In celebration of Latino Heritage Month, we asked HI USA staff all over the country to recommend their favorite Latino-owned businesses, cultural institutions, and, of course, restaurants, in their hometowns and adopted cities. Be sure to stop by next time you’re in town visiting a HI USA hostel any time of year!
Boston
“Abuela’s Table just took over the space of an iconic Cuban place in Jamaica Plain (JP), and their birria is delicious. JP is super easy to get to; you can take the T orange line or the green line there right from nearby HI Boston Hostel, and it’s a cool neighborhood to explore – so much unexpected history over there. If you find yourself in Raynham (perhaps on your way to Cape Cod!), the former Assistant General Manager of HI Boston has opened a Dominican/Bolivian restaurant called Tropical Llama that started out as a food truck and now is a stand-alone restaurant.”
-Michelle, Sales and Marketing Dept.
Chicago
“A great spot to me in Chicago is Klein’s Bakery! It’s a local, women-owned Venezuelan bakery and café; definitely worth checking out! Next to HI Chicago Hostel, there’s Cafecito, a café known for its Cuban coffee and a variety of Cuban dishes.”
-Aracelli, Sales Dept.
“In Chicago’s West Town neighborhood, especially along and around Ashland Ave., there are a number of really good Mexican Mariscos (seafood restaurants), but my personal favorite is Alegrias. It’s a small, family-owned spot that serves up amazing Nayarit-style seafood. Along with their delicious family-sized platters and amazing service, they also have an outdoor patio, complimentary super spicy habanero salsa and ceviche tostadas, and traditional music blasting. It’s also BYOB, and the quirky wall decor adds to the fun vibe!”
-Linh, Marketing Dept.
“The National Museum of Mexican Art is amazing, and admission is free! The museum itself is super colorful and displays a huge variety of paintings, ceramics, and more. There’s tons of delicious food in the surrounding Pilsen neighborhood, but I’m partial to 5 Rabanitos right around the corner for tacos to fuel my museum visit.”
-Jessica, Marketing Dept.
San Diego
“One of my favorite shops to explore is Artelexia. Most items are handmade from artisans in Mexico. They teach art classes featuring cultural traditions like sugar skulls or papel picado (colorful paper banners). And Chicano Park (in the Barrio Logan neighborhood) has the largest concentration of Mexican American outdoor murals in the world.”
-Judi, HI San Diego Downtown Hostel
“Tacos El Gordo is the go-to place for tourists in San Diego and walkable from the hostel… but for the more legit experience, head to Ed Fernandez for birria and the taco shop experience!”
-Jeremy, HI Boston Hostel
P.S.: the city’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, the center of the city’s Mexican American culture, is a must-visit for art lovers. In addition to Chicano Park, check out the free, self-guided Barrio Art Crawl every second Saturday to visit local galleries, studios, and more.
Los Angeles
“Porto’s Bakery is an absolute favorite amongst Angelenos, myself included. It is a family-owned Cuban bakery chain that has several locations across LA County. The locations are a bit far from Santa Monica, but there’s one in Burbank, which is close to several popular studio attractions (Universal, Walt Disney, Warner Brothers). So if you are planning on visiting one of those attractions, you should definitely stop by the bakery for a pastry (or two… or more).”
-Tasha, Sales & Revenue Dept.
P.S.: Closer to HI Los Angeles Santa Monica, hostel General Manager Dave recommends La Purepecha, a family-run Mexican restaurant with homemade tortillas.
San Francisco
“For a delicious rotisserie chicken, visit Cantoo in the Tenderloin for Venezuelan Chinese cuisine!”
-Dominic, HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel
“In the Mission District, 24th St. between Mission St. and Potrero Ave. is known as the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District. Depending on my mood, I like to grab a sweet concha from one of the many panaderías (bakeries) that line the corridor, or a huge burrito from La Palma Mexicatessen. While you’re over there, you have to walk through Balmy Alley. It’s only a block long, but it’s covered on both sides with constantly rotating murals, often focused on Latino culture, current local issues, and social justice. A few blocks away on Valencia St., DCopper Plus has stunning copper crafts sourced and handmade in Mexico. The family-run shop is owned by fourth-generation coppersmiths! And I have to give a shout-out to Panchita’s a bit further north on 16th St. They’ve been serving Salvadorian food in SF for decades, and their pupusas are so, so good.”
-Jessica, Marketing Dept.
P.S.: while you’re in the Mission District, Terika from HI USA’s sales department recommends stopping by Casa Guadeloupe supermarket to immerse yourself in the flavors of the neighborhood. This supermercado has been a staple of the Mission for over 30 years.
New York City
“North of Washington Heights, La Casa del Mofongo is a 24/7 restaurant serving Dominican fare, but as their name would suggest, they also serve mofongo. This quintessentially Puerto Rican dish starts with a base of plantains that are mashed, fried, and topped with various meats or seafood. If you’re in town the second Sunday of June, you’ll find a full-on Nuyorican experience at the Puerto Rican Day Parade, one of New York’s largest. Dominicans hold their own parade on the second Sunday of each August.”
-Erik, blog contributor
“El Museo del Barrio [an institution dedicated to celebrating Latino culture from Puerto Rico and beyond] is just across the park from HI New York City Hostel, about a 25-minute walk.”
-Lauren, Resource Development
P.S.: Lauren also recommends checking out a performance by Ballet Hispánico if you can. While they tour all over the country, you can also catch their performances at the New York City Center on W 55th Street, an easy subway ride from the hostel.
“I would like to highlight Bakery El Panadero (which specializes in Dominican baked goods in the Washington Heights neighborhood). It’s famous, delicious, and always popular!”
-Patrick, Sales Dept.