Pupusas and a sparkling clean dining space? Yes, please! This restaurant clearly takes pride in…read moretheir business. I really enjoyed the pupusa loca and fried banana dessert on my recent visit. I would like to try the shrimp pupusa next time or maybe the carne asada plate. The service was friendly and efficient. I will definitely be back!

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15. So this year I…read moredecided to search for local Hispanic family-owned restaurants and the first one I discovered was a Food Truck specializing in Salvadorian cuisine but also including other Latin American dishes as well. Hidden in a tiny spot off Williamson Road in Roanoke Virginia is the Pupuseria La Chalateca. After being awarded the Triad Yelper of the Year 2024 Award at the Yelpies Award Ceremony last year, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And the Pupuseria La Chalateca in Roanoke, Virginia, is the perfect example. The Spanish word La Chalateca refers to a woman from Chalatenango, a department orbits in El Salvador. This Food Truck is owner and operated by a really nice woman from that part of El Salvador, and thus its name. Her sister also works with her here. Located in a small area next to La Oficina Latina, one can hardly notice the Food Truck there. But I followed it's address on my GPS and it lead me to its location with a small three car parking lot, but with plenty of areas to park in its surroundings. As soon as I arrived I walked to the Food Truck which had the menu painted on the truck itself with painted photos of each item. As I was reviewing the menu a very friendly lady opened the window of the Food Truck and gave me a very warm greeting and welcome. I immediately talked to her in Spanish and she was relieved that I spoke her language. After some talk I ended up ordering Pupusas with Chicharron (pork) and Queso (cheese). And to drink I ordered an Horchata. (A typical drink of the area). A pupusa from El Salvador is the nation's beloved national dish: a thick, hand-formed corn tortilla filled with various ingredients like cheese, beans, or pork, then cooked on a griddle until browned. Traditionally served with a tangy cabbage slaw called "curtido" and a mild tomato salsa. In front of the Food Truck was a wooden picnic table with an umbrella to protect customers from the sun. So there was where I ate my food as soon as it was done. The pupusas were the best that I have ever tasted. They were hot, moist and tasty. Who would ever have imagined that food this good would have come out of this food truck! While I was eating several To Go customers ordered and took took their food to go. So obviously the place had already a good clientele. The owner told me that she is looking for a brick and motor place to open a restaurant there. I told her with this excellent cooking I'm sure she'll do well there. In conclusion, I highly recommend this Salvadorian cuisine. The owner/chef, not only is very friendly and has a wonderful personality, but cooks amazingly good. I myself am looking forward to returning real soon to try out her other items from the menu.

There is a new food truck in town. Familia Argentina Food Truck. As soon as I found out about its…read moreopening day, I headed over to their anchor location (the parking lot of the Marathon Gas Station) at 3664 Colonial Ave in the Cave Spring area of Roanoke, Virginia. The owners of this family-owned and family-run business are a very warm, friendly, and welcoming Argentinian couple who bring the best of genuine Argentina cuisine to our area. Their menu includes autentic Argentinian Empanadas, which are known around the world as one of the best empanadas. Steak, Chicken, and Chorizo sandwiches. And Argentinian Grill with some of the best cuts of meat around. With plenty of parking space around their food truck for convenient parking, they also plan to have picnic tables with umbrellas for customers who would like to dine on the premises. Today, on its Grand Opening, I went to be one of the first ones to witness the opening of this new establishment and wish them well. Since I already had a previous commitment for dinner, I ordered two ground beef empanadas which are my favorites. They were one of the best empanadas that I have ever had. A special dough stuffed with seasoned ground beef and onions, peppers, olives, and pieces of boiled eggs. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality of their food. While I was there, another customer came by who ordered a Milanesa Steak Sandwich with fries. This is a breaded steak which is then fried. It looked delicious when it was served and I'm looking forward to having one of these next time I come around, with the option of one fried egg on top of the steak. I highly recommend this place for their fresh ingredients and homemade flavor of their food, generous portions, reasonable prices, and warm, friendly service in a comfortable environment.

