The Brazos Valley is home to people from every corner of the world, including over 61,000 Hispanic people in the Bryan/College Station area alone, according to the 2022 United States Census Bureau. While people may come here to study, work, or simply be closer to family, many long to experience aspects of their country of origin here in the heart of Texas. The following Latin American restaurants represent unique flavors from Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, Columbia, Peru, and Mexico. Whether your roots are found in one of these countries or you are seeking to discover new flavors, these spots may bring a taste of home.
Casa do Brasil
Eating at Casa do Brasil Steakhouse is a high-quality, signature experience for Brazos Valley locals and visitors alike. The classy venue fit with marble countertops and chandeliers offers a variety of entertainment along with delectable skewered meats that can be sliced at your table by Gaucho chefs.
The selection of meats served include top sirloin, pork ribs, New Zealand lamb, prime ribeye, chicken, grilled shrimp, and more. Try the Chef’s Dinner Selection for $49.50 per plate and get eight cuts of meat along with unlimited access to the salad bar with soups, ceviche, and build-your-own salad options.
This restaurant is ideal for family celebrations, romantic date nights and business events, with many options for rich desserts like Brazilian flan and a large selection of wines and cocktails. While the sit-down experience is ideal, take-out is also an option for on-the-go customers.
Check their online live entertainment schedule to see which of your favorite local live artists will play next at casadobrasil.com/college-station/events. Casa do Brasil is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
1665 Greens Prairie Rd., College Station
casadobrasil.com/college-station
(979) 690-1111
Bendiciones Del Rey
With a name meaning “Blessings from the King” in Spanish, Bendiciones Del Rey brings a taste of heaven to the Brazos Valley with savory, diverse dishes to choose from and a friendly staff who truly live up to its name. The restaurant offers Guatemalan cuisine including hilachas, a traditional stew with shredded beef, spices and tomato sauce with sliced potatoes. There is also pepian de pollo, a chicken stew known as the national dish of Guatemala. It includes tender chicken, roasted seeds and peppers, and vegetables on the side.
The restaurant is most known for its garnachas, which are fried corn tortillas topped with meat, pickled cabbage, and carrots. To try your own plate, visit Bendiciones Del Rey Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. or Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
900 Harvey Rd. Suite 10, College Station
(979) 703-1049
Mariscos Perla del Mar
Living in Texas, it’s easy to find a million iterations of Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine — but none quite like Mariscos Perla del Mar. The traditional Mexican seafood restaurant is decorated as a typical pescaderia, with vibrant navy blues and ocean scenes on each wall with colorful fish and coral surrounding the tables.
Their menu includes authentic Mexican seafood like their Vuelve a la Vida cocktail, which includes shrimp, octopus, and oysters in a tomato sauce served with lime and avocado. They also serve ceviche, a fish and shrimp dish marinated in citrus juices and served on a tostada or tortilla with pico de gallo and avocado slices. For those that crave more than just seafood, the Fajita Mar y Tierra may be the perfect pick, with a combination of chicken and beef fajita, shrimp and vegetables.
Mariscos Perla del Mar is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.seven days a week.
720 N Texas Ave., Bryan
(979) 229-4996
Centro American Restaurant & Pupuseria
Centro American Restaurant & Pupuseria is a small, family-run restaurant that can be found in a shopping center on Dominik Drive in College Station and is the go-to spot for the Salvadoran and Honduran staple — pupusas. The cornmeal or rice flour round cakes are stuffed with the customer’s choice of beans, cheese, meats or pickled cabbage.
While they are known for their pupusas, the menu also includes native Central America appetizers like fried plantains, a variety of seafood plates, Salvadorian-Honduran tamales, and other authentic dishes like yuca frita y chicharron, which is fried yuca and pork rinds.
Guests are invited to sit down to eat and converse with the friendly kitchen staff or take an order to-go. The pupusas are made-to-order and the homey restaurant is always packed in the afternoons, so calling in to order is best.
The location also sells varieties of Latin American sodas, fruit juices, chocolates, and other snacks you can purchase at checkout. Centro American Restaurant & Pupuseria is open from Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
317 Dominik Dr., College Station
(979) 703-1266
Fusion Peru
Named “the only Peruvian food source in the Brazos Valley,” Fusion Peru started serving delicious dishes to the community in 2015 as a food truck parked across from Texas A&M University. In 2017, Fusion Peru opened its doors to their brick-and-mortar restaurant and hasn’t looked back since.
They offer lomo saltado, a traditional Peruvian beef stir fry served with onions, french fries, and rice, or another fan-favorite, chaufa de mariscos, a Peruvian-Chinese fusion dish with fried rice and a mixture of high-quality seafood including shrimp, crab, fish and mussels. Every dish is served generously and incorporates an element of Asian influence like its fried rice.
Fusion Peru also has an ice cream bar and sells the Peruvian soft drink Inca Kola in-store for the perfectly authentic full-Peruvian experience. To get a taste of Peruvian cuisine, visit Fusion Peru Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
2501 S. Texas Ave. C. 111, College Station
(979) 676-260
Macondo Grill
Inspired by the famous Colombian novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, Macondo Grill is named after the fictional town of Macondo, which is home to generations of Colombians in the book. Owner and chef of the Aggie-owned food truck, Juan Varela, says the logo depicts an instance in the book when thousands of yellow butterflies take to the sky as a representation of hope and celebration of Colombian heritage.
Juan and his wife Juliana began by cooking Colombian cuisine for friends and family and eventually took a leap of faith to start the business.
“When we had our first child Samuel, we started to hold large cookouts at our place, and over the years we tried out certain Colombian food recipes, including making chorizos and arepas from scratch,” Juan says.
The Macondo Arepa, a grilled corn patty stuffed with beef skirt, marinated to perfection with sweet corn and avocado slices, is one of their most popular dishes, Juan says. They also serve stuffed empanadas with seasoned beef, potato, sofrito sauce and Colombian seasonings. The empanadas can be served with Aji, their hit Colombian hot sauce for an extra burst of flavor.
With 32 states in Colombia, it is impossible to describe the cuisine in a few words, Juan says, but many dishes like Sancocho and Bandeja Paisa are extremely savory, filling, and “not for the faint of heart.”
Macondo Grill is the only Colombian-style food truck in B/CS and offers catering services aside from serving at community events like First Friday in Bryan.
macondogrill@outlook.com
(979) 402-8744
