Lancaster Restaurant Ranks Fifth in Yelp’s Top 100 List

Foodies from the Philadelphia region always crave a culinary adventure to try new things. If you fall into that category, here's your chance to take a road trip to Lancaster, where you can experience the flavors of Chellas Arepa Kitchen, ranked fifth in Yelp's Top 100 U.S. Restaurants for 2025.

The restaurant traces its origins to a humble food truck purchased by owner Luis Quiroz. It honors the legacy of his grandmother's South American cooking. In January of this year, Quiroz opened the first brick-and-mortar store for the business at 325 N. Queen St. in downtown Lancaster.

“Family is the essence for us. Grandma Chellas showed us the passion for cooking and to gather at the table to share memories (and) good meals,” Quiroz said in an interview with FOX43 News.

The menu at Chellas Arepa Kitchen combines Peruvian and Venezuelan cuisine elements with vegan and gluten-free options for guests. Dishes on the menu include meat bowls served with rice and beans, sweet plantains served with cotija cheese, and arepas, the restaurant's namesake. Arepas are corn cakes cooked until they are crunchy on the outside yet remain soft inside.

Today, Quiroz's dream supports the livelihoods of more than two dozen people on his staff. He attributes the growth of his business to the recognition it received from customers on platforms such as Yelp. He believes the recognition from Yelp reviewers helped attract guests from out of state to discover great tastes for themselves.

Below is only a sampling of the comments made by Yelp reviewers:

Learn more about Chellas Arepa Kitchen on the restaurant's website.