Mexican and Rumba Cafe for Cuban are both great. I would take either over Pizza Masters for lunch any day.

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CherryMan75 t1_j6l0xjx wrote

Rumba’s Cafe is amazing and cheap as hell. The little taco truck by Lee’s liquors has my favorite tacos. Sabor a Peru is good with terrific lunch specials. Irmas cafe does good Birria tacos. El Rey del Ser and Tres Chillitos are also solid options.

Where they really hit is the cafes. Dulce de Leche, Unica Cafe, angel azul all do a great job.

Adding for your original list…Saigon Bistro and OZU Foods for non-Latin food

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Brudesandwich t1_j6l35od wrote

No but the Heights is not definitively Hispanic. Quite frankly I'd love more diversity in restaurants but the Hispanic restaurants here are nothing great. Good but I wouldn't recommend someone travel up to the Heights with exception to Rumba Cafe and Dulce de Leche. If you want nothing but Hispanic, Bergenline is the best place to go. Nothing but Cuban, Colombian, Peruvian, etc.

Hispanic spots in the Heights:

Rumba Cafe

La Bodega

Tres Chillitos

Angel Azul Cafe

Pio Pio

Dulce De Leche

Noches De Colombia

Mision Burrito

Torta Truck

Pico Taco

El Gordo

Galeria Cafe

La Concha

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possums101 t1_j6l6euu wrote

Nah I think this sub is just predominantly populated by non adventurous whites people lol. The vast majority of restaurants in the Heights are Hispanic. Noches de Colombia is a good start for sit down food. Torta Truck is good for fast/casual. Just go up and down Central, every other storefront is a restaurant.

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Recurringferry t1_j6l75e6 wrote

Tres chilitos (mexican) used to be good a couple of years ago, but quality has gone downhill since the owner's untimely passing.

There's a few newer Peruvian spots that are quite good, but they haven't been around long enough or have enough quality to warrant a recommendation.

Kikiriki (peruvian) has great rotisserie Peruvian style chicken. But it's pretty much takeout only.

There's also a newish Peruvian spot at the corner of jfk blvd and Lincoln (the site of the old Vinnies pizzeria if you remember it). I've tried a couple of things there and thought it was decent, but its also more of a takeout spot.

Noches de colombia is ok, but not the great value it used to be some years ago.

Rumbas is probably the best of the sit down, no frills, good food, good value.

The best lunch value is probably La Concha (near Charles and Central ave). Delicious and huge portions.

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Humble-Violinist8252 t1_j6l94d9 wrote

I love La Concha and Irma’s Cafe. Neither is a sit down place but they’re both delicious.

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madmadamimp t1_j6lpc2n wrote

There's so much good Latin food on Central alone. Some of my faves are Sabor a Peru, Noches, Los Amigos (their eggs with green sauce, holy moly), Irma's, Kikriki. Tons more as you wander up into Union City too.

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Blecher_onthe_Hudson t1_j6lum07 wrote

Of course the Spanish food doesn't suck, it's mostly pretty great. It's just that it's not that interesting to talk about compared to the latest global food that drops in like a Thai or French or whatever. Plus they tend to be down scale. It gave me a huge sad when basically all of the cheap Spanish places exited Downtown.

My favorite currently is Ricky's on Franklin Street, huge portions of Pernil w rice and beans!

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Tankisfreemason t1_j6mgo6a wrote

For Hispanic food, take a trip to Bergenline instead of anything in The Heights

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vocabularylessons t1_j6mvxpi wrote

Go to Rumba Cafe, Irma's Cafe, El Gordo, Unica Cafe, Angel Azul, and Dulce de Leche. Also, shout out to Freetown Road as a Caribbean option in JSQ.

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Laraujo31 t1_j6n3sjk wrote

Rumbas in the heights is very good. There is a very good selection of peruvian places to. But you cannot go wrong with any spot on Central to be honest.

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Affectionate-Gene416 t1_j6n5b6f wrote

I want to try Torta Truck so much but it’s like a Mayonnaise party and they don’t do customization😞 which is their right obviously but I am just one of those people who can’t stand even the concept of Mayo.

Rumbas cafe is amazing though and pio pio café you can get something ridiculous like 2 entire chickens and sides for like 20$! Yum.

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dude_jc_00 t1_j6npp8h wrote

I hate mayo too, but the will leave the mayo off if you ask. I think the customization they are talking about is subbing this ingredient for that one. Like mixing and matching different proteins. Ask to hold they mayo and they will. It’s well worth it.

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Remarkable_Swing7661 t1_j6nro3c wrote

Union city has the best Ecuadorian spot, Garcia's Restaurant. Don't try going on the weekends without a reservation. It's jam packed for their famous weekend sopa de mariscos.

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Backupaccount3 t1_j6nvwww wrote

El Gordo in the heights is a top 3 Peruvian restaurant in the US. I challenge anybody to say otherwise, find a better Peruvian restaurant and I'll pay for your chaufa order

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Low_Credit3480 t1_j6o2htk wrote

You got to try a sandwich from Dos Amigos in West New York

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aa043 t1_j6o54w3 wrote

Why don't people see the obvious that the initial postings and usual follow ups are almost like a paid promotions so they can get free publicity. i.e. its advertising.

Rumba's is very reliable. Duche de Leche and Angel Azul are reliable cafes. Noches de Colombia has TVs for sports fans.

As for the recommended places you refer to; some are usually busy but some are not when I walk pass them but that could be because of Covid.

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ezmolaw t1_j6oizfa wrote

Pico taco has been my go to for the last 3 months. Cheap and banging

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JamesBuffalkill t1_j6ossrm wrote

>No but the Heights is not definitively Hispanic.

What? The Heights is almost majority Hispanic. I mean it's not as Hispanic as Union City or West New York, or even as much as it was 15-20 years ago, but it's still the largest demographic in the Heights.

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