Our first experience at Division Cafe was amazing! My husband and I literally just finished our dinner. I'm still licking my fingers. We shared three apps which I wasn't sure would be enough and we are stuffed. We ordered the Enyucados stuffed with shredded chicken, Empanadas (spinach & chz and chorizo, and the beef tacos. Wow! Each one was better than the last. I can't speak to the ambiance because we ordered takeout (covid life ‍) but the food was incredible. Authentic, tasty Costa Rica food. We'll definitely be back. read more

Stumbled upon this place on yelp, because i use to work in the area. The place is really really small but it seems like a lot of locals eat here. I came on a Sunday afternoon for lunch. Coming into this place i felt a bad vibe, i didnt really feel welcomed but i kind of brushed it off. It took about 5 min to get a table for two when their were plenty open. And it took really long for someone to even ask us if we wanted drinks. Me and my guest ordered the chicken empanada and the bean, cheese, jalepano empanada. They ran out of the spinach and cheese empanadas. We then ordered the bean wrap and the dulce de leche french toast. We received our empanadas fairly quickly. They were not greasy and had a lot of filling. Later we got our meals. The french toast was good and the wrap was ok. My guest said it needed more texture like lettuce or a sauce because it felt like she was eating a wrap filled with mash potatoes. She enjoyed the yuca fries as they were not salty. Our bill came up to 29$. I was shocked because they charged us 8$ for the two empanadas when online they are listed for 2.79. I just let it go because i knew i would never come back. From the start we were stared at by staff, idk if it was because our skin color because its a gentrified area. Who knows. All in all, ok restaurant, wont return. read more

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Delicious food for reasonable prices. Division Cafe is the place to go for dinner on a summer night out in Somerville. The service is quick, helpful, and always kind. Definitely take advantage of the centrally-located outdoor seating when the weather is nice out. The food is amazing, and the traditional dishes are worth particular mention, as they are beyond exceptional. If you want an appetizer or just a quick snack, you have to try their incredible empanadas! read more

Division Cafe - Costa Rican Casado - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Amazing empanadas, deep rich vegetarian black bean soup, attentive service. Will definitely be returning!!!

We had a great dinner yesterday at division cafe. Found it on trip advisor. Small cozy place. Food and service were great. We the four of us enjoyed the garbanzo avocado salad, mango and shrimp ceviche , empanadas, Arroz con camarone, Costa rican Casado , hot quinoa and bistec encebollado. And topped it off with a flan and tres leches. All the dishes were delicious. Portions were good too. Would highly recommend Division cafe. Planning to go back again. read more

EMPANADAS!! They were a hit! All I said was they were from Division Cafe and my clients had the biggest smiles on their faces! Thank you

Great place for Empanadas! For $2.95 you get fairly large ones stuffed full of meat. We tried the shredded chipotle chicken and the beef. The beef empanadas is just like eating delicious beef stew encased in pastry. My favorite was the chipotle because of the slight sweet and spicy kick to it. Second to the empanadas are the large and crunchy Yucca fries, which are so much better than potato fries. If your entrees don't come with Yucca fries, order this as a side. It's well worth it. For entrees we ordered the Mondongo (tripe stew), Quinoa salad, and Chorreadas (Corn Pancakes). The Mondongo was a special listed on their board outside. I liked the tripe itself but was not a fan of the tomato soup it was cooked in. The soup tasted kind of boring, like tomato vegetable soup from a can. The Mondongo came with these really tasty plantains, which made up for the soup. If you want to eat healthier, the Quinoa salad is refreshing. But salad is boring so instead order the amazing Chorreadas instead, especially if you like sweet. You can really taste the corn in these pancakes, but they pancakes aren't overpoweringly sweet. The food is both inexpensive and quick. Definitely coming back, especially for the empanadas and yucca fries. read more

