- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Cafe Latino
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
3 Ctr Plz2nd Fl
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-6800
- Nearest Transit:
-
Centre St @ Gardner St (14, 41)
Centre St @ Linwood St (14, 41)
Centre St @ Highland Ave (14, 41)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:30 am - 3 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for Cafe Latino
Review Highlights
-
"The pernil asado (roast pork) was amazing." In 4 reviews -
"The pork with yellow rice/beans and sweet plantains was a..." In 2 reviews -
"I reccomend the roast pork and ask for some skin." In 8 reviews
Loading...
24 reviews in English
-
Review from Billy H.
Revere, MA
1/20/2012
You got hunger in your stomach? You got eating on your mind? You got a sawbuck in your pocket? You go see Carlos right now and tell him that somebody from the Internet sent you. Cafe Latino is located behind Center Plaza if you're coming from transit, or in front of the Suffolk Superior Court House if your coming from a court case. It's located now within the Plaza Deli, but you can't miss it. Carlos isn't too shy about showing off his food, so you will see all the main courses right behind a sneeze guard made of bullet proof glass or diamonds or something. Nobody is fucking with this mans food. He usually lays out the same courses each day; Roasted Pork which is super crispy on the outside and soft as a baby on the inside. He also has ribs which fall off the bone and are super tasty. Whole roasted chickens that he breaks in half right in front of you with his bare hands. Also chicken with peppers and steak with peppers. All of which can be served with white or a delicious yellow rice, fried plantanes, potato salad, macaroni salad or salad salad. Pricing is typically consistent, based more on what he can fit in the tray as opposed to the variety of food you choose. Also available is a very tasty seafood salad, comprised of shrimp, bay scallops, red onions and peppers doused in a lemon sauce. Minimal, yet delicious. Let's talk burritos. His burritos are AWESOME. You can choose from his steak and pepper selection or his chicken and pepper selection, which he covers with cheese, beans, onions, lettuce, tomatos, rice and this delcious pink sauce (mild or spicy (get the spicy)) which I can only imagine is the blood of gods mixed with some MSG. He then throws it onto a panini press so when it's all said and done... and all the smoke clears... and the dust settles, you have a beautiful crispy burrito. Just make sure to get some napkins.
I give this place 5 stars. I've been coming here for years and everyone is super friendly and they produce bomb food. -
Review from Heather G.
Boston, MA
2/24/2011
So, for $6.99, you get the pork, choice of white rice and beans or yellow rice, and a side-dish choice of plantains, sweet plantains, salad, or pasta salad. For $7, this is a ton of food.
Now, how tasty is the food? Well....uh....you get a lot of food. For cheap. Yeah, ok, it wasn't stellar. But hey, it was so cheap.
The plantains are dry but come with a creamy dipping sauce - ask for two containers of dipping sauce, though, because the portion of plantains is very large, and one packet of sauce is not enough to moisten the whole plantain order sufficiently to swallow.
The yellow rice was also dry, which is odd because I arrived just as they opened for the day, so I cannot attribute this dry-ness to the rice having sat in a hotel pan for hours. It was freshly-made. It had a smattering of black beans mixed in, though I think next time I'd order the "white rice with beans" in hopes that the beans they add to the rice carry a bit of moisture/juice/sauce.
The pork....oooohh the pork. The pork saved my lunch. It was moist and juicy and pulled apart in tender strings. There was a very liberal amount of fat on the pork, contributing to the moisture and flavor. The fat did not overpower the amount of meat in the portion, rather it was a nice addition.
Cafe Latino is probably best if:
1. you're STARVING and want a lot of food
2. you're on a budget
3. you're in the Center Plaza area - perhaps for jury duty
If all three of these conditions are met, Cafe Latino is a good choice. If you're not *that hungry* and prefer quality over quantity for the same price, might I suggest Zo's next door? -
Review from Tayana C.
Boston, MA
2/26/2011
This place never fail to blow my mind. Being Haitian, I love Caribbean food, particularly any place that sells good tostones. I didn't realize how much I went there until after my first trip back in MONTHS the guy asked me: "You want the usual?" I'm not going to lie, I was a bit embarrassed but I just quietly nodded "yes".
