Latin American Food in NYC: A Neighborhood Guide

Where to find Dominican, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Salvadoran food across New York City, and the dishes to order in each neighborhood.

Latin American food in New York is not one cuisine, it is a dozen, spread across neighborhoods that each carry their own history. This guide breaks it down by borough and by dish so you know what to order and where.

Manhattan and the Bronx

Washington Heights in upper Manhattan is the heart of the Dominican community in New York. The food here runs deep: rice and beans done a hundred ways, fried plantains, and slow-roasted pork.

The Bronx carries both Puerto Rican and Dominican cooking, sometimes on the same block. This is where you go for pernil and for mangu piled high.

A few dishes to know:

• Mofongo: mashed fried green plantain with garlic and pork, packed into a mound. Dominican and Puerto Rican kitchens both make it.
• Mangu: mashed boiled plantain, the Dominican breakfast staple, usually served with eggs, salami, and fried cheese.
• Pernil: slow-roasted pork shoulder with crackling skin, the centerpiece of any Puerto Rican plate.

Queens

Jackson Heights and Corona are where South American cooking concentrates. Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Mexican kitchens sit close together, and Roosevelt Avenue is lined with them.

Order arepas from a Colombian spot, split cornmeal cakes filled or topped with cheese and meat. For Mexican, go straight for tacos al pastor, pork shaved off a spinning trompo with pineapple. Ecuadorian kitchens bring hearty soups and seafood.

Brooklyn

Sunset Park is the Mexican heart of Brooklyn. Fifth Avenue through the neighborhood is full of taquerias, bakeries, and groceries. This is a strong place for tacos al pastor, tamales, and weekend barbacoa.

You will also find Salvadoran food here. Order pupusas, thick stuffed corn cakes served with curtido, the tangy cabbage slaw that goes on top. Two or three make a meal.

How to Order

Fried food like mofongo and tostones is best fresh, so pickup wins when you can. Stewed and roasted dishes travel well, and rice and beans reheat without complaint.

Portions are large across the board and prices stay reasonable. When in doubt, ask what the kitchen makes best that day, since many spots run daily specials that never hit the printed menu.

A Closing Note

Latin American New York rewards curiosity. Eat mangu in the Heights one week and pupusas in Sunset Park the next, and you have crossed a lot of ground. Use the listings above to find a kitchen near you and start ordering.

Written by See The Five · kept current from the directory, last checked 2026-09-07