Review La Latina - Chatswood

You can get Columbian coffee and food here. It gets busy on weekend mornings. I had some arepa with eggs and empanadas. They were all good. Columbian coffee was too strong for me. You can also purchase frozen goods (my favourite is the cheese balls "bunuelos") here as well as some snacks and drinks from Colombia.

OMG, this place has the best arepas hands down and well actually best everything. Who would've thought I'd find the best Colombian food in the middle of Chatswood. I would say that you'd enjoy it heaps - guaranteed

My wife and I shared the “La Latina” arepa and a Picada dish. The food was very tasty and the servings were large. We barely finished the dishes. The two ladies working there were both very friendly.

Quaint little shop in the heart of Chatswood. I’m not an aficionado in South America cuisine but the food here looks authentic and tastes really good. The empanada, not that I had many - were the best I’ve had. Crunchy outside, flavorsome inside. They were the highlight and I would come back to grab a couple for a snack while i stroll down the streets of chatswood.

Great little Latin restaurant tucked away in the heart of Chatswood. Small casual dining setup inside with authentic Latin American decor to enhance the dining experience. All the food we ordered was fresh, fast and very delicious. Everything was reasonably priced too and definitely worth it. Make sure to try a pork empanada :) Great selection of south American drinks too! Service was friendly and efficient, I would love to return to try more of the menu :)

We were driving past the place, which caught our attention. Looked up few reviews and decided to give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. Tried gauva + cheese empanada for the first time - sounded little weird but the taste was brilliant, loved it. Also had arepas and was very happy with the taste of the sweet plantain used for the filling. Green plantain chips and guacamole was good too, particularly the guacamole, tasted really fresh and tasty. We've had plenty of Mexican food, but first time trying South American and weren't disappointed at all. Definitely a must try!!

Food is average. Service friendly but slow. The arepas was dry, chorizo was over cooked and dry also, plantain also didn’t taste great (and I love plantain). The prices are high for a casual dine in cafeteria. Shame as it brings some diversity into the dining scene in Chatswood but food fell short !

2 years update: Used to be my fav arepas something changed because now it taste like cheap street food 🙄 the carne en salsa tastes like ketchup and the chorizo is not good and dry. Addressed this with them and all I get is them denying and deleting my comments. Now is expensive with cheap flavours.. such a shame as it was my favorite place Very tasty and traditional latino flavours, a bit too pricey but with a big variety of comidas latinas. If instead you want to cook at home they have some frozen latino food. #Tamal #Arepa de Carne

The hidden gem in chatswood. It's a humble small cafe that is easily missed when you walk pass. But once you are inside, you feel like you are being transported to South American with the deco, staffs speaking Spanish or Latin with their customers and heaps of South American snacks and frozen food for sale!<br/><br/>We highly recommend the arepas, sweet plantain and the columbia coffee. arepas looks small but this crunchy corn bread with flavoursome sauce and filling is definitely enough as a meal.<br/><br/>Will go back again!

A small eatery that serves up authentic south American flavours. I recommend getting the cheese empanadas, they’re soooo good. The staff here are very welcoming too.

This place is an unassuming hidden gem located outside Chatswood chase bringing abit of Latino flavour to the area. You can’t go wrong with their lunch special being an arepa (Colombian pockets with your choice of filling) an empanada and a drink for $15, so great value. The only negative is that everytime i eat at this place, I feel heavy and bloated afterwards as the food is rich. Otherwise a great joint and highly recommended.

Whenever the cravings hit for South American food, I always visit this local gem. Amazing food, friendly staff, and a warm atmosphere in general. I recommend the empanadas and the monster arepa, it looks small but trust me, it's filling. Although the coffee is on the weaker side, it does the job. A must visit in the suburb of Chatswood

Lovely cheap eat find in Chatswood if you’re bored of the usual Asian affair, definitely head here! It’s a hidden gem in Chatswood amongst all the asian restaurants and I’m keen to try the coffee next time

Been a few times before, but today I tried the guava juice (yum!) And arepa with shredded beef, sweet plantain and guac... What can I say... Best arepa in town!

Apparently the arepas are good here. We went for their scrambled eggs instead, a veg one (2.75/5) w the usual suspects of mushroom tomato spring onion n parmesan cheese. The other scrambled eggs (2.75/5) was w chorizo corn tomato n tasty cheese. <br/><br/>Not that i know anything about columbian food, both dishes did not taste uniquely different from any scrambled eggs that one could get anywhere else. Unless you dunk it in the (provided) hot sauce, i chose the top heat level, which was not very spicy. The columbian coffee was good though, smooth w a medium body n a tinge of acidity.

Used a Groupon for breakfast.<br/>Was my first time trying Latin-American cuisine and the arepas did not disappoint.<br/>Highly recommend the Vegetarian one (black beans, guac, cheese, fried egg) - the arepa was chewy but crispy and the fillings made it a very more-ish (and much more filling than expected) meal.<br/>Staff were very nice and accommodating even though I arrived slightly before my booked time.<br/>Coffee was also great!<br/>Would be happy to pay full price and will definitely be back again!

