Café Azul – Caracas de Ayer, web site (old web site), (on Route 1, intersection of Baltimore Ave. & Longfellow St.) 4423 Longfellow St., Hyattsville, MD, 301-209-0049, they close early so check. NB: the web site claims they will be changing their name in 2016 to “Caracas de Ayer“. (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [WaPo | TripAdvisor | Ylp]
At the center of Hyattsville’s “arts district,” this is a good introduction to a fun and rapidly improving part of town. Everything here is tasty, but my favorites were the tamale and the big, thick corn thingy stuffed with white cream, namely the cachapas. The arepas are delicious, they seem to rotate which kinds they have on a given day. Some Cuban dishes too, and sandwiches. Fun, and there is no other place like it around. Not glamorous as a site, but I’m very glad I made the trip.