The food is delish and it is one of the few places around here that make the tostones just like I like 'em, nice and crispy. It is the Yely's of downtown aka no creepy walks through the projects to get there. Chicharron & tostones are pretty much made fresh to order which is awesome and that "spicy" (not at all but that's what they call it) dipping sauce they give you with it is delicious too. I usually go with a small plate of the yellow rice and a side of chicharron or pulled pork with the fried plantains. But sometimes if I have company I get the large plate and split it with a friend.
This place brings you island taste without breaking the bank. In the summer time it is great sitting in the courtyard with my sunglasses wiping grease off my fingers before I unbutton my pants.
I also like the cubano which is not bad but I get more bang for my buck by getting a plate. And y'all know I love bang for my buck!
They lose a star for the saltiness of the food. I don't like salty. You're probably wondering why someone who eats fried food would worry about sodium, well guess what, I'm full of contradictions. -
Review from Eric F.
Boston, MA
2/25/2011
I go to Latino because it's close. My first few times were good, flavorful (if herby) rice, huge portions of pork (ask for extra skin) and friend plantains (or potato or pasta salad, if you prefer) all for like 7 bucks.
Alas, inconsistencies began to develop. Too much cartilage in a half chicken, way too much fat on the pork to the point I couldn't enjoy it and the cubano...well it was just miserable. First off, there are no pickles, which pisses me off. Secondly, while I love have a sandwich jam packed, when you cook something on the Panini press for 5 minutes, and the inside of the sandwich is stone cold, you are doing something wrong.
I really want to like Latino, so after a two month break, I gave Latino another chance. I enjoyed the chicken stew (it was a bit salty) and the white rice and beans is definitely the way to go. I'd suppose go back, but you won't hear me suggesting it.
2 star food, 4 star value. -
Review from Greg C.
Cambridge, MA
11/18/2010 2 Check-ins Here
I am so glad I stumbled upon this place while strolling one day. Went in for lunch today for the first time and oh my god. The pernil asado (roast pork) was amazing. $7 for a gigantic container of pork, rice, and tostones. I have a healthy appetite, and I couldn't even finish it. Other items on the menu also looked delicious and tempting. They have a Cuban sandwich that will most likely be the next thing I try off the menu. Pending feedback from some of my Latino friends, this place might actually get bumped to 5 stars.
Stay tuned! -
Review from Jeffrey H.
Washington, DC
9/23/2008 1 photo
Had a lunch date with yelper Jocelyn C one afternoon where she took me to Cafe Latino to show me HER Latino side. Hawt taco right hurr.
Ordering was kind of a chore - the menu is scattered and unfinished - I recommend just steppin' on up to the counter and grabbing one of their take-out menus as they are complete and easier to navigate.
The cafe itself is cramped and unorganized which was kind of annoying on this supremely hot & humid day in Boston - New England, America's sauna.
The employees were nice and quick about their service, they wantchya in and out since they are just as cramped as you are.
It was nice to watch some Latino music videos on their plasma TV as I waited - not quite sure what the songs were about but some half naked man in a wind blown button up seemed like a big deal with the ladies. *takes iPhone pic, mobile upload onto facebook, tags Nadya R - Yelp's resident Mexican*
I ordered a burrito - it was average in taste but generous in size. Since size doesn't matter (!?) I would rate them far lower than the quality of El Pelon - more like Anna's in my opinion. So if you like bland Anna's burritos, then you might be satisfied. Fools.
Grab a seat outside and enjoy your lunch - just beware the pigeons and occasional wind gust in the financial. -
Review from Cindy K.
Needham, MA
9/13/2011
Finally wandered over to the courthouse to try this place out for lunch and I'm a bit disappointed. My friend and I chose different plates so we could share - she got the roasted chicken plate and I got the roasted pork plate. The portions are definitely ginormous but the meat was dry (the chicken worse than the pork) and it wasn't very flavorful either. We basically had to douse it in hot sauce so we could eat it. The rice and sweet plantains were delicious though so I may go back for my plantain craves. I have heard that the mofongo is very good so maybe I'll come back for one last attempt.
-
Review from Jocelyn C.
Jamaica Plain, MA
Updated - 8/10/2008
Okay, so I still haven't had the sancocho, BUT... I did have the pernil (roast pork) the other day, and it was uncanny how close it was to my own Mom's delicious stylings. I didn't think that was possible, because who can replace Mom's cooking? NO ONE, that's who... but they come pretty damn close!
