By Shruti Rajkumar By Shruti Rajkumar | September 24, 2020 | Food & Drink,
A variety of dishes from Celeste
With restaurants on every street corner of Boston, a taste of Latin culture isn’t too hard to find. In celebration of Hispantic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15), here are 6 Latin Restaurants that you can visit to get a taste of the authentic culture beyond the empanada stands at the Boston Common.
Toro Boston
Located in the quaint South End, Toro Boston gives you a taste of Spain. Since 2005, this Spanish restaurant has been serving delicious tapas and traditional dishes for locals to enjoy. The menu, curated by James Beard award-winning chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, holds an assortment of Barcelona-inspired small plates, coupled with cocktails and a carefully selected wine list. Toro-restaurant.com
Celeste
Creating a shared experience with its customers is something that’s very important to Celeste in Somerville. The restaurant celebrates the Peruvian culture’s art and music while pairing it with the ancient Peruvian and Andean recipes that have been passed down from generations. Have some warm, cilantro lamb soup while you sit back and enjoy the evening’s curated mixtapes that feature cumbia, salsa dura, merengue and vallenato. Celesteunionsquare.com
Tres Gatos
Known for being Boston’s first full-service restaurant, book and music store, Tres Gatos was founded on the central belief that the essence of a happy life is through sharing these simple pleasures with one another. Head over to the Jamaica Plains restaurant and sit down for a selection of Spanish tapas and wine. Before leaving, check out their collection of rare vinyl releases. Tresgatosjp.com
Gustazo Cuban Cafe
The word gustazo means great pleasure in Spanish, which is a promise that this vibrant Cambridge restaurant lives up to. Gustazo Cuban Cafe couples modern interpretations of traditional Cuban dishes with a festive environment. Enjoy a variety of their Cuban fare, like the tamal en hoja (a Cuban-style pork dish with pork belly crisps and red pepper sauce), while taking in the festive Havana-inspired decor, Spanish colonial architecture and carefully selected Cuban music. Gustazo-cubancafe.com
Oliveira’s Restaurant
Since 2004, Oliveira’s Restaurant has added some Brazilian flavor to the Boston restaurant scene. Serving one of the most popular styles of barbecue in Brazil, known as Rodízio, servers bring a variety of fire-roasted meats on skewers to be carved at your table. Oliveirasrestaurantboston.com
Lolita Mexican
Located in Back Bay on Dartmouth Street, Lolita Mexican attracts locals and visitors alike thanks to beckoning gothic doors. Head inside for more luxe-goth decor and a variety of tequila cocktails. Plus—end each meal with a cloud of green apple cotton candy. Lolitamexican.com
Photography by: Brian Samuels