We no longer have to go to the Bronx for Puerto Rican food because it's all here. This brother and sister duo cook like they're back in the homeland making their mama's down-home Puerto Rican meals- but still keeping up with the different Vegan and Vegetarian eating lifestyles. Amidst a pub, animal hospital, smoke shop and a few other storefronts, is El Cantito Cafe on Central Ave in Yonkers. No reservations, just walk in. But the lady on the phone said to come right away and grab the only 2-seater available. Bet. Tito Rojas, Victor Manuelle and other Salseros were blasting up in this joint when we came on a Friday night. Debbie as it turns out, is the sister in this duo and greeted us like we've been long-time friends- and our table was in fact waiting for us. Large framed photographs of Puerto Rico and Vejigantes decorate Cantito's dark grey walls. Our Mojito and Lemonade Spiked with Coconut something had strength but had too much ice. Service was excellent and so friendly. Our server was a sweetheart and the brother in this partnership, greeted us. My Creole Shrimp with a side of white rice/red beans was good. Hubs liked his fried pork chunks and remembers that particular taste and seasoning growing up. Typical Puerto Rican mofongo calls for chicharrón in it- but Cantito doesn't include any which is a great, creative-thinking Vegan move for a classic dish like this one. I'm not sure what else I can say about this Puerto Rican spot, except for the fact that the food is tasty, you're greeted like family (hubs felt right at home) and the music is banging. read more

See all

I will definitely be telling everyone in the world about this gem. We watched an episode of Kitchen Nightmares with Gordon Ramsay and El Cantito Cafe was the most memorable and heartwarming episode I've ever watched. So we visited and had an amazing meal. Even better, we got to meet the most humble and appreciative people ever, Debbie and Julio Santana are charming. I urge everyone I know to take a trip and have a great meal while supporting a deserving family owned business. read more

See all

Very nice Food was good We had a large and they were attentive ambience is comfortable read more

Nostalgia! You know when grandma served you that plate of super steamy food and then you would hug the plate and finish every grain of rice. Jesus that was the feeling I got today. I had the Macita with the trifongo and Carne guisada with trifongo. It was just WOW. Another customer shared her feelings "This a very inviting place where you don't mind coming alone". She wasn't wrong... Debbie makes you feel just at HOME. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Rico como Puerto Rico! - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

The food was absolutely amazing. Alcapurrias - SPECTACULAR!! Bacalaitos - DELICIOUS!!! Chillo Frito - AMAZING!!! Shrimp Salad - TRANSPORTED ME BACK HOME TO PR!!! Drinks - DELIGHTFUL!!! The Executive Chef Julio is such a humble and warm human being. He came out and spoke with each and every guest to make sure they're enjoying the delicious meals he has prepared, all of which are treasured recipes handed down by his beloved "Mami". As a fellow Puerto Rican, I very much enjoyed El Cantito Cafe and am very proud to see our culture and delicious food celebrated in Yonkers!!! Mi gente - you will NOT be disappointed!!!! read more

Delicious food! Wonderfully friendly service and just what I needed: a warm comforting meal on a windy night. We did a takeout order of the empanada sampler, mofongo, and pernil with a side of rice & beans. Only took about 10 min wait. Definitely would come back to eat here again, thank you El Cantito Cafe read more

I am so happy that this restaurant opened up in Yonkers, NY. The food is amazing and fresh. It's authentic Puerto Rican food that reminded me of my grandparents. The service was absolutely amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant if you love Puerto Rican food. My family and I loved it! read more

See all

Food was expensive and tasty, service was fast and The staff was attentive. Nice casual Place read more

See all

I came here last week on my birthday for the first time ever and it's safe to say I WILL be returning. A lot of the time, people like to refer places, & sometimes when you go, it isn't as good as your friends said.. disappointing. BUT I will say, that wasn't the case with this place. It's definitely worth the brag. The food definitely tasted authentic. The chef comes out and shows love to everyone. The place is cozy and you feel safe inside. It's the type of place you want to bring your whole family for dinner. The service was great, I had no issues what so ever. You better believe it! read more

I would've never thought a restaurant like this is just laying in the Bronxville area and has such a delicious taste in touch. It was truly a pleasure to come here. The gentleman who owns the restaurant along with his sister are truly nice folks that Ensure that their customers are enjoying the experience. Also for a business that just got up and going during the pandemic I'm actually happy to see that they have made it this far. The food is authentic, made with love, and definitely taste good. I recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area. It's definitely very flavorful and made with love. If I'm in New York anytime soon I'm definitely coming back read more

