The Best Bites at Buford Highway’s Plaza Fiesta
If you’re an Atlanta native, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Plaza Fiesta’s pastel colored exteriors driving down Buford Highway at some point in your life. And if you are new to the City, it’s a visit worth taking. Stepping inside is like hopping on a Delta flight to South America and heading to the closest market. With the city’s most unique collection of South American food, shopping and entertainment, Plaza Fiesta is one of a kind, and a precious Atlanta commodity. We’re highlighting a few of our favorite eats for your next visit to this ATL landmark. Plaza Fiesta is located at 4166 Buford Hwy, NE, Atlanta, GA 30345. For more info, visit plazafiesta.net.
Carnitas Michoacan
Of course you would find one of Atlanta’s best tacos in Plaza Fiesta. Carnitas MIchoacans has tons of delicious taco options, including steak, goat and chicken, but they specialize in one specific protein – the pig. Their carnitas are incredible, thanks to authentic Michoacan preparation techniques and materials. Try the Taco Surtido – it combines several parts of the pig – including lung, belly, heart, kidneys and more – into one mouthwatering bite.
Las Recetas Y Antojitos de la Abuela
Translated directly, this means “The Grandmother’s Recipes and Snacks”, and if there’s one thing that’s true about Southern and Mexican cultures, it’s that Grandma knows how to cook. They’ve got everything you’d want your Mexican grandmother to make, including Enchiladas, Fajitas, Tostadas, and Milanesa (breaded chicken cutlet) con Papas (potatoes). The plates are more than enough to fill a young grandson or granddaughter.
Arepa Grill
There’s more to South American flavors than Mexican food, and the best example of that at Plaza Fiesta is the Arepa Grill. With a focus on the best dishes from Venezuela, they have everything from Empanadas to Tequenos (Venezuelan cheese stick pastries) for starters, along with Venezuelan style hot dogs (loaded and served with French fries inside) and burgers. But the highlight is, of course, the arepas. They have Venezuelan shredded beef options including one with gouda cheese, one with plantains and cheese, and one with just the delicious, savory beef. Plus, pork, chicken and more.
Yamis Pizza
Pizza and wings are certainly not the first thing you think of at Plaza Fiesta, but Yami’s does a solid job on their wings and pies. Make no mistake, however – Yami’s knows how to make delicious Mexican food, including Gorditas and a heck of a taco. With hefty tortillas and delicious al pastor tacos, you can get a bevy of game day options – pizza, wings and mouthwatering tacos – all from one place! For a menu hack – order a pizza with the al pastor meat on top if it…
Esquisito Bakery
One of Buford Highway’s most delicious South American bakeries is, of course, at Plaza Fiesta. Specializing in baked Latin American breads, cakes and pastries, they make pan-dulce, cortadillo, concha pink, pan de Guatemala, sapos and more every day. They also serve ice cream and popsicles from Lawrenceville’s delicious Michoacana Pedir de Boca and make a mouthwatering breakfast sandwich.
La Nortena
Since 2009, La Norton has been serving accessible, quality Mexican meals daily. With a menu full of options like tacos, arepas, and flautas, your Mexican cravings will be satisfied. But we loved their Milanesa de pollo – a flattened and perfectly breaded chicken that’s been fried for the ideal crunch.
Espiga Dorada
This small food stand serves classic Mexican street food, including chicharrones and fresh fruit cups. They also make insane drinks like jarritos locos and Pina loca. But our favorite? The cup of esquires corn. It’s not quite the corn on the cob street fair experience but it’s close, with the perfect mix of chili powder – cotija – lime in each bite.
Picos ice cream
Our first of three ice cream and sweet shops inside Plaza Fiesta, Picos may be the most creative. They have delicious sundae options, along with chocolate bananas, brownies, and their fruit canasta – a waffle cone bowl with fruit and delicious syrup flavors.
La Nina Michoacana
This fresh popsicle forward ice cream shop makes incredibly creative – and beautiful – styles of popsicles and constantly changes them based on season. They also have delicious ice cream options that infuse real fruit. We also just saw that they have started to make cakes for weddings and other special occasions, so put them on your short list for your next big event.
La Moreliana
The largest ice cream shop inside Plaza Fiesta, the pink decor focused La Moreliana makes you feel like you’re stepping in a Latin candy land. They have delicious fruit cup options to go with their fresh ice creams – in fact they are making new batches all the time, so it’s always worth dropping by to see what they are cooking up. Like many of the other sweet shops inside Plaza Fiesta, they also make popsicles, including cream based ones with goat’s milk, Mexican chocolate, coconut and more.