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I hadn't been to Somerville is many years, but found myself there twice last week on business. The burg seems to have come a long way back from late 20th Century oblivion. It is looking good these days. With a short break in negotiations on a real estate transaction, a couple of us walked out for some air on a hot Friday afternoon, and found ourselves only one block from Division Street, where there is now a small pedestrian mall with outdoor cafes and plenty of color. The Division Café beckoned us to a table under a red umbrella, and we were promptly greeted by a gregarious server, who was the brother of the owner of this shop. Thankful for the shadow sheltering us from the hot blazing sun, I quickly ordered a Chicken Milanese Wrap without a long look at the menu. The dish was very good with nicely breaded and lightly fried chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado and an interesting mayo, all in a large heated tortilla. Fries on the side were decent, too. Turned out that this café is Costa Rican, which diverges from Mexican or Guatemalan cuisine in interesting ways, but is similar enough to not cause any culture shock. Going inside to pay, I saw a tray full of golden brown Empanadas. Judging from the take out orders these were likely the real star of the Division Café show. Next time. I enjoyed my brief respite here, and looking around this tiny island of tranquility, saw several other restaurants of interest right next door or across the street. I will be seeking excuses to return to Somerville to explore the neighborhood in more depth. read more

Division Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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I can't say I am that adventurous when it comes to my eating habits, however I will try new restaurants when my friends/coworkers suggest them. I am so happy that they have now taken me to Division Cafe a few times, and each time I have ordered something different and could not have been happier. The empanadas are out of this world! Who doesn't love dough, meat and cheese (minus people with gluten/dairy allergies)?! The last time I went I had a wrap with chicken and mango, delicious!! The portions are perfect for lunch, I have a tendency to overeat so I never have leftovers. My friend had the special of the day which was a burger with BBQ sauce and avocados. The burger initially came out a bit too rare for her liking, but the waitress didn't even hesitate and took it right back. The burger came back out within minutes and to my friends liking. The space is very cute inside, and they do have outdoor seating as well. There are only about 8-10 tables inside so make sure you call ahead or prepare to wait if it's during the lunch/dinner rush. It is well worth it! read more

Division Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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I went through a pretty serious brunch phase a few months ago where I was on a quest to find the best brunch in the area. This place is very high on my list. It's refreshing and fun to eat breakfast that's not your basic toast, ham, and eggs. We ordered the galla pinto and the dulce de leche French toast. We loved the traditional Costa Rican gallo pinto. It has rice, beans, plantains, fried egg, and cheese. The cheese was some kind of thick white cheese that tasted very authentic and worked well with the dish. The french toast was equally delicious. It was sweet and came with eggs and bacon. We did not go home hungry! I wanted to order the corn pancakes too, but 3 meals for 2 people at 11 a.m. seemed a little excessive. I'll have to come back and try those some other time. read more

Division Cafe - Dulce de Leche French toast - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Recently I have been traveling all over the great state of New Jersey for work and this allows me to try all the great things our state has to offer. Division Cafe in Somerville is one of those! I had an hour to kill between meetings and this was the highest reviewed place closest to where I parked so I thought why not? There is an eclectic mix of options in this 'hood from Greek, Indian, Thai, Mexican, etc. But I've never had Costa Rican. It was a cold November day so there was obviously no outside seating. I was by myself so they sat me by the door, which was a wee bit chilly. But I survived. They had a deal, skirt steak sandwich with tostones for $9.75. Of course this is what I got, it was HUGE and delicious! The steak was cooked perfect and the chipotle may really jived with the whole thing. The tostones were really good and with the, what I would describe as BBQ sauce like sauce on the table they were even better! Waitress was nice, food came out fairly quickly. The empanadas looks really good but I was stuffed. They don't have fountain soda so you get a can of soda, but they have a good list of coffee options if you so desire. Overall for a little over $13 it was a great meal, I would definitely come back here! read more

