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Arepa Lady
Categories: Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Food Stands Latin American, Food Stands [Edit]
Roosevelt Ave and 79th StJackson Heights, NY 11372
Neighborhood: Elmhurst
- Nearest Transit:
-
82 St - Jackson Hts (7)
Jackson Hts - Roosevelt Av (E, F, M, R)
74 St - Broadway (7)
- Hours:
Fri-Sat 10 pm - 5 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
37 reviews for Arepa Lady
Review Highlights
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"I always get an arepa con queso." In 12 reviews -
"She serves two kinds, Arepa de Choclo and Arepa con Queso." In 8 reviews -
"She has her own myspace page dedicated to her schedule." In 3 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from Helena H.
Updated - 5/17/2012 2 Check-ins Here
OH my......
She's BACK!
I love her! AREPA CON QUESO !
CHOCLO FOR THE WIN!
$ 3.50 each one.
Check her out on Twitter make sure she's open (Friday and Saturday 10PM - 5AM)
Melts in my mouf.
(CASH ONLY)Listed in: I Heart QUEENS!, In the Hunt for my Arepa!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/9/2011
*********** "ARE YOU THE AREPA LADY???" ************
She gets the questions all the… Read more »
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Review from Cathey K.
New York, NY
5/19/2012
FYI - she's out tonight! Stopped by just before 10 earlier tonight when she just began setting up her cart with her son.
This was my first time trying arepas of this sort and they are definitely delish! I got both the arepa con queso and the other one--forgot the name but its yellow-ish and looks like a pancake when its being grilled.
Yes, they are worth checking out and trekking over, especially if its just a slight detour. Definitely a very unique taste that I've never experienced before. A perfect mix of salty and savory cheese paired with slightly sweet corn. -
Review from Lesie H.
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
The wait is long and you're so popular, but I guess you're worth it, Arepa Lady. It was my first arepa and I'm glad that it was a nice arepa experience. It was an arepa con queso and it was so soft it melted in my mouth and warmed me up on a cool night.
If there's any complaints, it would be that this is not a real business for you. It's a hobby. You show up when you feel like it. I will not be addicted to arepas that shows up on a blue moon. -
Review from Jando S.
3/5/2012 3 photos
As the food obsessed fans of Queens descend from trendy establishments to divey eateries to food on wheels, the midnight owls will head to the Arepa Lady, who has acheived cult status as the most famous late night street cart in the Jackson Heights. She isn't the only one to be serving these delicious arepas in cart form, but is all likelihood the one who does it best.
For those interested in trying her food, the first part of the battle is just making sure she's there. For awhile her son was rockin the MySpace and Twitter to announce her arrival times, but that has been a dead end for the last few months. I heard through the grapevine she had traveled out west due to her popularity, hopefully temporarily.
The other part of the battle, which is the easier of the two, is being able to eat the larger arepa which for many folks are quite heavy. I've had the flapjack arepas in street form while traveling in Latin America, these babies look bigger and taste far more buttery than what I had initially sampled (not a bad thing). The marriage of a corn cake arepa and queso, topped with some more queso is heavenly and supremely heavy. At $3.50 a pop, it feels a tinge more spendy than when I first dined at this cart when they were only $2.50 each, but at least the quality hasn't been sacrificed in any way.
Folks who can't bring it to themselves to call her arepa lady might do better with her actual name, Maria Piedad Canos. When the weather is crazy, it's probably safe to assume the cart isn't in operation. When the weather is great, the lines will vary from medium to large on weekends. I still prefer to eat them when it's cold out. These babies are still fantastic and serve as an incredible option for drunk food. That reason alone, is enough to propel this otherwise 4 star joint to 5 star status.
In the meantime, while eating her competition's arepas, I eagerly await her return. Jackson Heights might be the nation's most diverse hood and it's only better when the Arepa Lady is a part of it. -
Review from Will C.
I have the biggest craving for the arepas from the arepa lady on Roosevelt Ave.. If only she'd update her Twitter more often, my roomie and I would venture out at all sorts of times at night for an arepa and a chorizo on a stick.
I wouldn't be surprised if she's put her kids (plural) through college on her cart alone.Listed in: Will's Places Away
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Review from Elle P.