See all

What in the flying saucer???? I saw this place for the first time today on Grubhub and since it said "PUERTO RICAN" cuisine, I was happy! There are not a lot of Puerto Rican spots anywhere. I mean GENUINE spots. So I decided to order for my family and I. Tell me why the pernil, white rice and beans was $22 and I expected it to be a family combo. Now go look at the picture and tell me how that is a family combo. A minimum family combo one would think is for a family of 4: which is what we are in this household. This amount of food is for 2 people maybe. How disappointing. To top it off further, the pernil was immensely drowning in OIL!!! What the heck! It has good flavor but I'm not understanding this. Where's the cuero? Anyway, now the empanada are OKAY. They are white cheese inside and obviously on the smaller side. And FINALLY, here comes the yuca fries. Yuca fries are my ultimate fave! I usually have them when I travel to Puerto Rico or whatever Hispanic restaurants have them. But these are the worst I've ever had! They are dry, burnt and flat. Ew. Dipping it in the bean sauce helps some. I'm not one to waste food so I'll eat them. The rice is good and the beans were very flavorful and I like that it has cilantro in it. A lot of restaurants don't do that. It definitely was disappointing completely. Maybe in person is a better experience? read more

See all

How do I start ,Amazing food,great customer service,my favorite drink is the passion fruit lemonade drink! Chef Julio Santana is super talented About time we have agood Puertorican restaurant In Yonkers Habichuelas blancas Arroz con gandules Mofongo con masitas de cerdo Alcapurrias de carne I highly recommend it. Everything is good read more

El Cantito Cafe - Masitas de Cerdo Pernil Pernil Asado Arroz con Gandules - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

Excellent home style genuine Puerto Rican food! Nice drinks and bar area Very nice and friendly staff. You will leave full and very satisfied! The place feels very homey like you are going for dinner at someone house. A must stop for this hidden gem in Yonkers. read more

See all

WEPA!!! What a beautiful experience. Visiting from California and looking for authentic comida puertorriqueña. This was by far a favorite of mine. The food was absolutely delicious. The people were warm and friendly. I felt at home. The coconut flan was awesomeness I highly recommend, El Cantito Café. It's small but just the right size. The music was nostalgic read more

I can't understand why these other people gave this place a good review because I made an order for pick up last week of 2 orders of Chicharron De Pollo con arroz y abichuelas y Tostones and the tostones were over cooked and dry, el chicharron de pollo wasn't seasoned good and the portions for the price they charged was ridiculously expensive. For those 2 orders they charged $70. That was a ridiculous price and I will not recommend the place nor will I go there again and the food wasn't all that. read more

4.5 Stars - went there for take out on Thursday evening. I called my order in at 740pm and even though they closed at 8 PM, they were accommodating and waited for me to get there. I ordered Trifongo with steak, mofongo, pollo en fricase, White beans and rice and Camarrones Criollo. When I got home, I found that the pollo en fricase was not in the takeout bag. They were extremely accommodating and drove the missing food over to me in about 20 minutes! Talk about great customer service! And for the trouble, they also included a coconut Flan for us to try. The Mofongo was delicious and really enjoyed all of the food. Extremely happy with their thoughtful Customerservice. I'll be back again to try other items on the menu. read more

See all

Great food, mojitos, and service! They're also doing a great job minimizing contact and sanitizing during the coronavirus crisis: they were willing to meet me outside and everything. Restaurants, especially new and local ones, need our support now more than ever! read more

Great food and great people, variety of selections. It's hard to find a home-cooked meal filled with love.

This wonderful place is SO nuyorican. Perfect blend of New York, Puerto Rico and abuelita's cooking. Came twice on a visit to NY from FL. The Trifongo, chicarrón de pollo and the Coco Tini are MUST haves. Would recommend! Perfectly priced and feels like home. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Coco tini - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

I had the Trifongo with pernil and it was delicious. The staff is super nice and provided excellent service. I will be recommending this o all family and friends. read more

El Cantito Cafe - The food is amazing and the staff are super friendly. I am recommending this place to all my friends and family. - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

Just incredible! The food, the vibes, the drinks, the STAFF!! Thank you Justin! I will return just because you asked! Definitely a must try! God Bless. read more

El Cantito Cafe - My last bite, try this flan - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

Food was AMAZING BEST I've had in Yonkers ever!! We had the pernil, rice and gandules, Trifongo and alcapurrias. No disappointment at all. Real authentic Puerto Rican food. Kudos to the chef Julio read more

