Aroma de Cafe Restaurant Bakery & Bar — Restaurant in Nutley

I don't really get the comparisons to Noches de Colombia for this place. Noches is like, Applebees for Colombian food. It's a chain. We came here and held it to a higher standard, like El Tipico in Paterson, which is a five-star Colombian pick surrounded by competitors.

This restaurant is a welcome addition to the food choices in Nutley. And, let there be no doubt, this is a Latin joint. The karaoke is level twelve Spanish. Futebol is on every TV. The place looks amazing and immaculate. Someone spent a good chunk of change on renovating and it shows.

We ordered the maracuja sangria, and it was terrific. Great balance of the wine with the passion fruit. The mini empanadas were good, and the accompanying sauces were a nice complement. We'll try something else next time.

To measure the place against 21st Ave, we ordered bandejas paisas. Bistec y huevos con arroz, frijoles, chicharrones, chorizo, y platanos maduros. You can get skirt steak if you like; we tried it that evening. The steak was cooked to order, and the rice worked but we weren't too crazy about the beans, missed some flavor. You gotta love a huge portion of chicharrones, but I think I might have preferred half the size and another chorizo (that was very good). As always the balance of the platanos with the meat was a pleasure.

Do not skip your espresso with a little Frangelico to end the meal.

We really enjoyed it. The atmosphere is elevated above your usual walk-in places, and I look forward to the Grand Opening on the 20th of July this year. This addition, along with the Argentine empanada place further south, is making Nutley a more interesting...

This restaurant feels like an uninspired spin-off of Noches de Colombia. I ordered two mint lemonades, tostones with guacamole, and a grilled chicken bowl with salad and white rice. Unfortunately, the drinks were way off — overwhelmingly sour, with no balance or care in the preparation. It tasted like someone just squeezed lemons and threw in mint leaves without ever checking the flavor. I’ve had this drink many times before and know how refreshing it can be when done right. This version gave me heartburn.

As for the food, the bowl looked like a random assortment of ingredients tossed together without any thought or cohesion. There was no effort to create a well-composed dish, visually or in flavor.

I’m writing this not to tear down, but because I genuinely want to see Latin American restaurants succeed and represent our cuisine with pride. Please, taste your creations before serving them. Make them make sense on the palate. I hope things improve — Colombian food deserves better...

Ok where do I begin? I’m a German white guy but my wife of 20 years is Colombian. We’re from NYC and have often said there’s no good real Colombian spot in NJ. Noches de Colombia is mediocre at best. This place is AMAZING. The bandeja paisa is flawless. The blood sausage is perfect. Arepes are perfect. The bakery is awesome. Bande quest is delicious. You simply can’t go wrong here. Prices are ok, as long as it doesn’t get more expensive we’ll be eating here 3 or 4 days a week. They are open till 1am on weekends and have live music too!! 11 pm on weekdays. They have killer empanadas and great coffee/espresso machines too. We’ve been wanting a great late night spot forever so this is our new go to. The best part for me is they have breakfast all day long, which no other Colombian spot in NJ does. Amazing! I eat breakfast around 2pm so I’ll be here twice a day haha

Don’t change your prices PLEASE!!! We want to come back and bring everyone here and continue...