(Shhhh, don't tell my Mom.)1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/10/2008 First to Review
In a downtown financial area swarming with the same old, boring delis and chains stock full of… Read more »
-
-
Review from Julie T.
Boston, MA
10/23/2009
I love this place and am a little shocked at the amount of boos it has! Every so often, I go into this "I want latin food badly" mode and rush over to this place. They give TONS of food and it always tastes great. Even though I never eat there and take it home or to work, it still tastes great.
I always get the yellow rice with beans, tostones (fried plantains) and if I'm not up for the pernil (roasted pork - falls APART btw), I'll get the BBQ ribs, which aren't necessarily authentic, but taste amazing. They're super soft and come right off the bone. With the amount of food they give you? It always lasts at least two meals for me. At only $8 or so, it barely makes a dent in your wallet, yet by the end, your stomach has inflated to double its size.
They also have a sauce that is sometimes offered to you, sometimes not, but I always ask for it just the same. It's called their tostones sauce or something and it is SUPER garlicky! I can't express just how strong and pungent the garlic taste is, but I can't get enough of it! It's one of those things that are just weird, but you can't help, but keep eating it. It's so good.
Everything is always moist and even when I come in for food two minutes before they're going to close, they still welcome me and the nice man always asks me, "What can I get you, honey?" Their food is never cold, sometimes warm, but no matter since by the time I bring it home, I'll have to microwave it anyhow and you would think that that would make it taste less good, but oh no no no. It tastes fabulous just the same.
I just wish they had a hotter hot sauce sometimes...Listed in: Cheap Eats, Mexican/Latin
-
Review from Alex T.
Quincy, MA
7/25/2008
I work right near Cafe Latino and this place is a big hit with a lot of people around my office because of the great food, big portions, and a very homey service. If you get a plate, you are almost sure to have food leftover.
My favorite here is the Pork Roast (Pernil Asado) which is dry roasted pork that is surprisingly pure in taste. Not too much salt or flavorings which is very refreshing because you can actually taste the pork. This dish with pork skin is sinful and delicious. All their plates come with two sides which can be fried plantains (Maduros), white rice, mexican rice and black beans, kidney beans, salad or their daily special. Great choice.
I recommend their Cubanos sandwich which is a panini pressed sandwich with roast pork, ham, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo. Their Chicken Fajita is also excellent that is a pressed wrap (choice of regular white, wheat, or spinach wrap), grilled chicken with peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and their special sauce.
I even like to come here for breakfast as they make their breakfast sandwiches off the grill, which is going to be head and shoulders above anything you can get at Dunkin Donuts. I would definitely rather come here and support these guys than a faceless coffee conglomerate.
Yes, and coup de grace: This place has pizza and the pizza is pretty damn good.
I highly recommend this place is you work around downtown near the statehouse. With so many eateries in this area, Cafe Latino is a standout! -
Review from Kahla B.
Boston, MA
8/14/2011
Ehhh. I've eaten there twice. Once was delivery and the other time I walked in and sat outside. My delivered order was ok. Chicken was a lil dry but ok. the Plantains were really dry to the point I couldn't eat them. But in all fairness I still havent come across a plantain that agreed with me taste-wise. My walk in experience was ok. Quick service. Not a large selection but decent. Upset that my only rice choice was white. All and all it was ok and very convenient.
-
Review from Yelp Z.
Salem, MA
3/16/2009
I work near Gov. Center, and today was just one of those days I want lunch but don't feel like going to far from my building. I usually grab a slice of pizza at Cafe Latin or accompany someone else getting a slice. All reviews have noted the place is teeny tiny, and the menu is a cluster fuck. I felt like a burrito so I asked if they do burritos (not on the menu or the to-go menu). The counter woman said yes, they have beef and chicken. I ordered a "spicy" chicken with everything on it. As a warning, don't ever order a burrito here. They are totally disgusting and almost 2 hours later I can still taste it lingering in my mouth. UGH!
A "spicy chicken" burrito is a white flour wrapper, filled with a scoop of white rice, dried out chicken, lettuce, chopped tomatoes and 5 whole onions. Then they drizzle some sort of au jus on it that is neither spicy nor flavorful. Also, it's all cold - and they put it in a press for a minute or two which does literally nothing but make press marks on it. Totally COLD. Upon first bite I got a mouthful of raw onion. I don't mind eating some onions but I don't make a habit at taking bites out of whole ones. Second and third bites produced more of the same, which forced me to pick OUT onions which is disgusting and stinky. I didn't finish the burrito because I actually felt sick after eating so many raw onion bites and didn't want to continue. Won't be ordering those again.