First time there and I was disappointed. The menu prices do not match the amount of food you get . The prices are high for a small plate of food . I ordered chicken stew . The food came out and I have never even had chicken stew prepared that way . I was lost at how it was just chicken that appeared to be boiled . There was no broth or vegetables. The chicken was the worst part of the chicken as if I got someone's leftovers. I was very shocked that they can charge 25$ for that . I have had better food from the lunch special spots where you can a whole plate of food for 7-8$ and real stew . I do not know what they served me . I didn't even eat all of it and my stomach is still not right after eating there . The only good thing was the server he was nice and professional. I will never go there again even if the food was free . read more

This was such a friendly place to have drinks and dinner. The family that owns this place were so friendly and welcoming. Will definitely come again. The drinks were so good too. The bacalaito were delicious too. read more

The food is AMAZING!!! The servers the owner are so warm welcoming and friendly! The cheese empanada is my favorite favorite cheese empanada of alllll time!! The BEANSSS OMG. I appreciate El Cantito so much. Real bori!! Best Spanish food in New York. read more

I've lived in the area for many years and frequented other businesses on the same strip but had never been here. Today, I decided to try it out and I was very happy that I did. I ordered pernil with yellow rice and pink beans, the rice was very well seasoned I could've eaten that alone. The beans and pernil were delicious as well. My boyfriend ordered Morongo with pernil and I must say I have never tasted Mofongo this good. It was so flavorful! I ended eating half of his food along with mine! The staff was super friendly from the waiter, to the bartender, and the chef. They all stopped by to check in if everything was good and I was pleasantly surprised. I can't say that I've been to many places where all staff check in with you. I highly recommend and will definitely be back. read more

I live in the area was craving some real Puerto Rican/Latin food did a search and this spot came up, I called and very pleasant the gentleman answered the phone, he answered question about Mofongo I had he added you will not regret it, that was an understatement the food, drinks and desserts are outstanding. The chef came out to see how things were going and also the owner, server they all very friendly and pleasant. Give them a try I highly recommend it and will be back! This is my new spot. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Mofongo de Platano con Masitas de Cerdo or Pollo - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

Super impressed with this legitimate delicious Puerto Rican food. They even have Mayoketchup for the tostones! The masitas de cerdo were seasoned perfectly, not too dry and not too greasy. Flavorful and authentic. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Masitas de cerdo con tostones - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

Awesome food (Empanadas and Mofongo) and Signature Drinks. Will definitely return when in the area again. Professional service with a smile. Outdoor seating with music is perfect. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Mofongo - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

Highly flavored homestyle Puerto Rican cooking can be enjoyed in El Cantito Cafe! Staff paid attention to detail with Covid precautions making the atmosphere comfortable. They were friendly and made sure everyone had enough food and drinks. We were there for a private party; so there was a limited menu for us but the food was plentiful and popular dishes were still available. read more

See all

Very pricey for very small portions. Though it was tasty. Also, they automatically charge 20% gratuity. And I was just one person. They were friendly and fast service. It's just too expensive. read more

My favorite restaurant to go sit and eat Puerto Rican food. I've tried a lot of different restaurants but this is by far my favorite. The food is freshly made and tastes soo great. Definitely recommend going to sit and eat. They're really good about social distancing and sanitary guidelines. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Ceviche de Camarones, Cuatro Calle/Sampler (4), rice and beans - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

We have been there a couple of times previously and it was ok . I never really liked the decor. The place could use a serious renovation. The seats are just basic aluminum and very uncomfortable. We went today and the bistec encebollado was terrible. It was as if it had been submerged in water for a long time no taste whatsoever. If you even touched it with the fork it crumbled The way they present it is like a soup which doesn't work. Worse was the arroz con Gandules which was absolutely bland as hell with maybe one or two Gandules and no taste at all. They actually charged 8 dollars extra for the rice . Can u imagine. They will give you rice and beans Or plantains with the order, but if you order the Arroz with Gandules they will charge you . We also ordered surruillos and Alcapurrias . Again not good the surruillos looked like they was sitting around for a while and looked burnt. the Alcapurrias was ok but was basically one which they cut into 5 pieces. . The only decent order was the chicharron de pollo. On to the mojito, it basically tasted if I had ordered a hard shot or something. I'm no spring chicken and know what a good mojito is and this wasn't. Lastly when the bill came it had the suggested tip of 15,18,or 20 percent tip, but guess what they add a 20 percent to the bill . We were only 3 people . Overall it was a terrible experience and we will not return . If you want good Puerto Rican food don't bother with this place. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Indicative of the decor overall - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

