What is arepas? Where to find the best of the tasty dish invented by Venezuela and Colombia

THE DISH

Arepas, Venezuela/Colombia

PLATE UP

You'll note something odd about this entry: two countries of origin. Can a dish be invented by two countries? In the case of arepas, the delicious South American corn cakes, I'm going to hesitantly say … yes. You can read about that below. Meanwhile let's talk about the substance here, flat cakes, usually grilled or fried, made using ground maize. Arepas can be stuffed or topped with a variety of ingredients, from fresh cheese, to shredded meats, to egg or even beans – or, gloriously, a combination of any of the above. Eat them from street vendors who pump out these affordable staples almost 24/7.

FIRST SERVE

Arepas are a cherished staple in Venezuela and Colombia, and both countries claim their origin. The truth is that both are probably right. Arepas are a traditional food of indigenous groups who live in an area that, in the pre-Columbian era, was part of territory owned by both Venezuela and Colombia. Later, the area was split between the two – at which point, two different arepa cultures developed. These maize cakes only achieved mainstream popularity in 1950, when Dr Luis Caballero Mejias, a Venezuelan, invented pre-cooked arepa flour.

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Given security issues in Venezuela, I'm going to recommend a spot in Colombia: Andres Carne de Res (andrescarnederes.com) in Bogota. Though arepas are typically street food, this is a great spot to sit down and enjoy.

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