Jonny M.

Avila Arepa has been around for a few years but it's been on my radar to try. They specialize in arepas and are nearby Spice Grill and SweetHoney Dessert. We dropped in on a Friday afternoon (around 1:30pm). Service is friendly and genuine. There's a couple of tables outside on their sidewalk patio. The menu consists of criollo brunch, sidekicks, yums and arepas (classic and signature). Arepas are in the $9.00 to $16.00 range. - Passionfruit juice ($6.00) - C always orders one of their fresh fruit juices when he comes for a meal. - Yuca frita ($6.00) - fried cassava sticks with Venezuelan mojito. These came out piping hot. Good bite but somewhat of a small portion. - Avila ($14.50) - this is their signature/OG sandwich. Pork was unfortunately dry and took away from the other flavours. - Pabellon ($14.50) - easily the better of the two arepas that we tried. Beef was tender and moist. Our waitress accidentally dropped a piece of plantain but came back with two more. The bean and feta cheese was a fantastic combo. Would get this baby again. - La trinidad ($14.50) - didn't get to try this one but it sounded great and C devoured his arepa. Nice to see AA bring some Venezuelan flair to the city. 3.5 stars.

Ingrid G.

I was so excited about this Restaurant. Period a Venezuelan restaurant with many vegan and vegetarian options is very rare. They also have a cute little patio and I was excited to sit there in the sun. First of all the service was very slow it took quite a while to get out food. When it came I was shocked to see how small the portions were for the price. I chose the Arepa with beans cheese and avocado. The avocado was so hard it wasn't edible. They could just let me know that there was no avocado and I would've picked another vegetarian option. My husband got the breakfast bowl with avocado and his avocado was also not edible. The waitress didn't come once to the table to ask us how things were going. We also asked for extra beans and we never got them but they did charge us for them Too bad

Kristin K.

Really enjoyed surprising my husband with lunch at Avila Arepa on our Anniversary. This place has been on our bucket list for awhile but the location is out of the way for us and not something our minis would likely enjoy. From the moment we walked through the doors, i loved the vibe - the colours, the chalkboards, the photos, the newspaper clippings... basically everything! The owner, Rolando, was super personable, informative, and patient as we looked over the entire menu. We asked for his suggestions and went to town sharing Pabellón Arepa, Palo Verde Arepa, and Tequeños! There were so many, many more things we wanted to try including drinks and desserts but we were sooooo full after sharing two arepas and a starter. The garlic cilantro dipping sauce with the Tequeños was to die for. SERIOUSLY. The Arepas we chose were night and day different - The Pabellón with pulled beef, black beans, plantains & feta! The Palo Verde with avocado, queso de Mano & roasted peppers! Both were divine and I loved having a half of each! Definitely planning a return visit next time we are near Whyte Avenue!

Carla C.

Had a discount code for free Arepitas appetizer with the purchase of 2 Arepas entrees. Went here with 2 friends. Street parking available and was able to find a spot near the restaurant on a Saturday night at 7PM surprisingly. 2hr parking also available down some of the side streets (free on weekends after 6PM). No public bathroom but there is a 1 person-at-a-time bathroom that was clean and well-kept for customers. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Friend recommended we try the Tequenos (deep-fried Venezuelan cheese sticks) appetizer - this was like a take on mozzarella sticks. Great breading and cheese inside is just like mozzarella cheese. Didn't taste too greasy and I like the breading. Dip (guasacaca) was interesting and went really well with the Tequenos. The free Arepitas appetizer (plain fried mini arepas) was quite greasy but loved the texture. Soft, doughy, cornmeal-like. Dip (fresh cream, "nata") was delicious and went well with the Arepitas. Friend got the Asado Negro (roast beef) - LOTS of filling. Great taste and very juicy but would have loved to see a crisp veg or something fresh on it to give it acidity, texture, and/or color. I got the Domino (black beans and feta cheese) - black beans taste kind of like re-friend beans. Feta was lovely. Tasted even better with the Arepitas fresh cream dip as it needed a little kick in my opinion. Maybe a side of hot sauce? Friend got the Manicomio (create your own, - portobello mushroom, avocado, tomato, and queso de mano {fresh house made cheese}), I got to try a piece of the house-made cheese - very nice. Friend though it was a little bitter but I did not get that. Was a nice soft light flavor. Would have loved to see a side of slaw/raw veg for the price and for a change in texture (Everyone was definitely tired of the same bite every bite). Not sure I would be full with just 1 arepas ($15) but I think that's what to expect with eating on Whyte Ave as well but glad we got appetizers. Overall very good food and I would come back to try a few more items!

