A Venezuelan restaurant on Baltimore Ave., in Hyattsville has gained praise as one of the nine best places for arepas in the greater Washington area.

Eater D.C. praised the offerings at Caracas de Ayer, originally known as Cafe Azul, which was started in the Arts District in 2009.

“This Hyattsville mainstay concentrates on making Venezuelan-styles arepas every day,” the article notes. “There are nearly a dozen pre-set combinations to choose from, including ham and cheese, roasted pork, and black beans with milky queso blanco.”

Co-owner Mickey Torrealba, who is originally from Venezuela, told the Hyattsville Wire the restaurant’s name change came as part of a shift from a “more general South American menu” to one focused on authentic Venezuelan dishes.

Torrealba grew up around the hospitality industry, with an Italian uncle in Venezuela who ran a food business and other friends and family who owned restaurants.

Using a family recipe for many of his arepas, he said the most popular ones are shredded chicken breast and fresh avocado and seasoned beef with shredded Gouda cheese.

Caracas de Ayer serves a mix of commuters who pass by on Route 1, nearby residents and Venezuelans who come from around the greater D.C. area.

Torrealba says the growth along Route 1 has helped spread the word, especially among customers who may have never tried Venezuelan cuisine.

The restaurant gained notice from the Washingtonian in its 2016 Cheap Eats list, which called them “arguably the best” arepas in D.C.