11/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would do anything
I would go anywhere
There's nothing I wouldn't do
just to see her again
She brightened up my everyday
made me feel so good in every way
If I could have her back to stay
I've got to see her again
~Smokey Robinson
"Arepa Lady! Arepa Lady! We're going to see the Arepa Lady!" were the choruses of cheers I heard as our large group had settled on where we were going for the after-party. From the excitement and joy, you would have thought we were five years old and about to meet Santa Claus. People were so excited that they didn't bother waiting for the rest of the group to get out of the club and instead hightailed it for the Arepa Lady.
Three large waves of Yelpers made it to the Arepa Lady. I was a part of the last wave, so I knew we found the right place because I saw all my friends standing around clogging up the sidewalk. I saw that Wing had no food and assumed that he had already finished eating, so I asked he was about to leave.
"No, I haven't gotten an arepa yet." he answered.
I was shocked because he had already been there an hour by the time I arrived. Apparently a small little food cart manned by a single lady wasn't meant to handle 30+ people ordering arepas all at once. I dispatched my twin, Will, to get me an arepa and soon a warm corn shell filled with rich, gooey cheese warmed my fingers and belly on a nippy fall night that had winter chasing its heels.
I think most, if not all South American countries have arepas, but each countries has a slight variation. The Arepa Lady makes Colombian arepas. I had an arepa before, but it was from one of the many ubiquitous street fairs in NY. Those were just gross and I was not impressed. So I was under the impression that I don't like arepas. After tasting the Arepa Lady's, I realize that I had simply not eaten a proper arepa.
An arepa is a thick corn pancake that can be filled with different fillings. The batter is either grilled or fried. The Arepa Lady fries hers and mixes in the cheese into the masa, so while the arepa is being fried, the cheese melts and mixes in. You take one hot bite and your mouth is filled with a warm, creamy, gooey, slightly sweet and salty bite of nirvana.
I heard moans from several Yelpers as we devoured our arepas. While most of us tried to be a little discreet with the ecstasy felt, one guy in our group was not shy about just how much he was enjoying it.
The Arepa Lady sells two kinds of arepas -- with cheese and another slightly sweeter version, which was also very delicious. In addition to the arepas, the large MEAT STICK opped off with a BALL of potato was a huge hit. After I saw a little Asian Yelper gnawing away at her meat stick, it was no wonder NY Yelpers got a reputation for being so ferocious. Nothing stops us from our prey! I mean food.
The Arepa Lady is only out on weekends. She tweets, so you can see if she plans on selling that night. Should you see the Arepa Lady?
I think Vanessa Carlton said it best with:
'Cause you know I'd walk
A thousand miles
If I could just see you tonight -
Review from Sandy C.
11/25/2011 1 photo
Making my way to Jackson Heights
Walking fast
Faces pass
And finally at last...
Staring blankly ahead
Just making my way
Making a way
Through the crowd
And I need you
And I miss you
And now I wonder....
If I could fall
Into the sky
Do you think time
Would pass me by
'Cause you know I'd walk
A thousand miles
If I could just eat one Arepa tonight!
It's always times like these
When I think of Arepa Lady
And I wonder
When is the next time I'll have my hands on another Arepa
'Cause I need you
And I miss you
And now I wonder....
The wonders of these arepas are so delicious! The melted cheese at every bite. And why not get a chorizo too? -
Review from Ron C.
Señora Arepa, ¿quieres casarte conmigo?
After a night of fun, heavy drinking and dancing. Something hot, gooey and melty sounded real good. Your in Jackson Heights and where do you go?
THE AREPA LADY!!!
The Arepa lady has been feeding the drunks and locals in Jackson Heights for awhile now. She makes delicious Arepas filled with gooey cheese that makes any mouth water.
What goes great with a Arepa. How about a Chorizo on a Stick. She has that too! This definitely made my night complete after all the drinking i've done. -
Review from Susie L.
REGO PARK, NY
10/28/2011
I don't know much about Colombian (or other Spanish food), much less about arepas, but the Arepa Choclo was AMAZING. I wasn't even hungry. I loved the salted cheese and the moist chewy texture of the cornmeal patty. Next time I will try the Arepa con Queso.
Definitely worth the trek! The Arepa Lady was parked at 79th Street and Roosevelt, and it was 9:30. I think she uses her Twitter account to let people know when she'll be out. The weather's getting cold so she will be closing shop for the winter soon - catch her while you can! -
Review from Chad T.
9/3/2011
On a sultry Saturday night we Strolled from Sunnyside for some sweet-savory superiority. Arepa Lady can't be beat if you're in the mood for buttery-greasy-sweet-savory-crispy-doughy-cheesy madness.
