Street Grill · Everyday Staple

Arepa

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Colombia has dozens of regional arepa styles, from the paisa region's thin plain disc to the coastal 'arepa de huevo' — a fried arepa with a whole egg cooked inside it.

Ground corn dough is patted into a disc and cooked on a hot griddle or grill until lightly charred, then split and filled or topped with cheese, butter, or meats. Street vendors grill them fresh on charcoal or flat-top griddles set up on sidewalks and at markets across Colombia.

Why it's made this way: Corn has been a staple in the region since long before Spanish colonization, and the arepa's simple griddle-cooking method made it an affordable food vendors could prepare fresh, in batches, throughout the day.