The story
Arepa Mia is the dream of Chef Lis Hernandez, born from a childhood spent helping her mother sell arepas on the streets of Venezuela. For over 25 years, her mother made these stuffed cornmeal patties, teaching Lis the recipes and the business along the way. When Chef Hernandez moved to America, she knew she wanted to bring her home country’s traditional cuisine with her. Starting through the Atlanta underground market in 2011, she built Arepa Mia on what she calls “simple comfort, simple love, and simple food.” That deep respect for family and tradition is what elevates every dish.
At its heart, Arepa Mia is about the arepa—a Venezuelan staple made from 100% cornmeal flour, grilled until golden, then sliced and stuffed. The menu is entirely gluten-free, and ingredients are sourced locally from Georgia farms. The Pabellón arepa, with shredded grass-fed beef, organic black beans, fried sweet plantains, and queso de año, is a classic. The Asado Negro features grass-fed beef roasted for 12 hours with red wine and sugar cane. For something different, the Reina Pepiada offers a creamy chicken salad with avocado. Beyond arepas, you will find cachapas (sweet corn pancakes), empanadas, and patacones—sandwiches made with fried green plantains instead of bread. This is honest Venezuelan cuisine, executed with care and a clear point of view.
In 2026, Arepa Mia was awarded a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, an honor recognizing restaurants that offer good quality, good value cooking. It also earned a spot on Atlanta’s “75 Best Restaurants” list. Chef Hernandez has created a welcoming spot in Avondale Estates that fills a gap in Atlanta’s dining scene, serving the kind of food she grew up eating—and that her mother still cannot believe people love so far from home.
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