Caracas Arepas

49

203

576

1 year ago

Great food truck! We got it outside Glou Glou by Regent Market. Great prompt service. Two veggie options. One was plenty for most, two if you're really hungry. Food was filling and tasty. Hit this up if you are nearby! read more

Caracas Arepas - La Verde Arepa - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Tim O.

45

7

0

1 year ago

Delicious Arepas! Great arepas with fresh, authentic flavors. The Reina Pepiada is my favorite -- creamy, savory, and so satisfying! Perfect spot to grab a bite at Library Mall during the week or at the Square on Saturdays. Always a treat! read more

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Matthew P.

28

14

4

1 year ago

What an amazing place.. my new favorite food cart and worth the walk from the Square to Library Mall.. and bonus.: Arepas are gluten-free. Great crisp, yet soft to the bite. Avocado and mayonnaise added to my shredded chicken.. green sauce is mild and red sauce a little bit spicy but very great taste.. also a bonus for the little portion cups.. a few other food carts with sauces could learn from this. Definitely will be back!! Keep up the great work!!! I would share a photo but I ate it too fast!!! read more

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Sho R.

Elite 26 All-Star

107

1868

8183

3 years ago

I was in the area to for the Dane County Farmers market. I love arepa, so decided to go to this place for lunch. I am a big fan of arepas. I went for a pabellon arepa, which was ok. Soursop juice was also ok. Prices were reasonable. I probably waited for 5 minutes to get my food ready. read more

Caracas Arepas - Menu - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Teresa H.

175

272

188

4 years ago

These arepas are AMAZING!! I love arepas and am always so excited them I see them around as they aren't super common in WI. These are wonderful. Portioned well, priced super reasonably and taste amazing. Cannot wait to come back and try more! read more

Caracas Arepas - Pabellon - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Tony S.

0

1

0

1 year ago

This place has great food and the people here are very nice. They load up the arepa and their prices are very good. If You see the truck I would recommend stopping by. read more

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Breanna R.

Elite 23

34

101

61

4 years ago

Wow, did I miss arepas...This is the first thing I've devoured in Madison, inhaling two in a row. That sweet plantain is everything in the Pabellon! I loved the dipping sauces too - habanero and some creamy cilantro for extra flavor. Yes! P.S - You can find their food truck at the farmers market, on Saturdays! read more

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Chris T.

451

368

863

5 years ago

This unassuming food trailer makes fantastic arepas, close to what I liked to eat in Caracas, VZ. Gluten free soft corn shells stuffed with your choice of stuffings. I had the Rumbera ( slow cooked pork) and the La Pelua ( seasoned shredded beef with cheese) which was my favorite. They frequent the Willie street fair and Art on the Square downtown Madison, WI. Highly recommended if you want delicious comfort food! read more

Caracas Arepas - Front order counter - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Brooke O.

5

13

3

2 years ago

Food is excellent, I wish they were a bit bigger, but lots of meat in it. Make sure to get both sauces, they are very good too!!

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Renee H.

15

232

192

5 years ago

Fantastic arepas! This food truck right in the campus square is a must for delicious arepas. They have many options including vegetarian/vegan. I had the black bean and plantains with cilantro sauce, made with no cheese to be vegan. It was fantastic l, fresh and so tasty. The owner is so nice and accommodating. Highly recommend going here. read more

Caracas Arepas - Food truck - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Caracas Arepas - Black bean and plantains.. cilantro sauce! - Food Trucks Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Noah L.

18

116

136

3 years ago

Such a great food truck. I have liked the Caracas empanada truck at times but they are a lot more hit and miss. The arepas are always flavorful, fluffy, moist and many of them have this great sweet savory thing going on. I especially like the pabellon with the fried plantains. The line can get a little long and the wait is often a few minutes longer than I'd like. But this place always makes me happy. Don't sleep on their sauces either, they are vital to the arepas. read more

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Ari W.

Elite 22

130

411

735

4 years ago

There needs to be a 10-start rating for the Arepas. If you've never had them, you're missing out. The meat is cooked and seasoned perfectly. The bun is the absolute perfect texture and size. The whole thing is truly just *perfection*. Multiple flavors to choose from. My personal fav is the pork, but you can't go wrong with any choice. read more

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Ericka B.