I should note as well, the one time I ordered a slice of pizza with meat on it - they take a handful of COLD meat put it on an already cooked cheese slice, add a little more cheese and stick it in the oven for a minute. This does not cook the meat or melt the cheese. ONLY go here for on the go cheese slices. The staff are lazy and stand around while one person does everything from food to cash and cleaning. -
Review from Josh W.
Somerville, MA
7/6/2010
First time today. Some people may say that a Cuban is not an appropriate food for 100 degree days, I disagree.
This is a good cuban. I watched as they pulled apart hunks of roast pork for this sandwich, and I smiled. I knew I'd be happy.
Guess what?
I am. -
Review from Mcslimj B.
Boston, MA
11/6/2010
Hard to find, but worth it: inexpensive, substantial and very tasty Puerto Rican fare, notably a beautiful pernil asado.
It pays to keep a sharp eye out for good cheap food; I often fail to notice worthy places right under my nose. Take Café Latino, a 40-seat, counter-service storefront at the rear of Center Plaza, that long, curved building across Cambridge Street from Government Center. I passed it several times as I was writing my review of Zo, the Greek spot next door, and thought, "Nothing to see here." That's because Café Latino is tucked away in a space dominated by Plaza Deli, an ordinary-looking American sandwich shop. A Chowhound tip brought to my attention what I'd missed before: that the guys over in the right-hand corner serve fantastic Puerto Rican food, most of it in portions big enough for two meals.
The so-called Daily Special plates (which rarely vary) are a great value: heaping platters of rice (white or black-bean-studded yellow rice), beautifully seasoned stewed pinto beans, plantains (ripe, in the form of crisp-fried, flattened, deep-fried slices called tostones, or green, in the tender, sweet version known as maduros), and an enormous mass of meat. Costillas a la BBQ ($8) is translated as "BBQ pork chop," but is actually roasted ribs in a sweet, tomato-based barbecue sauce. Pollo asado ($7) is nearly half of a skillfully roasted chicken, hacked into pieces. The true standout is pernil asado ($7), a daunting pile of garlicky roast pork shoulder, moistly falling into delectable shreds, with some rind left on for dark, crackly, chewy contrast: superb. Sandwiches include a respectable, hefty Cubano ($7); skip the non-canonical lettuce and tomato and add mustard. Empanadillas ($2) are oversize, fried-to-order turnovers of finely chopped, sweetly seasoned beef or chicken with potato cubes: delicious with or without dribs of the accompanying Thousand Island-like sauce.
Watch for occasional (actual) specials, like the amazing, rich "lasagna" ($7), made with thin-sliced plantains instead of noodles, its meat sauce strewn with raisins and olives. Sancocho ($6/medium; $9/large), a gorgeous, hearty beef stew full of starchy vegetables, is served with rice or bread. Beverage options include the usual American soft drinks ($2), plus some Caribbean alternatives like malta ($2) and tamarind nectar ($2). A breakfast menu includes American-style egg sandwiches ($3), breakfast burritos ($5), and egg plates ($6); lunch also includes pizza ($2-3/slice; $16/pie). But Café Latino's wheelhouse isn't Yankee fare. Go instead for the Puerto Rican dishes in all their abundant, bargain-priced, nap-inducing glory: they're the ones that will make you glad you didn't overlook this place. -
Review from Daphne M.
Ann Arbor, MI
11/17/2008
In the area around my work there are a number of nice lunch places but not many are very unique. Hidden away in Central Plaza up the stairs and around the corner is Cafe Latino and it is pretty different than most other places around. They offer a variety of mostly Puerto Rican foods that are pretty tasty and authentic. I had the chicken and yellow rice dish with plantains which although sounds simple can be very easy to mess up. Fortunately the chicken was moist and the rice was flavorful the plantains were a little oily but some people like then that way.
