Somos Handcrafted Arepas to open second location in Shelton

Somos Handcrafted Arepas will bring the taste of Venezuela to the Shelton area. The restaurant announced a new location opening via Instagram and Facebook.

“We do not have an exact date on when we are opening since things are in back order but we are thinking to open around April 1,” said owner Alejandro Cordido.

Brothers Andres and Alejandro Cordido opened Somos Handcrafted Arepas in June 2020 at 63 Orange Street in New Haven. At Somos Handcrafted Arepas, they make Venezuelan style arepas, which are meant to be stuffed with various ingredients.

Arepas are made from a warm white or yellow dough that is filled or topped with various cheeses, proteins and vegetables.

“This is the food we grew up eating and wanted to share this with the city of New Haven and now Shelton,” he said.

The brothers always had their eyes on opening a location in Shelton especially since there have been so many businesses opening in the area. “Shelton is like a hidden gem when it comes to food and so many people are starting to see that,” said Cordido.

The new location used to be a kickboxing gym that was split into two. The exact address has not been disclosed.

The restaurant does not only sell arepas but other Venezuelan foods like Cachapa, a traditional semi-sweet corn pancake with ground fresh corn, cheese and panela (or sugar), empanadas, tequeños, a cheesy breadstick wrapped in a spiral fashion and rice or salad bowls. Somos Handcrafted Arepas also sells vegan options.

From ingredients to technique, the brothers took what they learned from their grandmother. “We would make arepas everyday with her and became a part of our life,” said Cordido.

“Food is such a wonderful thing. You can literally travel the world with the food that you eat and I can’t wait for people to take a bite of our food and taste our culture,” he said.

The brothers plan to expand and hope to have a Somos Handcrafted Arepas in every state.