130

472

1578

6 years ago

Stopped by the food truck for a quick lunch option with my coworker, and we were definitely glad we did!! There was music playing and the man running the truck was super friendly. We both ended up ordering the pabellon. I will say we were wondering if we would need more food once we saw the size of it, but that was not the case. The arepa has shredded beef, sweet plantains, and black beans and comes with a sauce, either spicy or not. When I was asked spicy or not, I said spicy and then the man added the not spicy sauce as well, just in case. I'm glad he did! Not because the spicy was very spicy, but the flavor of the other one was a great complement to the arepa. The arepa was packed with meat and neither of us went hungry. I will say, grabbing napkins is a necessity for the meal however. I definitely would recommend this food cart to anyone for a well-priced, quick lunch. Recently more of my coworkers have been going to the cart as well, and all of them love it! I think we've all found our new go-to lunch spot. read more

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Ric B.

0

1

0

2 years ago

Overpriced and under-delivered. The worse food truck experience I've had. the arepa was so small, the shredded beff was enough for one corn tortilla, a quarter of an avocado (because the arepa is so small you can't fit more). The shredded meat tasted sour. They had it sitting in a pressure cook with an open lid. The only positive thing was a generous amount of queso fresco to masquerade the uneven distribution of ingredients. all that came out to be $8.00 + tip. You can make 20+ arepas for the price of 5 at this place. Save yourself from disappointment read more

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Shea D.

Elite 23

1

57

144

4 years ago

WOW!!! The Pabellon Arepa is the best thing I've tasted in a while. The beans, the meat, the cheese, the plantains - everything, perfect. I truly don't feel the need to try other Madison eats after trying this arepa. Plus, the man working the food truck was extremely kind, recommending I try the sauces which absolutely knocked the meal out of the park. PLEASE check out this food truck if you are in the area!!! read more

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Louis B.

148

24

0

3 years ago

Every single item on the menu is absolutely fantastic! 5 . I love them all. I highly recommend.

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Angelina L.

0

13

6

6 years ago

Delicious! Personal favorite--Pabellon with Guasacaca sauce! The meat is mouth watering and the plantain adds a sweet, necessary touch read more

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Ella S.

2

27

37

4 years ago

The best food truck in Madison!! And the people who work there are always so kind and upbeat

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Susan C.

0

1

0

3 years ago

Food is delicious and staff are very friendly. I really love the fried plantains. I highly recommend!

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Cait M.

98

4

1

5 years ago

Where do I begin? These arepas are the most delicious lunch downtown. There is often a line at the food cart, but the wait is well worth it. Highly recommend the green cilantro sauce - it elevates the whole amazing experience. My go-to is the Reina Pepiada. The service is always nice and pleasant! read more

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Suzanne S.

6

100

8

4 years ago

Amazing. We come to Madison from Chicago and it's always a must hit. Super reasonable prices, delish, I'm always licking my fingers, after. Fast service too, and nice people. read more

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Tenzin S.

190

9

0

6 years ago

One of my favorite places to eat!!! Love everything on the menu. Loved the Caracas empanadas as well. Can't wait to enjoy during the summer time especially. read more

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Phillip P.

0

4

0

6 years ago

First time having Arepas and ordered the Reina (shredded beef) for myself and the La Palua (chicken salad) for my wife. Both were very good. Served with a sideof cilantro crema which adds a nice flavor, but the arepas was great without it. I really enjoyed the arepa bread; I'd order that on it's own if I could. Also got the Platano Maduro's which were good, but the sweet of the plantain and the savory of the cheese was an odd combination for me. This is only one of two food carts still serving food at the Capital (both are operated by Caracas) and they could really use the support. I was able to order ahead via Yelp and the pickup was fast and easy. read more

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Catalina R.

111

1

0

6 years ago

My favorite food cart in Madison!! Arepas are consistently delicious!! They are affordable and soooo good!

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Joel D.

0

2

0

4 years ago

Waited nearly an hour in line at Taste of Madison only to be told their Card machine was broken and that they knew it had been broken for an hour. Why did you not put up a sign then? A simple answer that would have saved me and my wife an hour of my time. Had to go find another hour long line to wait in. read more

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Nicole L.

0

3

0

6 years ago

The arepas are fabulous and are even better with their famous guasacaca sauce. They are the best thing about the summer farmer's market.

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Mary P.

38

6

1

6 years ago

Delicious arepas and totally like the ones I would eat in my native country, Venezuela!

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More info about Caracas Arepas

711 State St
Madison, WI 53703
Capitol
Directions
(608) 279-0835
Call Now

Full menu

Hours

What time does Caracas Arepas open?

Caracas Arepas opens at 11:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.Caracas Arepas opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday.

What time does Caracas Arepas close?

Caracas Arepas closes at 4:00 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.Caracas Arepas closes at 2:00 PM on Saturday.Caracas Arepas is closed on Sunday.

Mon-Fri 11:00 AM - 4:00 PMSat 9:00 AM - 2:00 PMSun Closed

Food & Alcohol

Does Caracas Arepas serve alcohol?