I can't believe I never realised this place was in Chatswood. You know how sometimes you're just sick of eating the same kind of flavour all the time? Yeah, so I'm a little tired of Asian, especially around Chatswood. I was really glad when I found this place, and it seemed like a cheap and filling option.<br/><br/>Their arepas may look a bit small but you can pack them full of ingredients which definitely bulks it up, and they have really good flavours and I love their chorizo. Their plate options are also good and it allows me to customise it a bit as well. Pretty cheap, you can feed two people for around $20. Will be back!

A slice of Venezuela & Colombia in the middle of Chatswood. La latina is perfect. I went along with my Venezuelan friend to enjoy the taste of the food of her homeland I haven't tried the food before I have only heard how good it is. Yes, delicious indeed, started with fried plantain with guacamole then arepas the flavors are incredible so tasty very filling. The service was good staff are smiling & friendly. Yes, I've been converted yes I will definitely be returning.

I went there last weekend for the second time: friendly staff, great Latin music. The arepa called "La Latina" is my favourite and I couldn't leave without taking with me some goodies from the fridge. Coffee could've been better, next time I'll go for fruit juices.

La Latina is a Hidden gem.<br/>On the side streets opposite Chatswood chase, we walked past this joint for years wondering whether the food would be good.<br/>One day we decided to give it a go and it was a decision we did not regret.<br/>We had the ricotta and pecorino empanada which was super crunchy, light and almost addictive with the vinegarette! We would go back just for this 😋<br/>The chicken and potato empanada was crunchy and more substantial. We prefer the cheese variant.<br/>We also had the monster arepas, this lives by its name. A crispy corn pocket filled with pulled pork, pulled beef, chorizo, sour cream and cheese. The portion was so big I only ended up finishing half of it. It also got a bit too sweet half way through so would be a nice share dish if it could be halved.<br/>We finished off our meal with a refreshing feijoa juice and it bought back fond childhood memories of the feijoa tree my siblings and I used to fight over 👊<br/>We'd definitely be back for some more cheese empanadas! ☺️

Had heard a lot about this place. Did not get time when I visited Sydney last time in June. I was dying to eat here this time. The restaurant surpassed all the air around it. Had the Make Your Own Arepas - Chicken & Avacado, Smoked Shredded Pork, Plantain n Fried Egg. Nothing gets better than this. Probably the Plantain was bit sweet, but I think I shouldnt have chosen knowing it is sweet.

This cafe has delicious and authentic Colombian food. The arepas are very filling and great value for money. You can get one off the menu or make your own. <br/>The cafe is small and does not have air conditioning so can get really hot on a warm summer day.

Very refreshing to try some new flavours. Friendly service. Had tamales and cheesy corn bread which were delicious. The fried plantains were satisfyingly crispy and chewy at the same time, and paired well with the fresh avocado. Have yet to try the arepas. Will be back.

Not a bad place at all. The shredded beef arepas are good but overpriced for the measly quantity. While the filling was good, the bread got soggy quick. Not only soggy, but also it had been overheated to the point where the surface of the corn bread cracked and made a forked up mess with juices squirting out like lava. Anyways, the food is not bad as mentioned earlier but the two people working at the counter are useless. I say useless because they have a full menu but didn't offer me one. I thought the only menu is on the board behind the counter but apparently not since other guests were munching on something I didn't know was served. Perhaps they want a particular type of customer to grace their restaurant. Who knows. <br/><br/>Added Sept 2017: went here again only for the food. Great food but the guy at the counter doesn't know customer service and is quite rude to me. Ignore the idiots at the counter and enjoy the food.

Love the food here. Simple delicious dishes. Its very much a cantina. Be warned the arepas might look small but theyre so filling. Only wish they were open past 5

Incredible flavors, really crispy (corn flour) empanadas -- the ricotta one is DELICIOUS, and very FILLING and large-portioned arepas! I've had them in NYC before, but I must say that these are much better priced and tastier! You can also substitute fillings (aka replace black beans with a fried egg). Looking forward to coming back!

Been a loyal customer loving their (AMAAAZING) arepas since they were a food stall at the Chatswood markets. They've had a few inconsistencies along the way but the last few times have been fantastic!  The duo are always super friendly and I love that I can get frozen arepas to take home too! Eating a takeaway pulled beef arepa now and already thinking of when I'll be back!