Yazmin J.

Cozy, Friendly and homie! The guy who waited on us whom I think was the owner was very welcoming. Service was excellent! And the arepas!! Wow I had never had them this good. A party in your mouth. I ordered some with plantains and meat. It was fantastic! Very accommodating towards food allergies. Great music, and outmosphere. Easy to find parking and the food came out fast. I also had the tamrine margarita and it was delicious. I highly recommend this place!

Valerie B.

Discovered this place thanks to a couple of friends that had been here before, and soooo glad they brought me here! I've never had Venezuelan food before, but I will definitely be back for more! The restaurant was very quiet for a Thursday evening, and we were the only diners all evening. I don't think there were any take out orders either. Our meals all came out quickly and a perfect temperature. For my review, I'll only be commenting on my orders and not the other meals at our table. Only because I didn't taste them, but what I can say is that both other guests loved their meals and only had great things to say! I started with the Tequenos and they were delicious! Think of a gooey, amazing cheese stick, but in a crescent roll type dough. And the special sauce that comes with it is fantastic! It's a cilantro based sauce, and normally I'm one of those people that hates cilantro because it tastes like soap. However, I could eat that over and over again! My main entrée was one of the Signature Arepas, the Chacaito. It was packed with pulled beef and the queso de mano. It also came with the special sauce on the side. The beef was flavorful and juicy. The cheese was similar to a feta type cheese and was a bit salty, but that added to the entire delicious meal! It was super filling and I would order it again! Of course we made room for dessert and I had the Tres Leches. It was beautifully presented and so amazing! The sauce was similar to a melted vanilla ice cream, and when you soaked your piece of cake in it, it would melt in your mouth! The staff were all incredibly friendly, helpful and wonderful! Very pleasant people and they seem like the type that you would love to have them sit down and join you for supper. For sure I'll be back! Thank you to the staff for a great meal out!

Erika G.