Just as colorful tulips bloom to greet the spring, charming family-owned restaurants emerge,…read moresurprising us with fresh new menus. This is the case when I was driving down Williamson Road this afternoon and happen to see a sign that read: "Ana's Kitchen / Cosina Latina." Since I hadn't have lunch yet, and it was getting late, I decided to stop and try this restaurant out. So I pulled up in my pearl white Lexus to one of the parking spaces in front of the restaurant, and went in. The place was small but very clean and well lit. It had a lovely floor, with a couple of booths, and some tables with chairs. The walls were decorated with Latin American Flags and a long sign that read; "Bienvenidos," which stands for "Welcome." On the left of the room it had an Open Kitchen behind a counter, where customers went for Take-out orders. A modern large screen color TV that seemed as suspended in the air, had on a Latin music video playing. As I walked to the counter I was greeted by a very friendly and hospitable, charming lady who happened to be none other than the owner / chef, Ana in person. After giving me a warm welcome she had me seated at the table of my choice with a menu. Soon after I had a chance to look at the menu, my server, a very friendly, young lady came by to take my order. To drink I had a "Maracuya." (Passion Fruit Natural Drink). It was delicious. One of the best drink of this kind that I've ever had. My server served it out of a very clean juice dispenser located on one of the sides of the counter. To dine I had a special appetizer which the owner brought me. It was a piece of meat next to a small salad with lettuce, chimol, three slices of avocado, and lemon. Then as my main entrée I had a "Chuleta Frita." (Fried Pork Chop) Served with refried beans, rice, lettuce salad with avocado, chimol, and Green Plantain Slices. Everything was cooked to order and the vegetables were so fresh and crispy. The pork chop was a bit overcooked and its shape not very clearly defined but it might have been that particular cut. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. My server did an excellent job in coming by to see if I needed anything and if the food was to my satisfaction. I was very impressed by the items on the menu, and I saw a few that I would like to return to try. For dessert I had a "Macheteadas," a typical Honduran dessert, which I tried for the very first time and was simple but delicious. One can clearly say that Ana's Kitchen delivers a genuine, home-style Latin cooking with a friendly and efficient customer service.

Family run, sweet little well kept secret for Latin food !!! The food was exceptionally tasty &…read morefresh !! Serving sizes are good. The pricing is very reasonable!! The restaurant is very clean, bathrooms also. I'd recommend 10 stars if you could

Don't let the name confuse you. Taqueria Rosita is much more than a place where they sell delicious…read moretacos and Mexican food. It's a restaurant with an amazing Hispanic food menu, serving the most popular cuisines from Mexico, Honduras, and El Salvador. This local, woman owned restaurant had it's humble beginnings from a food truck, and now it finally has a location of its own. Conveniently located in one of the establishments on the popular Williamson Road in Roanoke, Virginia, the restaurant enjoys a large dining space as well as a nice size space along side it to rent for private parties as well. This room contains a music and disco lighting system, as well as it's being prepared with a full bar. The restaurant was easy to find because its front exterior is painted purple with a yellow and gray awning, and it's almost across the street from the 7-11 on Williamson Road. There are plenty of parking up front and around the restaurant. As you enter the restaurant through a couple of glass doors, there is small foyer painted bluishgreen with a large gold WELCOME sign high above on the wall, a mirror, a glass table with a lamp and a hand ornament doing the shape of a heart, and some kind of an artificial plant inside a long pot. Then as you senter the restaurant itself it is painted the same color with a long beautiful granite floor (the type you would find in Latin countries) with many live plants next to the front window. As I walked through the long and narrow dining room of the restaurant with booths on the walls of both sides and tables with chairs in the middle they was a family eating on one of the booths and another customer was leaving with a To Go orders. At the end there was a counter where a friendly young lady greeted me and told me to have a seat at any table when I told her I was eating in. I went and sat at a booth. The colorful menus were already on the table of the booth. All the main items listed had photos and descriptions of them which helped greatly for the customers who weren't familiar identify them. I was surprised to find many popular dishes of other Hispanic countries besides Mexico on the menu. Items such as Baleadas, Pupusas, Tajadas con Carne Molida, to name a few. Then my server arrived with a basket of Tortilla Chips, greeted me with a smile and asked what I wanted to drink. I asked her what fruit drinks they had and when she mentioned Mango, I asked for one of those, even if it wasn't on the menu. When she came back with it I ordered El Cipote as my main entrée. It seems like this is a popular Honduran dish. I invite you to view my photographs of the menu to read and see all the items it contained. I wasn't about to visit a Taqueria restaurant for the first time and not try their tacos, so I asked my server if they could prepare me a couple of pork tacos as an appetizer. She was so accommodating that she went to the kitchen and in a reasonable time brought the tacos to me. They looked beautiful and tasted amazingly delicious, full of plenty of meat, and accompanied by cooked onions and a slice of lime. Their Chips with Salsa were also very good and unique. The chips were thicker than any other I've ever had and the salsa had just the right thickness and flavor with little chunks of the ingredients as well. When my main entrée arrived it looked like a Culinary Masterpiece. It was served on a long circular wooden tray and contained: fried pork chunks served with rice with pigeon peas, beans, sweet fried (ripe) plantains, sausage (chorizo), pico de gallo, jalapeño, and corn tortillas. Each item tasted amazingly delicious and together they made for a wonderful dining experience. I believe any day can be made special with a wonderful meal. And this was precisely one of the few restaurants where I have experience this happen. For dessert I ordered a flan, after walking over to the dessert display refrigerator and seeing the size and look of the flan. It was the largest and one of the better tasting flan that I've ever had. While I was dining I noticed that the restaurant had an adjacent party room that they rented out for functions or parties. It had a wonderful music and disco lighting system, as well as a full bar at the end. (They are in the process of obtaining their liquor license). I asked if they could turned the lights and music on so I could get some video clips to include in this review. Watch the clips for yourself. Amazing music sound and colorful lighting system. After I paid the bill with my credit card at the cashier counter, I thanked the manager, who by the way had come by my table to say hello and to see that everything was to my satisfaction, and took my doggy bag they had prepared for me to take home with the food I couldn't eat there, and walked outside to take a look at a truck that I had seen parked their selling some type of fruits. It seems they had a custm In conclusion, I highly recommend this restaurant for all the above reasons.