The biggest problem with the place is the flow or the lack thereof. The whole place is really confused and gets crowded very easily. For the first-timer it can be a little overwhelming especially since the menu is all over the place. It is worth it because at the end of the tunnel there is tasty chicken and even a delicious Goya beverage if you want it . I say give them a try but don't think you will get a sit to eat-in. That would be asking too much. -
Review from M A.
Boston, MA
Updated - 5/19/2011
A disaster!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/14/2011
Came here a while back with a coworker.
Never Again!
The place is small and a bit off-the-beaten… Read more »
-
-
Review from Brandy S.
Weymouth, MA
4/25/2011
Café Latino's delicious pork plate is a must for pork lovers on the go. It's a HUGE amount of food for all of $7 and it's served up hot and fast. The pork skin is salty and very crispy/chewy which mixes well with the rice and beans. The meal's complete with a side of sweet plantains and spicy sauce. Heaven!
-
Review from Nicole S.
5/4/2009
At lot of my coworkers rave about this place. They come back with take out containers filled with chicken, rice, fried plantains, etc. To be honest their meals never looked that appealing to me but since they are repeat customers the flavor had to be really good.
I went in and was face to face with trays of roasted chicken, beef stewing away in sauces, rice, beans, etc. Again it did not look too great to me- I'm not a big chicken on the bone chillin' out in a metal raft in simmering water. But I decide to give Cafe Latino a try anyway and get a chicken fajita wrap. The really friendly lady asks if I want mild sauce or hot sauce... ooo hot please! Well after wrap assembly it sits on a panini press for a few minutes. I finally get my wrap and return to work to consume fajita wrap. Well to sum it up.. blah. The tortilla was dry, chicken was dry, minimal rice, NO spice. I did come to the conclusion that the extra panani toasting time is just another way for chicken to dry out. yay.
So I suggest passing on Cafe Latino- unless you like your chicken plain and dry. -
Review from Cecilia L.
Cambridge, MA
10/18/2009
The roast pork is awesome. You get huge slabs of meat carved off the roast when you order, rice, beans and plantains for less than $8. When they ask if you want skin, say yes. Shake hot sauce on top and alternate bites of the moist meat and the crispy, crackly skin. This lunch is fabulous, and I have enough left over for lunch the next day (which never happens with me).
-
Review from paul b.
Revere, MA
12/30/2010
It's all about the food here, which rates more than three stars. The pernil asado tastes like the roast pork of my childhood the way my father prepared it: crispy crust and succulent tender meat...and lots of it. Being able to get the crust just right without drying out the interior is artful. For $7 you get more food than a human should eat at one sitting. (Can you spell O-B-E-S-IT-Y E-P-I-D-E-M-I-C?)The pork with yellow rice/beans and sweet plantains was a like a quick trip to PR. The taste and low cost of the food is counterbalanced however, by the ambiance, and this is where the CL loses stars. The overall space is shared with the Plaza Deli and the available seating seems like an overcrowded afterthought. Plan to take it out. Since I work nearby, I will be back. Between CL and nearby Zo, the plaza fronting the stunning classic architecture of the John Adams courthouse is truly a hidden gem.
-
Review from Byron M.
Framingham, MA
12/24/2009
Cafe Latino is located inside the Plaza Deli, just a few doors down from where they were. This place is essentially a cafeteria styled take out place, so don't expect a serious sit down lunch. With that info in hand, this is a great place and food is terrific. I am not from Puerto Rico, but I am told by my PR friends that this place is the real deal. From my perspective, the food is really good. I reccomend the roast pork and ask for some skin. The skin is crispy and yummy if you like that stuff. They give you alot of food. I usually save some for the next day or share a meal with someone.
-
Review from Cynthia G.
Cambridge, MA
3/28/2011
This Boston hole-in-the-wall lunch place makes Puerto Rican food so good that in the past I've literally wept with joy :) Whenever I get a craving for home-cooked food like Mom makes, I head right here!
-
Review from ki s.
Cambridge, MA
2/28/2011
Food is delicious. I usually go with the steak fajitas plate. It's only seven bucks and easily lasts me two days, sometimes three. Generous and delicious!
-
Review from Brittany R.
Boston, MA
1/2/2010
I just love this place. The only thing I hate about it is that it's not open on weekends or nights!!!! The plantains, rice, and combos are to die for. I spent my summer in Costa Rica and when I eat here... it tastes like I've sat down in San Jose once again. It's awesome. Just awesome.