Division Cafe - Skirt steak sandwich and tostones...delicious and under $10! - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I really want to like this place. Food is very good but service is very hit-or-miss the four times I've been here. Practically had to tackle today's server so I could get dessert...after she took my drink as I stood not ten feet away looking at and deciding on which pastry to order (and I am impossible to miss). No synergy/coordination among staff. Could it be that I'm dining alone and this is based on economics (or am I *that* hard to look at)? Fortunately I was in no rush but the 20-minute wait for the pastry was annoying. Food: $6 for tasty Tostones was fair. read more

Division Cafe - Beef Tostones Sliders ($6). Crispy and freshly-made - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

How have I missed this place?! The Division Cafe is a small restaurant offering "Costa Rican comfort food". The small menu offers a variety of Costa Rican and Latin American dishes such as Gallo Pinto (eggs, rise, tortillas, friend plantains and fried cheese) and Arroz Argentina (vegetable rice, and Argentinian Chorizo). The food is simple, flavorful and filling. The small restaurant is a true cafe, complete with outdoor seating. The service is helpful, attentive and friendly. Finally the price is within everyone's budget. For a small cafe, this place packs a lot of culinary punch! read more

This is hands down one of my favorite places to visit. I don't get to come here a lot but when I do I always leave so full and happy. For today's visit, we ordered one of each empañada that they had available. The Bean, Cheese, Jalopeno and the Chipotle chicken are our favorites. We also ordered the Gallo Pinto (traditional Costa Rican breakfast) and the Dulce de Leche French toast. Both meals were $8 and the portion sizes were huge. The food is just delicious. One of my favorite things on the menu is the Tostone Sliders - we were shocked at how good they were. I've brought friends here and always had good experiences (although the empañada availability is hit or miss!). Their pastries are all worth a try as well. I usually end up spending a fortune on goodies to take home for later. This is a one of the places that you get a lot of amazing food for great prices. Absolutely worth the trip! read more

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*Must Try: Empanadas! The chicken was phenomenal! *Entrees are very generously portioned and big enough to share. The Steak and Onions was delicious but a tad bit overcooked. It came with white rice and beans, a salad, and sweet plantains. *Try their jarritos! The mango flavor was awesome. read more

Delicious!!! Best Latin food in the area. Really really really good. Service is solid... Personable waiters. Clean and relaxing ambiance. Purely authentic, I recommend this. read more

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Ordered Gallo pinto with steak and dulce de Leche French toast. Normally not a very big fan of food like this but this meal was very rewarding. Toast was great (not too sweet, which is refreshing since most places make their stuff too sweet). Steak and onions was great especially because my egg popped and all the juices were mixed together. A little overcooked though. Rice was good and even better with the sauce. Close to 5 stars. read more

Division Cafe - Gallo pinto - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

The best Costa Rica food in Central Jersey. Empanadas are the top as is the Costa Rican coffee. Outdoor seating on Division Street - especially GR8 in the summer. Very colorful ambiance with Costa Rican flair. One of the top breakfast places to eat healthy food. Don't miss it. read more

This is a tough review to write. Their empanadas are seriously the best, especially the Chipotle chicken. However recently I went in to sit down in the restaurant and the service was not good at all. Everyone was perfectly friendly but it took about an hour for a couple empanadas to come out, they came at different times, and our drinks were never refilled. It's a shame because the food is great and I'd like to try some other things on the menu but I'll definitely be sticking to the empanada counter from now on. read more

Not gonna lie, this place makes my husband and me nostalgic for our trips to Costa Rica. The staff is friendly and efficient and the food is hearty and delicious. Very similar to what we ate while staying at the beach - post surfing meals heavy on rice, meat and plantains. They've worked hard to keep everything clean, tables the right distance apart and still offer a nice experience. It's the only place we've been to twice since we moved to the area. Highly recommend and make sure you add a little Lozano sauce to your food. Gracias! read more