Outstanding Mexican/Central American food made fresh! We've eaten in every Mexican restaurant in…read morethe Lynchburg area, have vacationed in Cabo twice and lived in San Antonio for five years. This is the real deal!! Th

It's amazing how some of the reasantly opened food trucks in Roanoke, Virginia are delivering some…read moreof the best food I've ever had in their category. This is the case with Chinito Hondureno, a woman-owned food truck specializing in unique Chinese-Honduran fusion cuisine. After hearing about this place, I gave them a call to confirm their address and operating hours for today, then I got in my pearl white Lexus and headed over there. Located and permanently stationed next to the Citgo with the Turbo Food Mart on 4101 Plantation Road in the northeastern part of Roanoke, Virginia, the food truck looked new and sparkling clean both in the outside and from what I could see in the inside. All the employees inside were wearing a polo t-shirt uniform with the business logo. Osmar, a friendly and welcoming Honduran gentleman greeted me at the food truck's window counter and took my order. The menu was conveniently posted next to the ordering window. I ordered their famous Arroz Chino, which Osmar explained that besides vegetables and seasonings, it also contained chicken and shrimp. I also ordered an order of their Roast Pork Lo Mein, and two Vegetable Egg Rolls. After ordering I paid with a Tap-to-Pay from my Google Pay, was given my receipt and was asked to wait while they prepared my food inside in the kitchen of the food truck. As I waited, I noticed that next to the food truck there was a very clean roofed-in area that could once have been a car wash, with picnic tables inside, and people talking and drinking. It seemed like a comfortable spot to stay and dine there, protected from the sun, but since I had anticipated that the items I ordered would be generous-size portions, I decided to take the food with me and eat in the comfort of my home and save some in the refrigerator for tomorrow. When my order was ready and I picked it up from the window counter, it was so heavy that suddenly the steep price I paid seemed worth it, considering the generous portions. At home, the food arrived hot, and the clamshell containers were filled tightly over the top. I loved the texture and flavor of both the Chinese Rice and Roast Pork Lo Mein. The food was truly unique and exquisite. One that could easily be from the best of the brick-and-mortar fine-dining fusion restaurants. The experience was like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Like the discovery of culinary masterpieces in the least expected of places. I highly recommend this food truck and invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the high-quality of its food. You will never think of Chinese food in the same way again.

Food was so yummy!!! The arroz chinito was 10/10 HUGE portions and meat was juicy, NOT dry. People…read morewere also very nice and answered questions we had about the food.