She serves two kinds, Arepa de Choclo and Arepa con Queso. I had half of each and was totally full for dinner, and this was right after a workout. I literally can't remember the last time I got full for $3.50.
Other people have complained of lines and a long wait, but we went at 11pm on a Saturday and there was no line and no wait. 2 minutes in and out. I would definitely go back. -
Review from Johanna S.
San Francisco, CA
8/21/2011
I had the privilege of trying one, two...possibly four (who counts in heaven) of her arepas de choclo at the Street Food Festival in SF. Delicious.
Whoever thought to fly her in from New York, thank you. Great food by a great lady. I now completely understand why so many people came up to her at the festival to say they'd tried and loved her food in New York. One woman was so happy to see her, she started crying. -
Review from Chu Z.
Bergen County, NJ
4/30/2011
Yummy!
"Are you sure you are gonna eat this late?" My girlfriend.
"Yes. I need to try the Arepa Lady." Me.
"What is that?" Her.
"I don't really know. Magic food " Me.
1 am at night, I double parked and was almost run over by a cab when crossing the road approaching the legendary Arepa Lady. I got an arepa con queso and a bbq pork kebab for $7.
I ran back to my car and pulled over a block away. After the first bite of the arepa con queso both of us started to smile. It was so sweet and soft. So sweet and soft.
BBQ pork was tender too.
The lady is magic. -
Review from Radford T.
Manhattan, NY
5/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Arepa Lady, I love you!
You and your luscious arepas. A small crowd had formed around your little cart selling arepas when I was there. I stood there but you did not ask if I wanted to order something. Finally I went right up and asked how much an arepa was, and ordered one. You had that steely all-about-business attitude which I love in women. In about three minutes you had my arepa ready, and it was oh-so-good. So creamy and filling. So delicious. Arepa Lady, you are the best.Listed in: Sweet NYC
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Review from Rachel A.
Jackson Heights, Queens, NY
10/18/2011
Local flavor? Definitely.
I've been getting a lot of remarks about my recent activity in the other boroughs. So here's some Queens love for ya.
The Arepa Lady. She makes arepas unlike any other and she's definitely worth a trip into Queens or outside your doorstep in the wee hours of the night. Tacos, cemitas, patacons... Can we just start rolling our tongues and yell, "Arrrrrrrrrepa?!" An arepa from the Arepa Lady will definitely round out your street cart meal on Roosevelt Avenue. You get an added bonus if you like to sidewalk slum it like my friends and I.
We huddled in the cold at a phone booth balancing our plates of arepas and chorizo on a stick. Our first time at the Arepa Lady was met with sweetness and sass. There she stood, cigarette between two fingers, and a spatula in her other hand flipping moon shaped yellow arepas. We asked her what everything was and she explained to us the difference between the arepa de choclo (sweet corn) and arepa de queso. We voted for the sweet corn one and a chorizo con arepa. When she asked us what sauce we wanted on our chorizo we told her to put what she likes and suggests. She smirked and laughed at us. I guess she found it amusing we had such faith in her. The choclo was so good. This was not the arepa I was used to (Caracas?). Better than a grilled cheese sandwich, it was sweet and buttery. The chorizo was grilled sausage on a stick with a small tasteless arepa on the side. Skip it if you really fancy the flavored arepas. I like sausage and a lil meat with my meals so it was a nice balance to all the sweetness. It also adds bulk.
Cruising down the sidewalk on a bike was none other than Jeff O who swore by the original arepa con queso. When he saw we hadn't tried it yet, he bought us one to share.
I could not have asked for more of a Queens moment than that. -
Review from Ravi J.
6/30/2010 ROTD 7/4/2011
"Excuse me, are you the Arepa Lady?"
No reponse from middle aged woman manning a street griddle.
I ask the guy standing next her. "Excuse me, is this the Arepa Lady?"
He laughs. Motions to the lady next to him and says in Spanish: "Eres famosa!". She cackles, looks up at us, and then returns to her work.
That's her. She's cute, but she's got 'tude. Her arepas: amazing.
Warm and comforting. Sweet and salty. Crunchy and chewy. How the hell can a street food be all of these things? Well, it can't. At least, not always. But Arepa Lady pulls it off.