Today we will be chatting about the arepa and where to get one in Edmonton! An arepa is a type of latin sandwich from Venezuela and Colombia. The word "arepa" refers to the flat and round corn flour patty that is used as the bun. It's a little bit like a tortilla except fatter and puffier. When Ávila Arepa opened a few years ago in Strathcona they were the first Venezuelan restaurant in the city and they've been dishing out arepas aplenty ever since. In fact, in 2018 VUE Weekly gave them just about every award possible; #1 Best Appetizers 2018, #1 Best Soups 2018, #1 Best Salads 2018, #1 Best Spanish 2018, #1 Best Mexican/Latin American 2018, #1 Best Sandwiches 2018, #1 Best Hidden Gem 2018, #1 Best Bargain 2018. Ávila Arepa has been one of the hottest places in town ever since. A self-proclaimed "urban Venezuelan kitchen," Ávila Arepa was opened by an actual Venezuelan immigrant who is bringing latin vibes, homemade flavours, and traditional food with a twist. You feel it the minute that you enter the restaurant and are met with bright colours and latin music. It feels like taking a little vacation! I especially loved the mural in the front entrance that wraps around the walls and down across the floor. You'll see a lot of distressed wood, from the counters to the tabletops, that gives a hip tropical feeling to the space. I loved the comfortable and boisterous atmosphere. The friendly gentleman at the cash was happy to take my order and was very helpful. I was excited (as usual) to find some interesting beverages on the drink menu and immediately went for the Maltín Polar (Venezuelan non-alcoholic malted beverage. The perfect sidekick for your empanada! - $3.00). I loved this drink! It was very unique and different. The malt flavour really comes through and the carbonation and colour makes it feel a little bit like a coke. I liked this a lot especially since I've always enjoyed malt in various forms. There are two sections on the menu that seem the same but different; Sidekicks and Yums. Both are full of things that I would love to try. The Yuca Frita (Fried cassava sticks with Venezuelan mojito - $6.00) were an absolute must for me because I rarely come across them and I love them very much! Yuca is the root of the cassava plant and it looks a lot like a sweet potato or yam. I don't know what it is about these things, but I love the flavour and texture of them. These ones were wonderful and fried to a golden perfection. A totally different mouthfeel compared to french fries, yuca is much starchier and really captures the crispiness in a magical way. The Venezuelan mojito dip on the side was oily, garlicy, and herbaceous - nothing even close to ketchup (and I say this in the most approving way possible). I also couldn't ignore the Cochino Frito (Half pound of fried pork bites with guasacaca - $9.00) because the only option for them had to be "delicious." Little bites of amazingness and possibly the perfect snack. These small chunks of pork have an intense deep-fry on them, creating something quite similar to well-done, yet still chewy bacon. You could just keep popping these into your mouth and not even realize that you'd eaten the whole thing - they've got that addictive quality about them. The guasacaca - the Venezuelan answer to guacamole - was especially creamy and wonderful, with a bright, tangy flavour. You could put that stuff on anything/everything. I didn't even get around to the Tequeños (Venezuelan cheese sticks), Patacones (Venezuelan nachos made with fried plantain instead of chips??), or the Empanadas. Needless to say, I must return. OK. It's arepa time. Ávila Arepa has two sections for them on their menu; Classic and Signature. Combined there are 22 different versions available which provides a ton of choice and endless options. The first one on the Signature list is the Ávila (Oven roasted pork, cheddar, tomato and arugula with spicy aurora sauce - $14.50) and I figured that since it was my first visit I should probably try the self-titled arepa. I also added fried plantain ($2.00) because it could only make things even more amazing. Additionally, I took the "add salad" option and requested the Venezuelan coleslaw ($1.00) on the side. As soon as I got my hands on this thing I would tell that it was literally bursting with flavour. I could barely wait to sink my teeth into this erupting corn bun of dreams. The meat was impossibly tender and juicy, melting away in my mouth. The pork is really special and I want it on every arepa that I eat from now on. The cheese provided a wonderful melty tang, I mean, you can never go wrong with cheese. The tomato and arugula were both bright and fresh, adding the ideal freshness to the other heavier flavours. Adding the fried plantain was the absolute correct choice and I loved the fried sweetness that they added, and especially the spicy-sweet combo that was created with the glorious aurora sauce, of which everything was soaked in. And the arepa itsel

Laura T.

Tried this restaurant out with a group of friends for a goodbye gathering. I was impressed how fast the food came out considering they said they ordered just before I arrived and we had a table of 8 people. It was the same pace for my order even though there was other people that ordered before me too. Impressive. As this was the first time I've ever had a selection of arepas, I asked for some suggestions from the table and from the lady that took my order. I'm not exactly sure what I decided on was what I received but my god it was definitely what my stomach thought I wanted. I've been suffering from poor apatite for awhile and it was refreshing to be able to really enjoy a meal. The arepa was bundles like little sandwich and was just the right size for a lighter supper. The coleslaw on the side was enough to sample but not to make me feel I wasted if I didn't like it (which I surprisingly did love and had room for it!). I also tried their version of fries as an appetizer with my friends. I can't really say it was life changing but definitely interesting to try. I don't know what else more I can say that other yelpers haven't covered already. Seems like a reasonable price for the amount of food. I really enjoyed listening to the music and the decor is just enough different to make it unique without being too over the top. Looked like they also had some items for sale too that were showcased on the walls. It's also conveniently close to hexagon so if you wanted to grab a quick light supper before board games, this would be a good restaurant choice.