For days now I had been seeing this food truck parked along Williamson Road and wondered when will…read moreit open and where will it be stationed. I tried finding more information about this Cuban Food Truck to no avail. Then today, as I was shopping in one of my favorites supermarkets, I hear someone talking in Spanish about how she had dined at El Guajiro last week and how good and genuine the Cuban food was. I didn't want to miss this opportunity to find out more about this food truck, so I asked her in Spanish if she had the address of where it finally was anchored. She gives it to me and tells me that their roast pork sandwich is amazing. That same day I decided to drive in my pearl white Lexus over there, and finally discover the mystery of this new food truck that came out nowhere and had seemed to have impressed all those who have been able to find it and sample its genuine Cuban cuisine. After having been selected as number 4 of Yelp's Top 50 most prolific Elites of 2025, a year when I also was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Photographer of the Year Award at their Yelpies 2025 Award Ceremony, an event that honored the highest-performing Yelp Elites, and where last year I was awarded the Yelp Triad Squad Yelper of the Year Award, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants and businesses, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to uncover those found in hidden paths that for one reason or another have not reached the public in its totality. And El Guajiro Cuban Food Truck in Roanoke, Virginia, is a perfect example. As I was nearing the address that my GPS was guiding me to, I clearly began to see the modern, wide, and colorful Cuban Food Truck parked on the side of Envios Express / Envios a Cuba, a business that specializes in Shipments to Cuba. The food truck was one of the largest and nicest food trucks that I had ever seen. One could clearly tell it was a new food truck, not one of those refurbished old ones. Next to the food truck, the owners had set-up a square gazebo dining room, for customers to be able to relax and shelter themselves from the sun and rain as they enjoyed a delicious, genuine Cuban cuisine. The name "El Guajiro" is a Cuban Spanish term for a rural peasant, country folk. It refers to people living in the countryside, with a hardworking lifestyle and deeply rooted to Cuban national Identity and patriotism. This Cuban immigrants,family-owned business, was established to keep the Cuban cuisine alive among the Cuban-American community in exile, and to share it with other members of our community, so they too can appreciate their unique and delicious cuisine. By this time the owner and his wife came out to greet me with open arms and native Cuban hospitality. They talked about how they conceived and are in the process of developing this business and it's menu. How the recipes did not come out of a book, but out of their heritage of their families home kitchens. I ordered a Batido de Mamey to drink, a fruit that is highly popular in Cuba and the Caribbean, and my second favorite fruit after the mango. To eat I ordered the Ropa Vieja, with rice and beans, yuca, and salad. Ropa vieja is one of my favorites Cuban dishes. Authentic Cuban Ropa Vieja requires flank or skirt steak, shredded and simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce. Key ingredients include green and red bell peppers, garlic, cumin, oregano, bay leaves, tomato paste/sauce, beef broth, dry cooking wine, and often Spanish olives or capers. Each family or restaurant tailors this recipe to their own style and taste. With excellent background music I enjoy, the wind blowing, and seated at a table under the gazebo, I highly enjoyed this food. Everything was seasoned and cooked just right and was very authentic home-style Cuban cuisine. At the end of my meal I was offered a Cafecito Cubano (a highly sweetened shot of espresso served in a demitasse), and had a sliced of in-house made Flan. Simply, delicious. Inside the gazebo dining room, they also had a Domino's table, one of the favorite pastimes of Cubans, to attract customers to come and play. I've eaten at many Food Trucks, but none of them, as clean, with comfortable ambiance, inspiring background music, and amazing food, as this one. I highly recommend this place and am proud of having had the privilege of being the first one to review it.

Amazing food and service food was so good I had a guava and mint drink it was so resheshingread more

This is a lovely family-owned restaurant located in Keagy Village, a relatively new and modern…read morestrip mall in Cave Spring, Virginia. Even though there are several Tacos Rojas around, each one is owned and operated by a different family member, with the same menu, but slightly different ambience and decor. What I liked about this restaurant was the modern yet simple exterior architectural design, and small but warm and cozy interior. Its location is also very beautiful, where from the back window you can see a beautiful landscape surrounded by mountains. A friend and I decided to go visit this restaurant for an early dinner the day after 5 de mayo and overall we weren't disappointed. We were fortunate enough to have been greeted and welcomed by the owner himself who was very friendly and kind. We sat at a table near the back of the restaurant and at the time were the only customers there. A basket of Tortilla Chips and Salsa was brought to our table and they were very fresh and delicious. My friend ordered a dish with two Chimichangas, one beef and one chicken, and I ordered the Carnitas Burrito. The food was very good and my burrito was humongous, although its temperature was somewhat lukewarm and this detracted from its flavor and rating for this restaurant. There is no reason for an empty restaurant to be be serving lukewarm food. For dessert we both had a slice of their Flan, which had the right consistency, flavor, and temperature. Overall this was a very clean and cozy restaurant, with a small bar, in a beautiful location, with an appropriate decor, serving quality Mexican food. If the manager listens to my constructive feedback and takes action, I would no hesitate in returning and highly recommending the restaurant for its food and great service.

My wife and I visited Taco Rojas for an early dinner. It was our first time there, and we were…read morethoroughly impressed. We ordered the Big Quesadillas, which were incredibly generous in size and bursting with flavor. The service was exceptional, and we left feeling grateful for the delicious meal and the friendly staff.

This is probably our favorite restaurant in Roanoke. Delicious food and drinks, try the guava…read morejuice! The owners are so kind. We keep coming back and are never disappointed with the food. Also highly recommend trying the vinegar hot sauce, it's delicious and they sell it by the bottle!

Amazing!! Authentic and pure Puerto Rican food. I know because I am boricua and I can tell…read more Delicious and fresh. Is like tasting the island. My new favorite place.