Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille traces back to Carlos and Carolina Gutierrez, who grew up in Venezuela and Colombia and started selling arepas — the grilled cornmeal patties that give the restaurant its name — out of a booth at Columbus's Latino Festival. The response led them to open a first small location in Pearl Alley Downtown, which became a lunch-hour staple before eventually closing.
The concept grew from there: a Gahanna location added a full bar, lunch and dinner service, and an expanded menu of Latin American dishes with a focus on Venezuelan and Colombian cooking. In 2014, the Brewery District location opened as the largest of the group, with two dining rooms, a bar, and event space built around an industrial, artsy feel.
The cilantro sauce has developed a following of its own among regulars, who order it by the bottle and pour it over just about everything on the table. Columbus Monthly named Arepazo among its best restaurants for 2025.
The concept grew from there: a Gahanna location added a full bar, lunch and dinner service, and an expanded menu of Latin American dishes with a focus on Venezuelan and Colombian cooking. In 2014, the Brewery District location opened as the largest of the group, with two dining rooms, a bar, and event space built around an industrial, artsy feel.
The cilantro sauce has developed a following of its own among regulars, who order it by the bottle and pour it over just about everything on the table. Columbus Monthly named Arepazo among its best restaurants for 2025.