Arepa Fresca Union Station

More often than not, when people ask me for plant-based food recs in Boulder, I recommend our Whole Foods Beyond Meat burger bar.

And now, when people ask for recs in Denver, I can ALSO guide them to the Union Station Whole Foods, where Arepa Fresca is now serving some insanely delicious, vegan arepas, that are ideal for the downtown lunch rush.

These beautiful, corn flour based traditional sandwiches are something of a work of art. They’re vibrant and colorful, and make me happy just looking at them. Arepa Fresca has really perfected their game, as their corn buns are perfectly crisp on the outside, and have a fluffy/chewy center, that I would be completely content to enjoy without all the delectable fillings Fresca adds to their variations.

I tried both their falafel and their jackfruit variations, and MAN, are they awesome. I am pretty picky when it comes to falafels (not sure how I became a falafel snob, but HERE I AM) and these weren’t dry or fell apart like most do. Nice and crunchy on the outside and bursting with flavor. And though I haven’t been much of a jackfruit supporter as of late, their BBQ jackfruit was also impressive compared to most versions I’ve had, especially with the addition of the smoky chipotle sauce or creamy cilantro aoili. I am not embarrassed to admit I gobbled up BOTH of these for lunch in between work shifts.

AND I finished it off with this beautiful little hummus stuffed avocado, with pickled cabbage and roasted chickpeas. It was a gorgeous, delicious mess, and I reveled in every sloppy moment of it. Most of their salads and sandwiches also include the cabbage, hummus and other fresh toppings, alongside things like yucca fries, black bean soup and avo-repa toast as sides. They also offer refreshing traditional Venezuelan drinks like watermelon or mango agua fresca and decadent scratch-made horchata.