Yes, Caracas Arepas serves alcohol.

Outdoor Amenities

Does Caracas Arepas have parking?

Yes, Caracas Arepas has parking options.

Other Amenities

Does Caracas Arepas have free WiFi?

Yes, Caracas Arepas has free WiFi.

From the Business

Meet the Business Owner: Luis D.

Luis was born in the city of Punto Fijo, on the northwestern coast of Venezuela. Like all Venezolanos, he grew up eating Venezuela's two main staples--empanadas and arepas--for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In 2010 he started his first food cart, Caracas Empanadas, and in 2019 he launched his second cart, Caracas Arepas. Both carts feature the same delicious food he grew up on based on the recipes passed on to him from his mother, Rosa. If it's authentic, fresh, flavorful food you're looking for, you've come to the right place.

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4.6(510 reviews)

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We chose this place for the gluten free options my friend needed, and they were careful and…read moreconsiderate in taking her order. This is an order at the counter place, then they bring the food to your table. The dining room is not fancy , but with a big screen showing the sights in Venezuela , I barely noticed. Since we were in the middle of a road trip visiting the restroom was mandatory. It was clean and spacious and had some nice decorative touches. This was my first Arepa , or really any Venezuelan food. I ordered the one stuffed with Pabellón , the national dish, and it was a bit hard to hold on to, but so delicious! Even better, my diet app considered it a solid choice nutritionally. I want to learn how to make these now, maybe with a simpler filling to start.

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The Menu has changed and minimal artwork but view is still amazing and food is great! I recommend…read moreit for a date. They open early and close around 9 with kitchen open the whole time.

Closed business. But their website still will take your…read moremoney. Do not order on line or you will lose your money and not get any food

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Outside - go up stairs and it's the first business on the right

Caracas Empanadas

4.8(65 reviews)

0.7 mi•Capitol

New location in Madison Public Market!…read more Perfect Arepas! Flavorful and overflowing with meat. Delicious Salsas! Mouthwatering Empanadas! ¡súper crujiente!

Oh, Caracas, how we love you!…read more We used to come here every time we went to the farmer's market. My kid was 10 years old when we left WI. We drove from Portland, OR, to drop my kid off at college in Chicago. We made a stop in Madison. Why? Because he wanted to go to Caracas, of course! Yes, they are that good! Easily the best empanadas we've had and Portland has good food. And your cilantro sauce is sooo tasty! We miss you and wish we lived closer

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Arepanita's

4.5(69 reviews)

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This place is one of the many hidden gems of the town of Waukesha. Venezuelan food is kind of hard…read moreto find all across the USA, so I was blown away to find a place in this town that doesn't just do Venezuelan food -- it does Venezuelan food right. The owner is one of the nicest people you will meet and you can see the sheer passion just oozing from him. He makes you feel like a guest in his own home and he is so obviously proud of the food he serves. That pride is well deserved -- this is some of the best Venezuelan food I've ever had, anywhere in the world. The pabéllon and the reina pepeada are especially worthy of mention, with the pabéllon in specific being one of the best things I've ever eaten. The yuca frita is delightful -- fried to perfection, with a delicious chimmichuri-esque drizzle. The kids arepa is hilarious and hilariously good -- a ham and cheese delight tuned for the very German influenced palate around here. My kids and I hope to sample every last item on the menu. My only worry is that this is not a style of food that generally gets a lot of attention in this town -- this place is always rather empty whenever I come. I would love to see lines out the door, because that's what this place deserves, and that's how good the food is here. The fate of many ethnic restaurants in this area seems to be to go under -- and oftentimes that's not commentary on the quality of the food. The palate of the general population in this area tends to be less adventurous, and that puts restaurants like this at a disadvantage. That is to say: please come experience this place. Please come eat here. Please help make sure that this place sticks around.

We loved the peril with added plantains and avocado. Service great. Small with 3 tablesread more

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Great addition to a mall food court Awesome employees who…read moreare very helpful Great food to pick from Only downside is the parking since they're located at Southridge Mall

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The View in front of the shop

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My hand trying to hold in the large portion of meat in my sandwich.

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5.0(1 review)

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Delicious Venezuelan hot dogs served up by a great family. Highly recommend to anyone looking to…read moretry something different.

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The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Gabriella G.

0

1

0

6 years ago

I have been at UW-Madison since 2014 and Caracas Arepas is still my #1 favorite food cart 6 years later. Really affordable, delicious meals and just enough to fill me up for lunch. Excellent customer service and incredible arepas :) read more

Bee S.

0

2

0

6 years ago

We LOVE this food cart-delicious authentic arepas!

Caracas Arepas - foodtrucks - Updated September 2026

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