Best Colombian Restaurants in NYC: World Cup 2026 Guide

Step off the 7 train at 82nd Street in Jackson Heights and you are immediately in another world. Latin music from the shops, the smell of grilling meat, empanadas from a cart, a restaurant with a giant multicolored cow hanging over the door. This is Roosevelt Avenue's Little Colombia — a neighborhood that has been the center of New York's Colombian community since the 1980s, when economic instability drove a wave of Colombian immigration to Queens.

Queens is one of the top counties in the US for Colombian residents. The density along Roosevelt Avenue between 79th and 84th Streets is extraordinary — restaurant after restaurant, bakery after bakery, sports bars with screens already mounted for the World Cup. During a Colombia match, the noise on this street is something you need to experience.

The Best Colombian Restaurants in Jackson Heights

La Pequeña Colombia — 83-27 Roosevelt Ave

The anchor institution of Little Colombia since 1984. This is a large, welcoming restaurant with the kind of deep Colombian menu that takes multiple visits to properly explore. The platter montanero — steamed white rice, grilled steak, fried pork rind (chicharrón), red beans, avocado, egg, and plantain — is a variation of bandeja paisa and one of the most satisfying single plates of food in Queens. The staff are known for being genuinely warm. There's a large screen in the back that is already a famous watch party spot. Order the refajo (beer mixed with Colombiana soda, the sweetened cream-soda-style Colombian soft drink) and settle in for the match.

Arepa Lady — 77-17 Roosevelt Ave

Started as a street cart by María Piedad Cano, who sold arepas de chócolo (sweet corn arepas) under the elevated 7 train tracks for years before her operation grew into a proper restaurant. The story is legendary in New York food culture — a Colombian grandmother whose handmade arepas became so famous that the food media couldn't ignore them. The restaurant now serves a fuller menu but the arepas remain the reason to go. Sweet corn arepa with butter and queso fresco. Colombian beef empanadas. Sancocho on weekends. This is the real thing.

Cositas Ricas — Roosevelt Ave at 82nd St

The 24-hour neon-lit Colombian diner under the giant multicolored cow — one of the most distinctive food establishments in all of Queens. J. Balvin filmed a music video here. Open since 2000, it's a family cafeteria by day and a continuation of whatever party just ended by late night. The well-crusted steak is the move. The hand-painted cartoon decor, peace signs, and Postobon bottle caps make the room immediately warm. Perfect for post-match eating at 2am when you need something substantial.

Pollos A La Brasa Mario — 83-18 Roosevelt Ave

A true landmark of Little Colombia. This busy, 24-hour rotisserie chicken spot on Roosevelt Ave is the original Mario's location and has been a neighborhood anchor for decades. The chickens are marinated and roasted on rotating spits — simple, perfect, inexpensive. Order a half or whole chicken with rice, beans, and fried plantains. The line during match days can be long but it moves fast. Take it to go, or grab one of the small tables inside.

Mis Tierras Colombianas — Roosevelt Ave

A beloved neighborhood staple for home-style Colombian cooking. The soup options are excellent — sancocho (chicken and vegetable stew) is deeply satisfying, especially before a cold evening match. The breakfast menu (arepas, eggs, hot chocolate with cheese) is excellent for early kickoffs. Regulars come several times a week.

Street Food on Roosevelt Avenue

Don't skip the street food. The corner of 79th Street and Roosevelt Avenue is ground zero for Colombian street vendors: empanadas (both baked and fried), chuzos (skewers of marinated pork or chicken), salpicón (fruit drink with chunks of fresh fruit), and fresh-squeezed juices. These are some of the best $3–5 snacks in New York City. Walk the avenue from 79th to 84th Street and stop at whatever smells best.

Essential Colombian Dishes to Order

• Bandeja Paisa — The national plate: steak, chicharrón (fried pork rind), white rice, red beans, avocado, fried egg, sweet plantain, and arepa. A full meal on one plate.
• Arepa de Chócolo — Sweet corn arepa, grilled and served with butter and queso fresco. The Colombian version is sweeter and softer than Venezuelan arepas.
• Empanadas — Fried corn pastry filled with beef, potato, or cheese. The Jackson Heights versions are among the best in the city — crispy, satisfying, $1–2 each.
• Sancocho — Thick chicken and vegetable stew with corn, potato, yuca, and plantain. The Colombian comfort food of choice.
• Lechona — Whole roasted pig with rice and peas, carved at the table. Best at weekend spots that specialize in it.
• Pan de Bono — Warm cheese bread made with yuca flour. Buy them at a Colombian bakery, eat immediately.
• Refajo — Beer (usually Águila) mixed with Colombiana soda. Sounds strange, tastes excellent. The match-day drink.

Where Colombia Fans Watch the World Cup in Jackson Heights

Roosevelt Avenue during a Colombia match is an experience that visitors to NYC rarely forget. The sports bars along the strip — including El Mordisco Sports Bar, Yeras Restaurant Sports Bar, and multiple others — fill up hours before kickoff. The elevated 7 train rumbles overhead, the music gets louder, the yellow jerseys multiply. Even walking along the avenue outside the bars during a match is an event.

For the biggest Colombia matches, the streets themselves become unofficial fan zones. Come early, find your spot, and stay for the post-match atmosphere regardless of the result.

Getting to Jackson Heights

Take the 7 train to 82nd St–Jackson Heights or 74th St–Jackson Heights. The walk along Roosevelt Avenue between these stations covers the heart of Little Colombia. From Midtown Manhattan it's about 25–30 minutes. The 7 is also the train that runs through Flushing (Korean), Woodside (Irish/Filipino), and Corona (Mexican) — you can do a full Queens food and culture crawl in one afternoon on the same line.