La Plaza Bolívar and Iglesia Santa de Palermo Rosalía is an example of the beautiful colonial architecture in Hatillo.

Amazing international and regional cuisine, a pleasant climate and beautiful landscapes lure visitors to El Hatillo. This little tourist town in the valley of Caracas, one of the oldest places in the city, is known for its colonial architecture, including an 18th-century parish church and a unique Romanian Orthodox Church. Many locals have built a second floor in their homes and established businesses on the ground floor. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the town remains relatively quiet. But from Thursday through Sunday, it’s filled with people walking by one of its two squares and enjoying street or fancy eats.

Flavors of Italy, Lebanon, Spain, France, Mexico and Peru mingle with Venezuelan cuisine, captivating diners for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner. There are multiple options to choose where the taste bud party begins: at street carts, bars, little or fancy restaurants. El Hatillo, even though it doesn’t have hotels or inns, is one of the most attractive places for food tourism in Venezuela.

1. Chicha de Arroz - El Chichero de la Plaza

Chicha de Arroz / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Descendants of its founder, Jorge González, have been making chicha at El Chichero de la Plaza for more than 20 years. This beverage derived from maize is very popular in Venezuela. Thick and creamy, it is made fresh every day with cow's milk and white rice and served with lots of ice. Some fans add cinnamon or condensed milk. Be ready to wait your turn if you visit on Saturday or Sunday.

2. Empanada de Pollo Operada - El Mesón de Angelina

Empanada de pollo operada / Courtesy of milsabores.net

In Venezuela, empanadas are made ​​with corn flour and crescent-shaped, filled with varied ingredients (often stews with sweet, salty or spicy flavors) and deep-fried. At El Meson de Angelina, the empanadas operadas are the favorites. After these pastry pockets are filled with chicken or meat stew and fried, they are opened on one side and served with fresh white cheese, guasacaca – avocado salsa - and garlic mayonnaise on top.

3. Merengada con flaquito y caramelos - Baty’s

Merengada con Flaquito / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Two friends were preparing a milkshake with Oreos and accidentally created a new snack. They liked it so much they began to experiment with other goodies and decided to open their first little store in El Hatillo. Today, Baty’s offers multiple combinations of milkshake flavors and sweets, but the house specialty is the vanilla milkshake with pieces of flaquito and colorful candies. Flaquito is a little ice cream cone tube filled with hazelnut cream and covered with milk chocolate. It’s fun to decide what part to eat – or drink - first.

4. Pizza Copa Hatillana - Pizzeria Copa Hatillana

Pizza Copa Hatillana / Courtesy of milsabores.net

People are constantly waiting outside for their turn to take a seat at Pizzeria Copa Hatillana, a small and cozy place in front of Bolívar Square. Inside, pizzas are constantly being turned out of the stone oven, where masterpieces are cooked over a wood fire. Diners can choose from multiple combinations of local and fresh ingredients, but the Pizza Copa Hatillana is the namesake and house specialty. This deliciously saucy, spicy and cheesy pizza with a thick, crispy dough is topped full of tomatoes, mozzarella, ham, corn, pepperoni, anchovies, bacon and paprika.

5. Plato Mixto - Mexican Chicken 

Plato Mixto at Mexican Chicken / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Mexican Chicken resembles a big wagon with huge windows and a spectacular view of the vegetable crops at La Union. The cook says everything in Venezuela has changed, but her recipes are always the same, adapted with some of the local flavors. The Plato Mixto reflects the flavors of each of the tasty dishes they serve. It has a tamal, a tostada, an enchilada and a taco, filled with beef, pork and frijoles and topped with guacamole, pico de gallo and white fresh cheese. Optional seasoning or a very good hot chili sauce is available separately.