Clement C.

I was looking for something different for brunch while in Edmonton last Sunday and found Avila Arepa on Yelp. Four of us walked in at around 11:30 am and we were the second table seated. We ordered two appetizers to start, yucca fries and tequeños. The yucca fries were absolutely delicious, they were pipping hot, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, dipping into the Venezuelan mojito made them even better. Unfortunately, the yucca fries were the high point of the meal and it went downhill from there. The tequeños although also delicious, it was not completely cooked through no ooey gooey cheese like in the menu photo. We ordered the Pernil and Manicombio arepa, both supposed to have oven roasted pork but after waiting for over 30 minutes, the owner came out from the kitchen and informed us he ran out of roasted pork and suggested to replace with the fried pork instead. Our arepas finally arrived after another 10 minutes. They were disappointing. The fried pork was hard and dry. The arepas had burnt spots that were bitter. People who came in after us got their arepas almost right after we got ours and I suspect the arepas weren't ready when we came in, once the arepas were ready, the food came out much faster.

Steffi B.

GREAT CELIAC FRIENDLY SPOT!! I loved the Asada Negra Arepa. My daughter is celiac and ordered a vegetarian arepa. Also amazing. I got my hubby the pork one and he loved it. Really love the corn bread in place of bread... my Asada Negra was had beautiful notes of coffee and chocolate... wasn't spicy but the rich flavours of the beef were so delicious. The staff were so friendly, and the patio was great!! I will be back.

Rodolphe V.

Avila Arepa has a very cozy atmosphere with a nice variety of Hispanic music. The food is very tasty! We were a group of 8 and ordered many things. It took a bit long but gosh! The food was so so good. The cheese empanada, tequeños, juices etc were really good Avila Arepa a une atmosphère très confortable avec une belle variété de musique hispanique. La nourriture est très bonne! Nous étions un groupe de 8 et avons commandé beaucoup de choses. Cela a pris un peu long mais ça alors! La nourriture était vraiment très bonne. Le fromage empanada, tequeños, jus de fruits, etc. étaient vraiment bons アビラアレパは、ヒスパニック系の音楽が豊富に揃ったとても居心地の良い雰囲気です。食べ物はとてもおいしいです！私たちは8人のグループで、多くのものを注文しました。少し時間がかかりましたが、すごい！食べ物はとても美味しかった。チーズのエンパナーダ、テケニョス、ジュースなどは本当に良かった

Veronica W.

Avila Arepa, where have you been all my life! I love Latin food but I had yet to try Venezuelan. I was missing out all these years! We had their arepas con choclo with pork and chicharrones. The chicharrones came with a side of guasacaca which is basically the Venezuelan version of guacamole and it's one of the most delicious sauces I've ever had. The empanadas are hot and crispy with delicious filling. My only complaint is the food takes quite awhile to come out and last time I was there the person taking and preparing orders had a really obvious cold which was a bit of a turn off. Besides that, the food is insanely good.

Caroline M.

I haven't had the privilege to visit this restaurant yet. However, I've had the delight of ordering on Skip the Dishes! Their menu offers a variety of Arepas which I learned are a maize flour pocket filled with all kinds of South American goodness. They also have a nice amount of sidekicks as they call them. I ordered the Patacon which is fried green plantain patties topped with a savoury vegan 'meat', sauce, veggies and feta. I think I would order a couple of these and be good to go. They are flavorful with a nice starchy base and marinated and sauteed meat. I tried two kinds of arepas. The domino was this salty and savoury black bean stuffing. The Bello Monte was a delicate combination of portobello mushroom, sun dried tomatoes, arugula. Both were amazing. If you want salty and savoury I'd go with the domino. If you want subtle and hearty go with the Bello Monte. This was a totally gamble for me and it paid out. It held it's own when compared to other South American dishes. I'm thrilled they offer vegan and vegetarian options. I recommend it for any social occasion or night to yourself.