I've only ever come here to eat gallo pinto for breakfast but oh does it bring me home to the days I used to live in Costa Rica... These people know how to do it right and have yet to disappoint me. Oh, and if you haven't heard... THEIR EMPANADAS ARE TO DIE FOR. You know it's true when people are out the door waiting for them. Pro tip: chipotle chicken empanadas are the way to go! read more

Location for an after work dinner. Limiting carbs post 5pm so I didn't order the highly-recommended Empanadas. We were seated immediately inside. We were given the choice of outside seating but passed. Our waitress took our order right away. I ordered the Carne de Salsa (Beef and vegetables red sauce stew, beans, sweet plantains & salad.) The stew was good but I preferred it with a little more seasonings. The rest of the meal was very tasty. My dinner mate ordered the Beef Tostones Sliders (Crispy green plantain slices, shredded beef, white American cheese, lettuce, tomato & touch of chipotle mayo.) As she's been there previously, she knew she would be pleased. I would definitely recommend! I will like to try the rest of the menu before giving it more stars :) read more

Division Cafe - Carne en Salsa - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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Division St. Cafe will always remain a favorite for me!! I love love love the Gallo Pinto with steak. It's such an amazingly yummy breakfast & usually it leaves me with a ton of leftovers all for $10!!! Their Costa Rican coffee is also incredible and one of my favorite coffee places honestly. Overall everything is exceptional quality & consistent ever time I've been over the years. Recommend this place to everyone. read more

Stopped here with a friend. Just needed a snack. Quaint place and nice cozy atmosphere. Bad server experience. The ordered two empanadas, they were great and crust was flaky. Filling were pork and the other was ham and cheese. The only problem was the waiter was not friendly or attentive. He was this mucked bound dude that didn't care to serve us, ask us how we were doing, and just chatted with the host. Prob would get take out and save myself from dealing with the server. read more

Division Cafe - ¡Empanadas! - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

I had the Gallo Pinto for lunch listed as one of their Coasta Rican traditional dishes. Yum! Eggs. Fried cheese. I added the choice of chorizo. Plaintains. Their tasty spin on black beans and rice. Excellent. read more

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One of my favorite to eat in Somerville. Fresh and healthy options.

Simply the best empanadas around! Great food and friendly staff. Love the outdoor seating. Gallo pinto, Pico de Gallo, and Dulce de Leche French toast are my go to items. read more

I love stepping in here for a quick bite to eat. You can pick any of their award winning empanadas at a great price to grab and go or you can sit and enjoy a quick savory meal. Service is a little awkward but maybe that's because I've visited during quiet times when there is only one or two tables filled. I say awkward only because it seems like the waiter is willing and eager to serve but there isn't much haste needed when it's slow. But it's a place I love to think of for a quick pick me up and reminds me of my Abuelitas empanadas. It's a beautiful little restaurant with a cute outside seating area for the warmer months. But you also have the aesthetic when you walk right in of the glass case deli type feel that's easy to see past when you chose to dine in. Beautiful open windows that let in natural night. I hope anyone that wants an empanada only considers going here selfishly because it's sincerely a favorite of mine. read more

Very good food and really good service. Was outside for lunch and was 2 Delicious. Excellent attention and concern about comfort and position in the restaurant. I am in a wheelchair and that took care of me no problems. The food was served hot and very good. The waitstaff was excellent and they used the proper shields and mask. I will return read more

If I could give minus stars, I would. THE WORST BRUNCH I've ever had. Food was ok, I mean I wouldn't complain since it was nor even that expensive. Coffee was water down awful which cost me 4.50 though. BUT the SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE. First of all, it took so long for them to take order and bring out simple egg and cheese... and the place was not even busy since it was already past 1pm when we get there . And they never checked on us, not even once. And they never came around so i had to call them out to get a check and this girl didn't even bother to come to our table but instead, shouted across the restaurant saying "what?" And GAVE A DIRTY LOOK. I would never ever go back. If I could, i would've left no tip but I'm not that kind of person. Such a waste of beautiful sunday afternoon. read more

