It’s Friday in Johnson County, and that means it’s time for another “5 to try” roundup.
This time, we asked for your recommendations for local Central and South American cuisine.
Here’s where local diners said you can find the best empanadas, pupusas, ceviche and other classic Central and South American eats:
El Pulgarcito (Merriam)
El Pulgarcito, which serves Salvadoran food, was the most recommended place among Post readers for this list.
One reader said it has the “best pupusas in town,” particularly with curtido, a spicy slaw on the side.
“I absolutely love this place!” reader Erin Vertz said.
Its menu also features breakfast options with plantains, beans and eggs, as well as seven choices of caldos (soups), carne asada con tajadas, a chopped beef and veggie dish called salpicón and pechuga asada.
At 5921 Merriam Dr., El Pulgarcito is open weekdays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
El Salvadoreño (Overland Park)
El Salvadoreño also serves Salvadoran cuisine and other Central and South American dishes, and it was also a top-recommended spot this week.
Located in downtown Overland Park at 9860 W. 87th St., El Salvadoreño is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays; 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.
It serves pupusas de queso, a beef stew with potatoes called carne guisada, panes rellenos, tamales and cóctel de camarón.
There are dine-in, outdoor seating and carry out options.
Antojitos del Peru (Lenexa)
The menu at Antojitos is primarily Peruvian cuisine with some other Latin American favorites. On Yelp, it comes highly-recommended with four stars and over 60 reviews.
Antojitos serves a cheese corn dish called choclo con queso, fried plantains, a seafood soup called aguadito de mariscos, pescado frito, bistec a lo pobre, nine desserts including a chocolate flan and Inca Kola Lata, a soft drink from Peru.
At 7809 Quivira Rd. in the Lenexa Plaza Shopping Center, Antojitos del Peru is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Friday through Sunday. It’s closed Mondays.
Anita’s Cuisine (Merriam)
Anita’s menu features a mixture of Latin American dishes, including more traditional Mexican dishes, like tamales and chilaquiles. The menu also has three different types of burritos.
The restaurant is popular, with more than 300 Google Reviews and an average of 4.6 stars out of 5.
“This is the best find! So easy to get to from I-35 & Johnson Dr. Excellent food,” one reviewer wrote.
Anita’s serves breakfast all day with 10 platter choices, ranging from huevos rancheros and tortas to breakfast burritos.
Located at 5816 Merriam Dr., Anita’s is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and is closed Sunday. Takeout hours are 7:50 a.m. to 3 p.m. on days the restaurant is open.
Empanada Madness (KCMO)
A known favorite of Royals catcher Salvador Perez, Empanada Madness is not in Johnson County but is an easy jaunt across State Line on Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo.
It’s highly popular beyond baseball stars, racking more than 800 Google Reviews, with an overall 4.2 star rating out of 5.
A traditional South American restaurant, it specializes in Venezuelan cuisine, particularly the empanadas from which it draws its name. It serves four types of empanadas, plus a family-style dozen empanada platter.
Empanada Madness also serves a corn pancake with cheese called a cachapa, fried plantains, a Venezuelan-style tamale called a hallaca, seven types of arepas and three pastelitos.
Located at 906 Southwest Blvd, it’s open Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
