Puyero Is Celebrating Independence Day, Venezuelan Style

There are more hot dogs and hamburgers to be had after July Fourth festivities: Venezuela’s Independence Day is July 5 and the crew at Puyero Venezuelan Flavor are grilling up their home country’s favorite late-night street food to celebrate. Starting this Friday and running through July 9, they’ll be adding Venezuelan-style burgers and hotdogs, including a veggie version, to Puyero’s usual lineup of arepas and patacóns. “Being the Venezuelans that we are, we can’t just celebrate for a couple of days,” says Simon Arends, who owns Puyero with his brother Gil and sister-in-law Manuela Villasmil.

The Week De La Independencia menu additions at Puyero (524 S. 4th Street) include the Street Burger, with yellow cheese, white cheese, ham, cabbage, chips, green mayo, ketchup, and mustard, for $8.50, and what Arends calls “a tropical version of a burger.” The Patacón $9, has the same insides as the Street Burger but swaps out the bun for two fried plantains (Puyero’s regular offerings include patacóns/fried plantain sandwiches with chicken or shredded beef).

There’s also a perro con todo — dog with everything — topped with cabbage, cheese, chips, and green mayo, for $8. Any of the three can be made with vegetarian patties or dogs instead.

“In Venezuela, after long hours of partying, we always enjoy a good burger, hot dog, or pan con queso. We feel this is the perfect opportunity to share the Venezuelan street twist on these Fourth of July eats,” Arends says.

To drink, go for a $3 rice-based shake with dulce de leche or chocolate, cinnamon, and cookie crumbs, “to refresh in the most Venezuelan way possible,” Villasmil says.