6. Helado Fiore - Gelato e Caffé

Helado Fiore / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Quesillo and Tres Leches are some of the traditional desserts in Venezuela. To make them as ice cream was a daring adventure when this ice cream parlor opened seven years ago in a smaller shop two blocks from where they are now. At Gelato e Caffé, delicious ice creams are reminiscent of grandmother’s desserts at birthday parties. Fiore is a waffle formed like a bowl and filled with three kinds of ice cream. The creamy tres leches and quesillo flavors make a perfect combination with the choco arrabbiato peppery aftertaste of cinnamon, honey and cayenne powder. It’s crowned with a whipped cream topping, pieces of peach, strawberries and strawberry syrup.

7. Rebelión en la Granja - Galería Utopia 19

Rebelión en La Granja / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Set strategically in front of Hetillo’s main square, Galeria Utopia 19 combines a trendy art gallery and a fine restaurant. And many of their innovative dishes are inspired by the artist’s tastes and artwork. Although the menu changes every two months, based on the newest art exhibition, some dishes are always available. One of them is Animal Farm, a tribute to the work of British author George Orwell. The surprisingly fine carpaccio of delicate beef tongue, duck confit, pork terrine flavored with strong green pepper, small potatoes, fresh asparagus, tomatoes and sprouts makes this dish a magical experience. It really is an animal rebellion.

8. Gnocchi de ciruelas - Tata Trattoria

Gnocchi de ciruelas / Courtesy of milsabores.net

Set in a beautiful old house with high wooden ceilings and beautiful décor, Tata is always crowded. If you want a table for lunch, get there by noon. And book ahead for a reservation for Friday or Saturday nights. Children of Italians who arrived in the country in the ‘50s, owners Tata and Antonio continue the culinary traditions of their ancestors. The menu is rich with Italian wines, fine pasta, seafood and meats. Tata – “little girl” in Italian - makes all the pasta at home. The house specialty is gnocchi filled with fruit - a traditional dish from the Friuli region. She makes the ambrosial gnocchi with smashed potatoes, shapes them in a triangle and fills them with sweet plums slow-cooked in wine with a touch of spices and herbs. She finishes the dish with salty Parmigiano cheese for a different taste and texture. Tata makes some of the tastiest pasta in Caracas, and her gnocchi with fruits are the best in Venezuela.

9. Arroz con Mango - Hajillo’s

Arroz con Mango / Courtesy of milsabores.net

“Arroz con mango” is usually known as a mess no one understands. That is, until you reach Hajillo’s restaurant and meet chef Felicia Santana, who enjoys mixing aromas, textures and flavors. Shots filled with mixed vegetables and chopped fruits accompany diced cooked rice with chicken curry. Although it is her signature dish, you can always ask for queso relleno, pastel de chucho or risottos. During Christmas, diners can enjoy the plato navideño, served with hallacas, asado, ensalada de gallina and pan de jamón. The traditional Venezuelan frutas en almíbar will make you smile with happiness.

10. Ensalada Thai con Carpaccio de Lomito y Papelón - El Cine

Ensalada Thai con Carpaccio de Lomito y Papelón / Courtesy of milsabores.net

El Cine used to be the cinema in El Hatillo, until the new owners restored it and turned it into one of the most famous restaurants in the area. Known for its Asiatic-style dishes, the restaurant has some surprising and exotic combinations. Take the Thai salad with beef carpaccio and papelón vinaigrette. It’s a sweet, salty, spicy feast. Papelón, often used in Venezuelan cooking, is unrefined sugar with a brown color and a sugarcane taste.

11. Pizza Mar y Tierra - Das Pastellhaus

Pizza Mar y Tierra/Courtesy of milsabores.net

Of the most emblematic restaurants in El Hatillo, Das Pastellhaus is the longest running and best known. Desserts and breads on the ground floor are very good, but their pizzas and calzones on the top floor and overlooking the square are out of this world. The Pizza Mar y Tierra has a thin and crispy crust, is generous in shrimp, ham, anchovies, mushrooms and palm, all in balance with a good helping of cream, cheese and tomato sauce.