27 latin american restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Work and Class ★ 4.8 · Denver
rino · 2500 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Work and Class in Denver is Tony Maciag and Tabatha Knop's family-style Latin American room on Larimer in RiNo since 2014, a James Beard semifinalist.
Tip: Walk-in only; weekend nights hit 60-minute waits by 7 pm. The bar pours one of the city's best mezcal lists.
Norman's ★ 4.7 · Orlando
icon-park · 4012 Central Florida Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32837
Norman's at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes is Norman Van Aken's New World cuisine flagship, rooted in Caribbean and Latin American technique.
Little Chango ★ 4.6 · Asheville
south-slope · 134 Coxe Ave, Asheville, NC 28801
Little Chango on Coxe Avenue in Asheville earned a 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Pan-Latin small plates. Empanadas, arepas, and a tight wine list.
Tip: Walk-up only at the bar, reservations on Resy for tables. Small room, arrive at opening for best chance.
Mita's ★ 4.6 · Cincinnati
501 Race St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Mita's on Race Street downtown is Jose Salazar's Cincinnati Spanish-Latin fine-dining room with paella, jamon iberico, ceviches and a sherry list.
Mago ★ 4.6 · Oakland
piedmont-avenue · 3762 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
Mark Liberman's Latin American tasting room in Oakland sits on Piedmont Avenue. Michelin Recommended in 2026, with a nightly-changing Colombian-rooted menu.
Mago ★ 4.6 · Oakland
piedmont-avenue · 3762 Piedmont Avenue, Oakland, CA 94611
Mark Liberman's Mago in Oakland is Michelin Recommended for Latin American tasting menus. Colombian heritage with Bay Area produce on Piedmont Avenue.
Parche ★ 4.6 · Oakland
uptown · 2295 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612
Parche on Broadway in Uptown Oakland runs chef-owner Paul Iglesias's Colombian heritage menu. Three years running on the Michelin Guide for Oakland.
Mister Oso ★ 4.5 · Denver
highland · 3163 Larimer St, Denver, CO 80205
Mister Oso in Denver is Blake Edmunds's playful Latin American room in RiNo, with masa tacos, Caribbean cocktails and a wood-grill program built around.
Tip: The patio runs three rounds of seating on summer nights; the bar walks in if you arrive by 5:30 pm. The taro chips are bottomless if you ask.
Toro Toro ★ 4.4 · Fort Worth
downtown · 200 Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Toro Toro in Fort Worth is a pan-Latin steakhouse on Main Street where South American churrasco, Peruvian ceviche, and Brazilian picanha share the menu.
Tip: Happy hour Monday through Thursday 16:00-19:00 offers half-price cocktails and discounted small plates at the bar.
Toro Toro ★ 4.4 · Fort Worth
downtown · 200 Main St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Toro Toro in Fort Worth is a pan-Latin steakhouse on Main Street where South American churrasco, Peruvian ceviche, and Brazilian picanha share the menu.
Tip: Happy hour Monday through Thursday 16:00-19:00 offers half-price cocktails and discounted small plates at the bar.
Corto Lima ★ 4.4 · Lexington
downtown · 101 W Short St, Lexington, KY 40507
Corto Lima presses its own corn tortillas downtown at Short and Upper, Jonathan Lundy's Latin American kitchen and Lexington's standing margarita champion.
Tip: No reservations; seating is first come, first served. Closed Tuesdays, and Monday is dinner only from 17:00.
Corto Lima ★ 4.4 · Lexington
downtown · 101 W Short St, Lexington, KY 40507
Corto Lima presses its own corn tortillas downtown at Short and Upper, Jonathan Lundy's Latin American kitchen and Lexington's standing margarita champion.
Tip: No reservations; seating is first come, first served. Closed Tuesdays, and Monday is dinner only from 17:00.
Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa ★ 4.4 · Orlando
mills-50 · 1326 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa on North Mills Avenue is the smokehouse with Latin-style barbecue, smoked pork tacos and Cuban-influenced sides in Mills 50.
The Mission ★ 4.4 · Phoenix
old-town-scottsdale · 3815 N Brown Ave, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale is Matt Carter's modern Latin room, drawing on Spain, Mexico and South America in a dark stone-walled dining room.