Costa Rican comfort food and some excellent empanadas. The meal started with some of the aforementioned empanadas. For our main dishes, I had the Gallo Pinto, which is a platter of stir-fried rice, peppers, onions and beans, two fried eggs , fried cheese, tortillas and sweet plantains. My son had the Casado, which is a similar platter but with plain rice and a meat. Both were very tasty and filling. Ambiance is cafe or diner like but certainly comfortable. One can watch a soccer game in Spanish on the TV and just relax. Definitely will return. read more

Empanadas! As advertised, the empanadas are the best in NJ in my opinion. They tend to run out early because of their deliciousness. Most are gone by lunch time. My favorites are the Beef Chipotle and the Bean Cheddar Jalapeno. While in town and I'm looking for a quick bite or snack, Division Cafe's empanadas is my go to options read more

Local lunch with friends that suggested coming here - and thrilled we did! I had a fabulous salad and a chicken empanada - reminded me of the ones that my Puerto Rican grandmother made. Flavorful, and with enough flaky crust to make it more than a sandwich. Brought home a mango cheese - it was super slightly warmed for breakfast. Patrons and tables turn over quickly, so if there is a wait, it won't be long. Very reasonable! read more

This time we had the arroz con pollo and sopa de carne, chicken rice and meat soup...it was delicious, friendly atmosphere, service was great. The prices are right. Totally home made food. Also, the menu is short and to the point. I can't wait to try every single item in the menu. Other plates that I would recommend are the chicken sliders. Little sandwich made with fried tostones (fried green plantains), pico de gallo (rice, black beans, sunny side-up, and fried yellow plantain. Mmm... read more

Division Cafe - Chicken rice, beef soup - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

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The menu offered a wide variety of healthy breakfast items that our party enjoyed. We sat in the outside area, the service was excellent and the prices were extremely reasonable. The servers all were friendly and attentive. We will definitely visit again soon! read more

Pineapple empanadas are a must try. Good place to relax and eat your breakfast. I haven't tried thier famous coffee. Servers are nice and friendly read more

This was a cute place with great south american decor. They had a partial brick wall interior of the store, as well as many tribal masks arranged on shelves. The food selection here was interesting and quite vegan/veg friendly! I got the Arroz Con Vegetables (attached below) that came with delicious plaintains. While I appreciated the arrangement of the dish ordered, the rice and beans itself were not that flavorful. I had to put an abundant amount of hot sauce on it to enjoy my meal more. That being said, the food was alright I wouldn't mind coming back again! read more

Division Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Somerville, New Jersey

This is my favorite place to eat in Somerville. The empanadas are amazingggg! All of the dishes are so fresh and coffees are also great.

I would not recommend going to the Division Cafe. It takes forever to get seated and no one even acknowledges you while you are waiting. They said the kitchen was busy but there were empty tables so they could at least sit you down and bring you the beverages. The wait staff is not friendly at all. Very bad service and it also took a long time to get our food. The food is overpriced for what you get. There are better restaurants in Somerville to go to that has better service. read more

Since the reviews are so great we tried this place twice. The first time I went with my husband and daughter. I ordered the chorredas (corn pancakes) which come with a disclaimer that they take longer to make. So when my husband and daughters food came first, I didn't say anything. After 15 minutes I asked about my meal and was told with no apology that he forgot to put the order in. Today we tried again. When we arrived one of the servers told us would be 15 minutes for a table. We walked down the block and came back in 5 minutes. We waited at the entrance for another 10. When another couple was sat immediately I asked the server (a different one than the first) when we would be seated he responded 20 minutes. I said that the first server said to wait 15 and that we had. With no apology whatsoever he shrugged and said he didn't know we were waiting. We left frustrated and hungry. The food may be good but our experience the service is not. read more