This place is amazing! Delicious Puerto Rican food that tastes like homemade. It's small but homey and you literally feel like you're sitting in a friend's kitchen. Love it! Highly recommend. We had the pernil and fried pork chops plus best flan ever!!! Next time I'm trying the mofongo! read more

See all

This place is a gem! We were in the neighborhood and randomly stumbled upon El Cantito Cafe, so decided to give it a try. I feel as though I teleported to Puerto Rico once I walked in. The menu has staple items and they also offer specials. I settled on the creole style shrimp and my boyfriend got the pork chops and a side of arroz con Gandules. We also started with the alcapurrias (not actually sure how to spell these), they LITERALLY tasted like my grandmother had made them. The ambiance is welcoming and the staff is incredibly friendly and genuine. Oh, the music, I can't say enough about the music, it reminded me of Sunday mornings spent cleaning with my family. EVERYTHING was perfect and we will be back. I can't recommend this place enough, it's so important to support local businesses, please pay them a visit and you won't be disappointed. read more

See all

@sandra first, nobody can take you serious. "They put everything in Chinese food soup containers"? Um...booboo, it's called "take-out"; what do you expect your delivery to show up in? Second, you season your food with some generic "New Orleans seasoning" so your opinion of a Puerto Rican restaurant is a moot point. And lastly, you should cook your own steak next time. Save yourself the $24 since that hurt your pocket so badly. P.S. I've been twice to this fine restaurant and have never been disappointed. Lovely owners, courteous staff. And AMAZING FOOD! 5 stars across the board. read more

This place does not deserve a star. I ordered take out steak with onion, rice and beans. Each Order was place into Chinese soup containers. See pictures. The steak was the worst steak I ever had. I paid $24.00 for this meal. I consider this a lesson learned never again. People trust me don't eat at this place. read more

El Cantito Cafe - Latin American Near Me - Yonkers, New York

See all

Pros; Ambiance - small but nice...cozy Service - Debbie - overall very welcoming & friendly.....a nice old school family feel. Food - Tasty - we had the pork chops / chicken stew & pernil...empanadas were good too Cons; Small portions & price WAY too high for what you get....our suggestion, go to a $18 price point per meal for the amount you serve....& we would definitely come back & probably more often, as I'm sure many people would agree....we want to see you make it! read more

PUERTO RICOOOOOOOOOOO in the HOUSE!!!!!!!!!! I was in Yonkers getting my car serviced, so I decided to look on Yelp for places to pick up food. When I saw "Puerto Rican Cuisine", it immediately caught my attention. First thing that pops up are pics of Mofongo. We Puerto Rican's are very, very critical of Puerto Rican food - BUT, I still had to try. I ordered: - Mofongo with Chicken in broth - Pernil with White Rice and red beans - and they gave me a little Arroz con Gandulez (don't know if this came with the Pernil but it was there) When you order Pernil, usually in these little restaurants that sell lunch specials here in the Bronx, it is very dry, like they put it in the oven for an hour, and it was ready. No, no, no. You have to put it in the oven for hours, for it to remain soft, and juicy. They got it RIGHT. It was beautiful, and tasted delicious. The Arroz con Gandulez tasted even better when I heated it up for my midnight snack The Mofongo was something we had to try as soon as I brought it into the car - and it was awesome!!!!!!! As close as can be to the Mofongo in PR. Which was a pleasant surprise. I just wish we could have ate it fresh out the kitchen - that's when it is at it's best. Which brings me to my next topic. How are they during our pandemic? Amazing. All they did was hand me the bag because I purchased through Yelp. They had it ready for me, and did not even have to step a foot inside. I was asked if I needed help as soon as I stepped to the doorway. The restaurant looks SPOTLESS - which is really important for these times. It also looks like they are getting ready to set up outside seating, which will be awesome. Workers wearing masks. Contactless payment solutions are great!!! You did not let down. I will be visiting you all the way from the BX on occasion to pick up food. And when we finally get over this pandemic, I will be a regular customer for sit in's. It is great to see my fellow Puerto Rican's succeeding!!! (Can you tell how ethnocentric I am?) I would recommend to everyone! read more

The service is always friendly here. The new makeover inside was quaint. The music was festive and it felt more upscale. The drinks were made as expected. The food was very good, but it didn't have something it had before... that wow factor, that transported back to PR sabor. The serving size is now smaller and the price is higher. The menu is smaller as well. read more