The best Salvadorian restaurants are waiting for you to cross their threshold
The average American does not have to look too far in search of gastronomic adventure and exotic tastes.
In Salvadoran restaurants in the US, you can enjoy the perfect combination of rich flavors and the authenticity of El Salvadoran cuisine, offering a distinct culinary experience in the heart of America.
The article below will guide you through the restaurants in different American states, where you can discover traditional dishes and the passion for Salvadoran gastronomy.
How do you find restaurants with Salvadoran food near you?
Because, quite probably, the destinations are not too easy to recognize, you need, before starting your journey, to find the ones near you.
Our recommendation is, if you cannot rely on the help of relatives or acquaintances with some recommendations in this regard, to turn to online platforms such as Yelp, TripAdvisor or Google Maps.
These are a valuable guide to find the ideal places to enjoy the authenticity of Salvadoran cuisine, one full of surprising aroma.
What is Salvadoran food?
Salvadoran cuisine is an authentic reflection of the history and vibrant culture of El Salvador.
Each dish tells a story about local ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, offering a diverse palette of flavors and textures.
From pupusas, an emblematic dish, to delicious meat and seafood dishes, Salvadoran food promises to satisfy all the senses, and if you don’t believe us, all you have to do is convince yourself.
Examples of Salvadoran food
- Pupusas
We usually deal with cheese, steak and beans or any other combination incorporated into a corn dough and then grilled on a stove.
They are usually served with cabbage salad and tomato sauce, offering a perfect combination of crunchy texture and juicy filling.
- Sopa de Pata
This tasty soup is made from beef or lamb legs, boiled for a long time in a mixture of vegetables and aromatic spices, such as carrots, onions, garlic and parsley.
It is a comforting food, perfect for cold days.
- Yuca Frita
The yuca root is cut into sticks, fried until it becomes crispy and golden, then served with aromatic sauces such as chimichurri or tomato salsa.
This popular snack is appreciated for its crispy outside and soft texture inside.
- Empanadas
These pies are filled with meat, cheese, potatoes and/or vegetables, then baked until the dough becomes tender and golden.
They are often served as a snack or accompanied by spicy sauces for extra flavor.
Top 10 Salvadorian restaurants
- Pupuseria Y Restaurante Cuscatleco – Los Angeles, California
This location brings together authentic Salvadoran flavors in the heart of Los Angeles, offering a variety of pupusas filled with delicious ingredients such as cheese, steak and beans.
Prices vary between 2 and 4 dollars, offering you an authentic and, above all, affordable experience.
- El Pulgarcito de America – Houston, Texas
In Houston, El Pulgarcito de America serves traditionally prepared Salvadoran food, including pupusas and sopa de pata.
Average prices are around 5-10 dollars, again something for all budgets.
- At Pupusa Urban Eatery – Chicago, Illinois
In Chicago, La Pupusa Urban Eatery is the place where, according to the locals, you can get the best yuca frita or the classic empanadas.
The prices vary between 3 and 8 dollars, which you have to admit, is not an amount that will cause you problems.
- Pupuseria La Macarena – New York City, New York
In New York City, Pupuseria La Macarena welcomes its customers with many traditional dishes, cooked to perfection, and for which you will take out of your pocket between 4 and 7 dollars.
- Las Cazuelas – Phoenix, Arizona
In Phoenix, Las Cazuelas is seen as a real oasis of exoticism in the middle of the Arizona desert, and the prices for the dishes start from 5 dollars and reach, rarely, even 12 dollars.
- La Pupusa Loca – Miami, Florida
In Miami, La Pupusa Loca is relatively easy to find, especially if you use Google Maps.
Just make sure you have between 4 and 8 dollars in your pocket, because that’s what you’ll pay for a meal here.
- El Guanaco – Las Vegas, Nevada
In Las Vegas, El Guanaco makes you feel like you’re really in El Salvador.
For between 6 and 10 dollars, you get an authentic experience in the middle of the glittering city.
- Dona Bessy Pupuseria – Portland, Oregon
In Portland, Pupuseria Dona Bessy brings traditional dishes starting from classic pupusas to yuca frita.
Prices vary between 4 and 7 dollars.
- Pupuseria y Restaurante Cuscatlan – Atlanta, Georgia
In Atlanta, this pupuserie is recognized by the menu full of Salvadoran culinary specialties, which obviously does not lack pupusas.
Average prices are around 3-6 dollars.
- La Pupusa Loca – Denver, Colorado
In Denver, La Pupusa Loca serves authentic Salvadoran food, including pupusas and sopa de pata.
Average prices are around 4-8 dollars.
- Pupuseria Dona Maria – Seattle, Washington
There’s no need to tell you that it’s one of the people’s favorite places here, right?
Average prices start from 3 dollars and reach up to 6 dollars.
Final words
We hope you appreciate our invitation to discover the authentic tastes and culinary traditions of El Salvador.
Each type of food you will try is an opportunity to experience the rich flavor and specific hospitality of this Central American country.