CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Food lovers have something exciting to look forward to as a new Venezuelan restaurant, Arepas Steakhouse, is set to open on Thursday, August 15th, at 5th Street Station. Simon Davidson of Charlottesville 29 shared the news during his weekly conversation with Courteney, highlighting the journey of Fernando and Maria Salazar, the couple behind the Arepas on Wheels food truck.

The Salazars, who fled Venezuela in 2016, began with a food truck serving arepas and have now expanded to a brick-and-mortar location.

Davidson expressed his admiration for the Salazars, commending their heartfelt approach to running their restaurants. “In my view, there are two kinds of restaurants in the world. There are those with love, and then there’s all the rest.” The new steakhouse will offer a full menu, including traditional Venezuelan dishes, alongside their signature arepas.

Davidson praised the family’s perseverance and the quality of their food, calling it “a really cool success story.”