It's this tornado of tastes and textures that makes the Arepa Lady's arepas unique. While she also serves up street meat and Colombian kebabs (chuzos), her main draw is her arepa con queso. A fat(ty) thick classic arepa, make of chewy sweet corn dough, filled with oozing cheese and butter, topped with an extra helping of salty cheese. The exteriors have an amazingly addictive crispy character, while the insides taste like melted crack.
I always root for the underdog; so on principle, I prefer her other variety: the arepa de choclo. It is much flatter and way sweeter than the regular arepa, made with monster choclo or sweet white corn, flattened and grilled like a crepe, only to be filled with a smattering of salted grated cheese.
Both are amazing. Flavor combination, union of textures, explosion in your mouth.
Check her Twitter for locations/timings. -
Review from Victor G.
8/23/2011
the arepa lady hails from new york. she sells arepa, some columbian
grilled goodness made from corn meal or flour and topped with either cheese (queso) or corn.
locale: sf food fest 2011(8/20)
sampling: arepa con queso(4)
-the thick patty had a consistency of the japanese pastry, mochi, chewy and sweet. the shaved cheese was on top. thecheese didn't add any flavor to the arepa. i prefer the cheese on the inside like a pupusa.
-enjoyable eat
foodnotes:
-got in on the opening and sill waited at least 10 minutes for the food.
-small grill, 5 minute cooking time.
-wouldn't stand in line for half an hour for this.Listed in: Mobile food trucks/vendors on…
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Review from Jeff O.
8/30/2009
If you find yourself skeptical about God, a trip to the Arepa Lady may settle things once and for all. Like sex, the Arepa Lady makes me a believer.
I always get an arepa con queso. in the same way as the pastrami sandwich at Katz's, I don't want anything else from her. Ever.
It's so soft and warm inside. The sprinkled cheese on top cools it slightly and alters the top texture just enough to make biting into one exciting. I believe the secret ingredient (apart from lots of love) is not loads of butter but spread. cheap spread - just like my mom's pancakes.
Other arepas can't compare. Every one I've had at restaurants in the neighborhood have been like cardboard in comparison - even the squeak against my teeth.
She doesn't have to do this. She is a retired lawyer and judge. She does it because she loves to and everyone here loves her for it. She keeps my type of hours - Fridays and Saturdays 10pm until 5am or whenever the cops kick her out. I like relying on luck sometimes. Check her myspace before you go so you know she's there: http://www.myspace.com...Listed in: Jackson Heights X NYC, It's 3am, I must be hungry
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Review from Judy K.
Queens, NY
6/28/2009
I've lived here for many years now and had never visited the Arepa Lady until last night. I'm not a night owl, and in fact, keep grannie hours, so the stars did not align for a long time. Last night, Hubby and I somehow ended up back in our neighborhood at 11pm laden with shopping bags from a day of shopping at Woodbury. We had skipped dinner in order for us (ok, me) to do more shopping, so we were both ravenous.
The idea popped into my head that maybe, quite possibly, we could prolong my bedtime just a wee bit more and fill our tummies with a visit to the Arepa Lady. We found her with a short line of people and surrounded by those who had already gotten their arepas and were devouring them on the spot. We both eagerly got an arepa with cheese and chowed down.
What I will tell you will possibly be sacrilegious to many of you who are fans of her arepas. If this scares you, you should stop reading. Go ahead. I'll even put in a row of stars here to help distract your eyes from moving down the page as you click on out of here.
************************************************** *****************************
I was not impressed. This was my first arepa experience, and maybe the hype drove me to wild delusions of tasty fabulosity. The arepa had good crispy browned texture on the outside, but I didn't like the cheese and I didn't like the bland inside. The flavors were too subtle for me, and it felt like a key ingredient was missing that would have elevated it to something much better. Hubby felt the same way. I'm glad that I got to finally experience this and to meet the sweet lady who makes them, but arepas are just lost on me.Listed in: Jackson Heights. It's what's…
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Review from Scott R.
1/3/2007 1 photo
What praise can I bestow on the patron saint of street vendors and the columbian arepa? The woman has been in the NYT (do a google search for arepa lady + NYT). The guy who founded http://Chowhound.com (Jim Leff) is on record saying this is his favorite food in all of New York. Hell, she has her own MySpace tribute page (http://www.myspace.com...)
