Doral, often referred to as Doral-zuela, is home to the most (and best) Venezuelan restaurants in Florida.
Venezuelan cuisine has a number of unique delicacies well worth trying, and the community just west of the Palmetto has an abundance of restaurants where you can find them. With so many options, it can be difficult to decide which ones stand out– so here are five must-visit Venezuelan restaurants in Doral, in no particular order.
Plato Latino. (Courtesy of pannastores via Twitter)Panna Doral
3887 NW 107th Ave, Miami, FL 33178
(305) 614-0202
What started as “Panna Cafe Express” inside a service station is now a full-scale restaurant with three locations (the other two are in Kendall and Pembroke Pines). Panna offers traditional Venezuelan meals that include arepas (starting at $7.94), cachapas, patacones, burgers and even party platters. Whether you’re craving a snack or simply want to sit down with friends to enjoy a meal, Panna serves the purpose. They provide pickup, delivery and catering options.
Their hours are Monday to Friday from 8 a.m to 10 p.m, and Saturday to Sunday from 8 a.m to 11 p.m.
La Coriana
3655 NW 107th Ave, Doral, FL 33178
(305) 592-6191
La Coriana is a self-proclaimed family restaurant focused on providing authentic Venzuelan food to people throughout Doral. They sell pepitos ($2.99 – $8.49), tequeños ($3.99), empanadas ($2.99) and patacones ($6.99 – $8.99). The place has a family restaurant vibe– service is the best in the area and the accents are pure Venezolano. It’s a great place to truly experience the best of Venezuela.
Their hours are Tuesday to Thursday from noon to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday from noon to 11 p.m., Sunday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and they are closed on Mondays.
Doña Empanada
10822 NW 58th St, Doral, FL 33178
(305) 629-9414
Doña Empanadas sells (you guessed it) empanadas ranging in price from $3.25 to $4.50. Enjoy them with anything from chicken to steak, beef and cheese. Be sure to include one of the plethora of cachapa and arepa options in your order. They also provide one of the lunch specials that range from pollo a la plancha and bistec encebollado to pepito de pollo (a chicken strip sandwich) to parrilla de carne con papas fritas (grilled steak strips with French fries).
They are open Tuesday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are closed on Mondays.
La Uchireña
7880 NW 52nd St, Doral, FL 33166
(305) 599-9399
Named after a small coastal town called Boca de Uchire in Venezuela, La Uchireña provides a strictly authentic Venezuelan experience. From its various patacon choices, ranging from $6.75 to $9.07, to its signature “La Uchireña Full Equipo” burger that combines meat, ham, a fried egg, lettuce, tomato, bacon and cheese to create a $9 juggernaut that is virtually guaranteed to leave you coming back for more.
They’re open everyday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sabor Venezolano
10722 NW 74th St, Doral, FL 33178
(305) 716-0375
Sabor Venezolano presents Venezuelan flavors in full force. Refreshments include traditional natural juices such as papelón (lemon and lime drink), parchita (passion fruit), guanabana (soursop), and mora (blackberry) to Venezuelan-style shaved ice topped off with condensed milk. With the ease of COVID-19 regulations, they now allow inside dining, but they also have outdoor seating in case you want to enjoy some fresh air. After chowing down on some fresh empanadas or one of their 14 styles of cachapas, be sure to enjoy a cold shaved ice from the kiosk inside the store. We are not responsible for any brain freeze.
They operate Sunday to Thursday from 8 a.m to 10 p.m, and Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m to 11 p.m.