Tip: The patio under the church wall is the seat to book; lunch runs daily and dinner fills the bar early.
State of Confusion ★ 4.3 · Chattanooga
southside · 301 E Main Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408
State of Confusion grills Latin-leaning plates on a covered patio at 301 E Main Street in Chattanooga's Southside, with weekend brunch and late hours.
Tip: The patio is the room to sit in. Brunch runs 10:00 to 14:30 both weekend days and the kitchen serves past most Southside closes.
Asada ★ 4.3 · Greenville
wade-hampton · 903 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC 29609
Asada runs Latin-Asian fusion on Wade Hampton: shrimp tacos in mole, empanadas and churrasco steak, by owners Roberto (Nicaraguan) and Gina.
Livery ★ 4.3 · Indianapolis
mass-ave · 720 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Livery in Indianapolis is a pan-Latin room in a restored 1890s horse livery off Mass Avenue, with a long mezcal list, ceviches and a summer rooftop.
Tip: Two floors plus the rooftop. Reserve downstairs for dinner; the rooftop is walk-in and weather-dependent.
Livery ★ 4.3 · Indianapolis
mass-ave · 720 N College Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Livery in Indianapolis is a pan-Latin room in a restored 1890s horse livery off Mass Avenue, with a long mezcal list, ceviches and a summer rooftop.
Tip: Two floors plus the rooftop. Reserve downstairs; rooftop seats are walk-in only.
Naive Kitchen + Bar ★ 4.3 · Louisville
butchertown · 1001 East Washington Street, Louisville, KY 40206
Naive Kitchen in Louisville cooks vegetable-forward Latin plates from a Butchertown corner on East Washington Street, the neighbourhood's vegan-friendly room.
Tip: Book on OpenTable. The bar runs a separate cocktail list with mocktail-forward options.
Tako Cheena ★ 4.3 · Orlando
mills-50 · 938 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Tako Cheena on North Mills Avenue in Mills 50 is the Latin and Pan-Asian counter from the Pom Pom Diner group, with tacos, arepas and rice bowls.
República Empanada ★ 4.3 · Phoenix
mesa · 204 E 1st Ave, Mesa, AZ 85210
República Empanada in downtown Mesa bakes Arizona's widest run of South American savory empanadas, a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives stop on 1st Avenue.
Tip: Closed Sundays; the corner room is small, so weekday lunch is the easy seat.
Empamamas ★ 4.3 · Tampa
tampa-heights · 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602
Empamamas inside Heights Public Market bakes and fries empanadas across Latin American styles, from Argentine beef to Cuban chicken. The patio fills first.
Tip: Eat at the picnic tables on the Riverwalk lawn; the empanadas reheat in a toaster oven later.
Manolo's Latin Bakery and Cafe ★ 4.2 · Charlotte
east-charlotte · 4405 Central Ave Ste D, Charlotte, NC 28205
Manolo's Latin Bakery on Central Avenue is the long-standing east Charlotte Latin bakery and counter, with empanadas, pastries and Cuban sandwiches in 2026.
Tip: Counter-order. Cash-easy. The case turnover means morning is the strongest time.
Babalu ★ 4.2 · Memphis
overton-square · 2115 Madison Ave, Memphis, TN 38104
Babalu in Overton Square Memphis runs Southern cooking with Latin flair from a Madison Avenue patio, with tableside guacamole, tacos and craft cocktails.
Tip: The patio is the seat in spring; Sunday brunch is the easier seat than weekend dinner.
Cafe Kacao ★ 4.2 · Oklahoma City
asian-district · 3325 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Cafe Kacao on N Classen in Oklahoma City brings Guatemalan breakfast cooking: champurrado, huevos rancheros, tamales, and hearty Central American plates.
Cafe Kacao ★ 4.2 · Oklahoma City
asian-district · 3325 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Cafe Kacao on N Classen in Oklahoma City brings Guatemalan breakfast cooking: champurrado, huevos rancheros, tamales, and hearty Central American plates.
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine ★ 4.1 · Oakland
san-antonio · 1430 23rd Avenue, Oakland, CA 94606
Puerto Rican Street Cuisine on Oakland's 23rd Avenue runs takeout pollo encebollado and fall-apart pernil with sweet plantain stuffed with ground beef.