Ms. Maria Piedad Cano is an adorable tiny Colombian woman in Jackson Heights (Queens) whose specialty is the Arepa - a grilled corn patty that is popular in Colombia and Venezeula. She makes two types - a thicker, yellowy, sweet flap jack-like version and a thinner, paler, more crepe-like version. The thicker flap-jack one is the star. Combined with a mound of queso blanco that melts when combined with the hot corn cake, this is a singular taste experience. It starts out sweet but then hits a transcendent note soon after. I think it was the closest I've come to religion since my Bar Mitzvah.
(Up close shots of each type seen here - the bottom photo is the good one - http://cleanplateclubn...)
But if it was just this, I don't think she'd be the legend she is. She doesn't have a storefront - she has a cart. She only works Friday and Saturday nights and usually not before 10PM and she can be there as late as 5AM. Bad weather - she's not showing up. Best bet is to consult the aforementioned MySpace page to see if she's out - although this will likely be impossible b/c the only time it ever dawns on me to make a pilgrimage is about 11PM - 12AM on a Friday night after getting suckered into post happy hour shenanigans in Midtown East and West and wondering what I'm going to do w/ my half-buzzed ass for the rest of the night when I see the sign for the 7 line and get a Pavlovian response for an Arepa.
Closest trains E/F/R/7 to 74th Roosevelt Ave/Jackson Heights station then walk on Roosevelt to 78th Street. I've gone alone but it probably wouldn't be the worst idea to bring a companion - especially if you're a female. I've never felt safer basking in the Arepa Lady's aura but the streetlights of Roosevelt Avenue don't have the same effect.
If you're looking for the closest thing in Manhattan, order the sweet arepa dessert @ Caracas Arepas bar in the East Village or a Mozzarepa at a street fair. These are merely golden calves to the Arepa Lady's godly product but she has no vengeance in her heart and will refrain from smiting your lazy ass.
Note: Just read on her MySpace tribute page (lol) that she's on vacation from January to February. Sorry for the food tease. Just one more reason to look forward to Spring!Listed in: Stands, Vans, and Carts.....
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Review from Chris A.
Jackson Heights, NY
7/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
What can you say about an institution like the Arepa Lady that hasn't already been said?
She's an ex-judge, a local celebrity, and makes the best street food in Queens, and arguably the city. She's out until 4 am many nights during the summer.
Arepa con Queso, let me count the ways I love you : your crispy crust, your cheesy center, the pile of melty goodness heaped on top, your ability to ward off hangovers with one mightily delicious artery-clogging blow.
Worth a trip out to Queens? You bet your arepa-loving behind it is.Listed in: Quick Jackson Heights Grub
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Review from Jocy C.
5/9/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Arepa Lady is one of the best arepas I've had. It's a short walk from the Roosevelt Ave train station in the Jackson Heights area. Convenient after a night out on the town and on our way home.
Bf and I had found her cart several years ago when we first moved to the Jackson Heights area. We started off getting the regular arepa con queso, but have found it to have too much cheese as my tastes change over the years. In the past 2 years, we've been getting her arepa de choclo (sweet corn arepa), which has less cheese.
Tip: You should check her MySpace page to see if she is out. She's usually not out if it rains too hard or if it is too cold. She is usually out on Friday and Saturday nights (usually around 11pm to about 4am) during warm weather.Listed in: Late Night Eats
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Review from Jared C.
7/21/2009 2 photos
I'd been having bad luck finding the good "Sainted Lady of Arepas" this year and probably had not seen her for at least a full year. So when word got out that she was serving up arepas on Governors Island on a sunny Saturday, I hopped on the first ferry and made a beeline for her cart. Her works of art were a Dollar more than usual, but still worth the trip and price.
Normally they are $3, both in the queso and choclo varieties. I've always been a bigger fan of the queso, which is filled with the goo and topped with queso blanco. She crisps it to perfection, browns it a bit, and serves it super hot and melty. It's a touch sweet, and no one does it better. I can't explain why the carts a block left or right just aren't anywhere near her, it just is.
The other version is the arepa de choclo, worth trying but if you have room for one is probably the lesser of the two. The arepa itself is thinner and folded over the queso, and tastes strongly of the corn it is named for.
Beware of bad weather. It keeps her away. I feel like even a chance of rain keeps her home, which I don't blame her. Just know it is safer to stay home and not try to find her in Jackson Heights unless you can see the stars in the sky. -
Review from kien m.
