With the summer months approaching, chips and salsa with an ice-cold margarita is a winning combo that can’t be beat. Norwalk, CT is home to one of best Latin American restaurants around, Valencia Luncheria. This casual venue offers delicious drinks and authentic Latin American dishes at refreshingly reasonable prices.
Photo by Carly Goroff
Located at 164 Main Street in Norwalk, CT, Valencia Luncheria is perfect for summer dining with plenty of open-air seating. If you decide to dine outside, the setting is outfitted with sand, tiki torches, and flickering string lights that create the perfect, low-key, yet trendy and authentic vibe. The inside is equally unique, decorated with bright paintings, sea shells, and colorful lighting.
The menu is filled with authentic Latin American dishes, from the classic arroz con pollo to paella. In addition, Valencia offers a Venezuelan specialty, the arepa. The menu boasts 30 different variations to this tasty Venezuelan dish. The arepa is a fried or roasted corn cake filled with an array of delicious combinations ranging from the “Aphrodite” (mango and avocado) to the “Domingo” (spinach, bacon, onion, and queso). Plus, Valencia makes some of the most delicious guacamole north of the border.
Photo courtesy of @CTbites on Instagram
The drink menu is equally as intriguing and delicious as the food menu. You can never go wrong, however, with the classic margarita made with Casa Pacific, Luxardo Triplum, agave, lime, and rimmed with a thick layer of salt. Ask for it extra spicy and it comes beautifully garnished with festive chili peppers.
Photo by Carly Goroff
If my word isn’t good enough, take Guy Fieri’s mark of approval as he visited Valencia in 2009 on his show, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. The New York Times has also added, “The crowd is so high-spirited it’s like being dropped into the middle of a fiesta — noisy, exuberant and just plain fun. And the prices are right.”
So come on down. Grab a cold margarita and join the fiesta.