Arepa Factory

Alphabet City’s Arepa Factory Offers Caracas Some Healthy Competition

Pabellon arepa, with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and guayanés cheese.
Pabellon arepa, with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains, and guayanés cheese. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz

The East Village’s Caracas Arepa Bar has long monopolized the market for the Venezuelan flatbread, made with ground maize dough. But now there’s a new spot in the neighborhood — Arepa Factory, at 147 Avenue A, near 9th Street — where arepas are made fresh daily and filled to order.

Beyond the traditional usual corn flour, owner (and Venezuela native) Monica Muzzo is also using spinach, oatmeal, and a chia-flaxseed combination to make arepas. Her 21 different filling combinations are also unconventional, and they include coconut lamb, baby back ribs with American cheese, Peruvian-style ceviche, and marinated tuna with olives, capers, and raisins. Plus, the menu includes pancake-esque cachapas, snacks like fried white cheese wrapped in pastry dough, and desserts like arroz con leche and tres leches cake. Take a look:

Cachapas, one with roast pork and cheddar and another with beans, shredded white cheese, and avocado.
Cachapas, one with roast pork and cheddar and another with beans, shredded white cheese, and avocado. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Inglesa in the chia-flaxseed arepa (breaded fish with watercress and tartar sauce).
Inglesa in the chia-flaxseed arepa (breaded fish with watercress and tartar sauce). Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Another shot of the Pabellon arepa, nice and toasty.
Another shot of the Pabellon arepa, nice and toasty. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
You can dine in or take away.
You can dine in or take away. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Finger-food options.
Finger-food options. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
A-plus tchotchkes.
A-plus tchotchkes. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz
Yas, queen.
Yas, queen. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz

Menu [PDF]

Arepa Factory, 147 Avenue A, 646-490-6828

Arepa Factory Opens In Alphabet City