8/20/2011
Arepa Lady. How can you come to SF and give us such high expectation. 20 minutes wait just to order (-1 star). Another 40 minutes just to pick up (-1 star) because everyone is waiting for choclo. Can your starch and cheese be that good? I watch you spread I Can't Believe It Is Not Butter on your queso and choclo (-1 star). The choclo tasted like pancakes with cheese. I ate half and threw it away (-1 star). The queso was not any better. Thanks for wasting 1 hour of my time and $8.
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Review from Melissa B.
Brooklyn, NY
8/26/2010
I've heard/read about the mysical Arepa Lady that could only be found at night for what seems like years. Last weekend I had the perfect opportunity to check her out by joining in on a food crawl down Roosevelt with a few friends. Her cart was the first one we hit & it had a solid 20 minute wait, so the anticipation was pretty high.
I'm not well versed with Arepas, but I've had the chance to familiarize myself with them & try freshly made ones at home by family friend (who was born & raised in Columbia). I liked those arepas, but I was never wowed. The Arepa Lady however...she wowed me.
The outside was nice and crispy & inside the arepa flour to cheese ratio was shocking. Eating one of her cheese arepas is seriously like eating panfried + softly melted polly-o string cheese in a patty form. Super filling & delicious. I would've liked a little more saltiness added to it, but I know that it's not what arepas are known for. I will definitely be hitting up J-Heights after dark again for another. -
Review from Susan A.
9/21/2009
Bells, whistles, clap! Remember that tingly feeling you used to get Christmas Eve when you thought Santa still existed? I found it again with the Arepa Lady!
Ahh... inflation... post 9/11/09 price = $3.50.
Arepa con queso looks like a mooncake, has the corn "stuffing" (or corn meal?) inside and cheese on top. See picture someone posted with the cheese on top (looks like a personal pan pizza)
Arepa con chocla is a flatter arepa folded over, looks a bit like a crepe.
Also has chuzo and chorizo on a stick. Meaty goodness.
Arepa, 'repa! Zing zing! Oh so yum!!! Crunchy, salty, with a hint of sweetness. I only know how to say delish. Good cold or hot (but definitely NOT soggy.)
Sadness = she is only there Friday/Saturday from 10pm - 5am. Occasionally on Sunday. She has her own myspace page dedicated to her schedule. I believe you can google "myspace + arepa lady" and it should come up. Otherwise, add in "queens, ny" or "roosevelt" to be more specific.
Then again, if she showed up more, I'd go broke on the lactose-pills. Plus I'd start rounding out like the space people in Wall-E.
(Make sure you don't get confused with the other Arepa Cart on 82nd and Roosevelt.) -
Review from Princess M.
New York, NY
9/7/2007
Glad I've tried it once but not fantastic enough to make me wanna trek out there again.
There are quite a few options here, don't know their Colombian names but:
- Sweet arepas = batter is poured fresh from her stash onto the griddle, patiently cooked, flipped and browned. When they're done, she spreads freshly crumbled queso blanco (I think that's the cheese) on top and folds it into half.
- Savory arepas = pre-made frozen little rounds that when ordered, are fried directly on the griddle and browned. They're smaller in size compared to the sweet arepas and thicker. These are made from the same batter as the sweet arepa except the batter itself has cheese mixed in hence the thicker arepa. Once these are browned and melty, she dishes them onto paper plates, and tops it with more queso blanco.
I'm no arepa expert but basically, they tasted starchy, slightly sweet and very comforting. Due to the starch and cheese, they can also be quite filling.
In addition, there are also kebabs and chorizo on sticks that are pre-cooked and finished on the grill to order. The kebabs are liberally seasoned with fresh lemon juice and the kebab stick can be topped with either a plain, whole baby potato or a mini arepa (supposedly less seasoned than the regular sweet/savory arepas). The chorizo is very yummy and well-herbed; it's served on a thin slice of baguette.
The thing about the Arepa Lady is that she's really patient and systematic with her cooking of the arepas. You can see she really has her arepa-making down pat and doesn't rush through the cooking, making sure things are browned just right before serving. Hence the wait can take a while as many of her customers order quite a few. I hear that she's not consistently around but we went around 10.30pm on a Friday evening and her griddle was already very busy. -
Review from Scott G.
New York, NY
7/17/2010
This woman is my saving grace
Her Arepas offer me everlasting pleasure, carefully and methodically prepared on the griddle to a crispy yet flavorful perfection
want forever. -
Review from Kirill S.
Manhattan/Morningside Heights, New York, NY
4/24/2009
Sublime. The cheese-filled arepas have incredible texture, taste, temperature, etc. You wait and you see the arepas come onto and come off the grill, and you start to crave, and you get satisfied.
