Picnic Deals in Atlanta

Description

Lis Hernandez knew she had something special when she witnessed a line of people waiting an hour just for a taste of her homemade arepas. Then again, with a mantra that loosely translates to "happy stomach, warm heart" (and, correspondingly, a logo like this), we're not surprised that Atlantans had an instant love affair with Arepa Mia. After all, you kinda can't go wrong with the combination of good vibes, delicious food, family recipes and fried plantains. Armed with a picnic table, a decade of experience as a chef and, perhaps most importantly, an unquenchable thirst to return to her Venezuelan roots, Lis began selling her hot-off-the-griddle Venezuelan specialties right outside the Sweet Auburn Curb Market back in 2011. Word got out fast, and before long, she was selling out of everything in less than an hour. The rest, as they say, is history. Nowadays, Lis serves her beloved creations inside the Curb Market (yay, air conditioning!) at her permanent stand, though we're also happy we can still tuck into our yucca chips, empanadas and slow-roasted pork arepas at the original picnic table where it all began. And if you're wondering what, exactly, this arepa business is all about? Picture the delicious fruits of a holy union between cheeseburgers and, say, grits: juicy, deliciously messy fillings, like tender shredded beef, local veggies and smoky black beans, sandwiched betwixt two crispy grilled cornmeal patties. We suggest drizzling a little creamy nata cheese or slathering some guasacaca (a traditional Venezuelan avocado salsa) on 'em to see precisely why it took no time at all for Lis to make all of ATL diehard arepa converts, us included. Menu Highlights: Pabellon Arepa, $6.75 Domino Arepa, $6 Pernil Empanadas, $5 Cachapas, $6.50 Yucca & Plantain Chips, $3 Hours: Monday - Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday - Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed Sunday