Arepa Days — Restaurant in Melbourne

Ummmm amazing! Immediately my new favourite local spot. I got the choclo (corn and grilled cheese arepa), morcilla arepa pocket, and a side of chicken. The servings are bigger and more filling than you'd expect, be warned. Food is so fresh, high quality, arepas are a delicious texture, bursting with flavour. Simple and perfect Colombian flavour/ingredient combinations. Their table sauces - a green chimichurri and a pink, red onion/chilli/pepper salsa I forgot the name - are just so delicious and bright tasting (and, side note, are also surprisingly friendly to a not-so-spice-tolerant palate, even with plenty of chilli flavour). It was very exciting to find that the black pudding is gluten free - in fact the whole menu is gluten free aside from a couple of dessert/drink items. I also had a delicious Colombian hot chocolate which reminded me of Mexican champurrado chocolate flavour. The atmosphere is the best, warm and bright inside with plants and decor, good music, you can see into the kitchen through beautiful stained glass, and there are overhead heaters - so lovely. Lively...

Some what of a conundrum and mystery. It's always completely packed out at the front, but somewhat quiet inside.

On the few occasions I've visited, it always takes quite some time to get acknowledged or noticed.

Take away is very challenging as there is no form of visual menu to reference; nothing on a board or plaque, a wall, an A frame sign, and certainly no loose paper copies of menus to look at. Instead, you have to miraculously hunt down a menu on a free table, take it, then place your order. The distinct lack of menus, which seem to be only at dine in tables is frustrating.

Portions are okay, but nothing of value for the price, most options are bland and skimp on the fillings. Cold drinks are extremely expensive, 3 fold for what you could find at casa iberica. It definitely seems like an inner social circle or clique members...

Had a takeaway coffee with 2 arepa's and MorcillaPan, ordered online in advance. On arrival 3 staff working, 3 other customers were told to wait outside as I walked in (due to covid safe plan), however no acknowledgement for myself. Spoke up and said I was picking up an online order. Waited outside it was about 5 mins late. No big deal but customer service could be better. All food had interesting flavour, lemony with a bit of heat. The arepa's are small, so would be correct that just 1 would be a snack. Not sure of the value with $10 for one. Unfortunately liquidy contents of arepa's leaked into the paper bag and the bag quickly disintegrated, so messy to eat. Could improve how this is packaged...