Looking to satisfy your appetite for Latin American food?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top Latin American spots around Charlotte, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of the best places to venture for Mexican, Venezuelan and Peruvian fare.
1. Sabor Latin Street Grill
Topping the list is Sabor Latin Street Grill. Located at 415 Hawthorne Lane in Elizabeth, this is the highest-rated Latin American restaurant in Charlotte, boasting 4.5 stars out of 741 reviews on Yelp. The local restaurant group has 10 locations in the Charlotte metro area and offers daily specials. Menu offerings are a mix of fare from El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico and Colombia.
Noteworthy options include the Venezuelan-style white maize cake filled with shredded chicken, diced tomato, onion, cheese and rosada sauce; corn on the cob lightly coated with mayo and covered with cotija cheese and dusted with chili powder; and french fries covered in grilled steak, queso, pico de gallo, guacamole, cotija cheese and sour cream.
2. Cabo Fish Taco
Next up is North Charlotte's Cabo Fish Taco, situated at 3201 N. Davidson St. With four stars out of 1,056 reviews on Yelp, the Latin American and Mexican spot has proven to be a local favorite.
Menu items include Baja bowls: grilled or blackened protein, served in a huge taco bowl stuffed with rice, sautéed seasonal veggies and black beans. Other options include jerk chicken and jumbo shrimp tossed with bow-tie pasta, red and green peppers, squash, zucchini and red onions in a pineapple cream sauce. Daily specials are available. (Find the full menu here.)
3. Babalu Tapas & Tacos
Dilworth's Babalu Tapas & Tacos, located at 1511 East Blvd., is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the Latin American tapas bar four stars out of 307 reviews.
Starters include a blend of melted mozzarella, white American and chihuahua cheeses served in a skillet with a pico de gallo shooter; lightly breaded domestic calamari with Fresno peppers and sweet chili sauce; and yellowfin tuna ceviche with avocado, jalapeños, tequila-lime marinade and house chips.
For your main course, try the Baba burger, made with natural Angus beef, roasted tomato, caramelized onions, white cheddar cheese, avocado, smoked bacon and chipotle aioli; or lamb sliders with goat cheese, pickled red onions, arugula and chipotle aioli.
4. Pollo Campero
Pollo Campero, a chicken shop and Latin American spot that offers fast food in Oak Forest, is another much-loved go-to, with 4.5 stars out of 75 Yelp reviews. According to its website, the heart of Campero's menu is citrus Peruvian grilled chicken, made with fresh, hormone-free chicken and the eatery's proprietary blend of Latin herbs and spices.
Latin side dishes, like rice and beans, empanadas, plantains and yuca fries are also available. Head over to 5727 N. Sharon Amity Road, Suite D, to try it for yourself.