No, probably not worth a trek out for just the arepas, unless you're really, really determined. But that's not the point. If the arepa lady were located across from where you live, you'd eat there all the time. Maybe every other day. And that's the highest praise possible. -
Review from Chi N.
8/6/2010
arepas con queso... its on a whole world of its own... crispy on the outside, soft oozing with cheese on the inside melts in well with the arepa that u can't tell which is arepa which is cheese... and then the crumbly cotija like cheese on top... just perfection...
the other arepa is harder, more bland... nothing in comparison at all to the arepas con queso...
try to order in spanish cuz she's gonna speak to u in spanish regardless of her education! -
Review from Michael L.
Flushing, NY
5/30/2010
This lady was hard to find. I heard she was a Columbian judge and was interviewed on Chowhound radio once upon a time. The thing is that she only comes out at night and on weekend nights and after 10pm. The other thing that makes her hard to find is that there are imposters floating around because she is a celebrity in the food cart world and was up there with Sammy's Halal cart and the other top carts in the city. The night I found her I told my friends I finally accomplished my mission. They had no idea what she stands for in the food cart world, but when she saw me order the Arepa she knew that I knew and there was a mutual understanding. Thanks Arepa Lady! She has great Arepas....we are only talking food up here, OK.
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Review from Angelica K.
East Elmhurst, NY
7/9/2008
amazing drunk food. completely filling. completely gooey and cheesey and fried and delicious and buttery and crispy and perfectly wonderful.
on the downside i can never catch her when she's around and a lot of times she's not. she's got a myspace and that's helpful. -
Review from Cindy C.
New York, NY
2/25/2010
Loved them both and can't wait to go back. Arepa de Choclo is slightly chewier while the Arepas de Queso is soft, yummy and stringy goodness. I just wanted to give her a hug afterwards. For more details, pictures and reviews, please visit my blog.
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Review from kathryn l.
Washington, DC
4/5/2009
The food is great.
Whoever writes a bad review of the Arepa Lady is 5 SNOBS AND A HALF.
To eat or not to eat street this "street" food. Figure out yourself and the rest is your responsibility. If you don't like it/have a very critical experience, don't bitch and blame anyone else but YOU for your decision to eat what she has to offer.
The eating-experience was great for me and the rest of the folks I went with... -
Review from Angela G.
Mamaroneck, NY
12/9/2011
I am sure her arepas are to die for, and after reading amazing review after review about Lady Arepa, I had to go try them! I was so excited, I am Colombian and was dying to try a truly delicious arepa. I went with a friend, and as we waited in line we got to see how Lady Arepa handled the areas ... what a blatant disregard for hygiene! I couldn't believe what I was seeing... I turned toward my friend and I could tell she was thinking what I was thinking, clearly she had seen what I saw; Lady Arepa received the money from the previous customers and proceeded to work on our arepas, without removing or changing the gloves which had just touched germ laden bills! That was sad to see since I was really looking forward to trying what are supposedly out of this world arepas. I wouldn't have been able to scarf it down so I told her that I needed to cancel the order because something had come up. In retrospect I should have had the balls to point out her ignorance or disregard for hygiene. I might stop by her cart again and point it out, instead of calling the health department. I'm surprised that no one has commented on her disregard for hygiene.
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Review from Heather M.
Queens, NY
11/21/2009
Mmmm Mmmm good. This is street food at its best. I just want to reiterate what so many people have said... The arepa con queso is crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside and it is all topped with crumbled cheese that is more savory and is a perfect complement. So good. So very good.
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Review from Cliff W.
Charlotte, NC
5/31/2008
I am not Catholic, but I'd advocate for this former Colombian advocate's beatification. This was the final leg of my 3 course Jackson Heights foodie trifecta--I had already hit up Sammy's Halal and Unidentified Flying Chicken earlier that night for satisfying portions (caveat emptor: where others have stomaches, I own a black hole). It wasn't intentional, but these perfectly hit the spot as a dessert-like finisher course. I tried both the large and small arepas, and while both are fantastic, I love the big ones more. The crumbled queso is yummy and, to this day, makes me give holy thanks to the cows of Colombia. My first time was so rapturous that I managed to make a fool out of myself in Spanglish when I took that glorious first bite while she was being interviewed by some Spanish-speaking personality. Hopefully, that little scene did not make it on to Youtube or public television.
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