La Latina will now be my regular place to eat.<br/>I absolutely love it. I had a minced beef arepa today, a guava and berry drink. The arepa was delicious , authentic and really filling! the drinks were also delicious, and healthy!<br/><br/>There is a wide range of food and drink options available. I am excited to try all of them :) <br/><br/>The prices are excellent. <br/>The location is close to the station (and my uni) making it really convenient .Although I live far away from Chatswood, I will make sure that I will come to La Latina on my uni days! <br/><br/> The atmosphere is simple and cosy- the way I like it. <br/><br/>There is nothing fake about La Latina- it's all real and authentic :) <br/><br/>Highly recommended

There's a deeply authentic feel about La Latina that makes you feel that you will be in for something 'real' from Colombia to Venezuela. Perhaps it's the hospitable staff who greet you with a genuine smile and speak their native tongue to each other to the menu that is simple and unique. The pantry on the wall with all the South American products and the fridge with Venezuelan beers takes you away from Chatswood even for that slight welcoming moment. <br/><br/>The restaurant is small and homely and it's all about the Arepas! A flatbread made of either maize or flour with various filling not dissimilar to Mexican staples. We asked the waitress of her recommendation and she suggested he shredded pork and shredded beef. The Arepa arrived freshly made with the flatbread thin and crisp whilst still soft inside. The pork came with a sweet BBQ sauce and melted cheese; the filling was generous. The shredded beef came with melted cheese minus the BBQ sauce which was a welcome change to show the uniqueness of each dish. The meats were tasty and fresh and it something you need to try as there is nothing like it in town. There were 3 hot sauces at the table of medium heat (I can tolerate extreme heat) and they complemented the filling perfectly. <br/><br/>They have a range of smoothies and South American beers on offer. I order the Soursop smoothie that was very delicious!<br/><br/>There were several other interesting items on the menu which I saw other customers order that we will reserve for next time. The Arepa's are deceptively filling so - Be warned!

For an authentic Colombian bite to eat you need to check out La Latina. From the opening 'Hola' to the departing 'Gracias' it's all Latin. You have everything here from arepas to empanadas. Drinks you will find include Colombiana and the Postobon range. <br/><br/>For any Colombians that feel homesick you will enjoy this place. <br/><br/>Aside from the food to eat there they have all the traditional Colombian biscuits. <br/><br/>

I didn't try a coffee, maybe that's why people come to this placeITs a small café that cant hold big groupsHad a pineapple smoothie which was okcorn bread was okand the Tamal, which tasted like sweet curry was different but nothing specialMenu limited, prices reasonableMy friends had the Corn Pockets which they likedMaybe that's what I should of tried the Corn pockets tooNot for me

1st time in a Latino cafe, the food is ok, i like the Monster, really juicy beef and pork, but not cheesy as i expected from their menu. Arepa is so so, but i couldn't tell if it was made of corn.<br/>Lulo juice is sour a bit, but its still ok.<br/>Worth to try

...You could tell that the arepa was slow cooked and had this nice crunch on the tops and bottoms. Arepas are made from maise, which is a corn, and the shredded beef was not dry and you could see the stringy cheese melted in between.

Started off thinking we'll just test then with the potato ball with meat filling. Then we thought, might as well try something else so got the pulled pork rice thing (arepa). Pretty good even if it was about $10.

The arepas have an addictive light crunch, but they're also quite dense, heavy and a tad overpowering.

It's a cute little cafe specialising in arepas, but also stocks plenty of exciting South American snacks and sauces, as well as plenty of interesting fruit juices! The drinks menu consists of plenty of exotic fruits which we've never heard of before, making it a difficult decision to choose one- we want to try all of them!

Delicious food!. I liked the monster arepa and the chicken avocado arepa with the nice and refreshing guanabana and lulo juices. This food was very tasty and made me remember my beautifull food back home in Colombia. Well done!!

Terrible service and alright food. I bought a couple of Groupon vouchers and the service I received when I went to redeem them was terrible. The second time we went with the voucher they made us pay more for ordering a juice with milk (which didn't happen the first time we went) however this was not stated in the fine print of the voucher. It felt as if they were making up rules to make us pay more. Providing bad service to customers when using a voucher defeats the whole purpose of issuing the voucher. The guy at the counter was particularly rude. We received bad service every single time we went to La Latina, the food is ok but we don't want to go back to this place where we feel we are not welcomed.

Arepa Heaven. We had 3 Arepas, the Chicken and Avo, Monster and Shredded Beef.<br/><br/>The Chicken and Avo was horrible compared to the other two, wasn't cooked properly all the way through and really didn't have a distinct taste.<br/><br/>That being said, the Monster Arepa was actually the best thing I've tasted in a while, the Shredded Beef was alright.<br/><br/>Chicken Avo - 3/10<br/>Monster - 10/10<br/>Shredded Beef - 7/10

Yum yum yum!! I never thought I could find any good South American food in Australia! <br/><br/>This joint has unbelievable SA food! It actually taste better than Columbian food itself I was so happy when I finally found this joint.<br/><br/>You guys rock and are the best in what you do, the music in the background, the warm welcome in South American accent and the attention is fabulous!<br/><br/>Highly recommended

Yum!. The Arepa was so good! Like the other reviewers said, it has this crunch... <br/><br/>You wait for a bit while they make it, but I'm happy to wait for something so... delicately crunchy and good. <br/><br/>The pork one was very sweet, but the guy serving us did tell me that. I have a sweet tooth, so it suited me just fine.<br/><br/>I am definitely going back! <br/><br/>Oh, and they have exotic juices. Yummy.