Shopping

Centro Commercial El Recreo

Address: Avenue Casanova Sabana Grande Phone: 212 761 2740 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 9pm, Sundays 12noon to 8pm Located a few walking steps from the Hotel Gran Melia, El Recreo offers affordable recreation for locals and tourists alike. With its numerous boutiques selling garments, accessories, and groceries and its selection of fine delicatessens, El Recreo is one mall that will introduce you to the most mundane shopping scenes of the city – ones that start with a fine day of shopping for everyday items, go on to delightful afternoon meals, and end with a movie or two at the in-house cinema.

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Centro Commercial Chacaito

Market

Address: Plaza Chacaito, Chacao district Situated by Plaza Chacaito, the central landmark piazza within the elite Chacao district, the Chacaito mall is known for its pleasing variety of everyday casual wear garments and accessories. The place also contains a well-stocked supermarket, and a café which offers some very fine cappuccino.

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Centro Commercial Paseo

Address: Avenue Principal de Las Mercedes, Las Mercedes district Phone: 212 991 3164 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 8pm Paseo is for Caraqueños living the high life! Aptly situated in one of the city’s most elite neighborhoods, Paseo is an old mall that the citizens have come to trust when it comes to authentic jewelry, especially gold and silver bracelets, designer labels in apparel, cosmetics and accessories, and charming interior décor. The mall offers, apart from the high-end, not-so-inexpensive garments and electronic gadgets, a commendable bookstore with a large international collection, a splendid cinema house, the mall’s own health and beauty salon, a well-stocked pharmacy, and a collection of some of the city’s tastiest diners and cafés. Hotel Paseo Las Mercedes, a high-end hotel that offers excellent service to guests, is included within the mall’s premises. Also within the mall, Transnocho Cultural, a very happening place for intellectuals and postmodernists, attracts a sizeable audience to its regularly held musical programs, art exhibitions, and performances. For the party loving horde, the mall includes its own nightclub – you can experience a subtle shift in the kind of crowd as the hours start setting in. Parking is available in the mall’s own garage.

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San Ignacio

Modest dress

Address: Avenida Blandín, La Castellana, Caracas Phone: 212 263 3953 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 3am Two splendid elliptical towers with seemingly infinite terraces, resembling an ultramodern space station or a high-income futuristic elite colony, the San Ignacio is a visual marvel in itself for its visitors. The mall offers ridiculously expensive designer garments and footwear, fashion accessories, both locally crafted and internationally branded, and the latest in electronic gadgetry including computers, cell phones, and video games. The mall also contains a number of popular diners and coffee shops, perfect for that break in your tiring shopping day. An incredible cinema with VIP seating adds another dimension to the mall. Thus, San Ignacio forms a multi-faceted entertainment complex. As dusk falls, San Ignacio makes a smooth transition from a shopper’s paradise to a partygoers’ haven. With its numerous clubs and late-night bars serving up all kinds of shots to heart pumping music, San Ignacio entertains the city from morning till the very early hours of the morning again. Underground parking with valet service is available for up to 2000 cars.

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Centro Commercial Ciudad Tamanaco (CCCT)

Address: Avenue Principal de Las Mercedes Phone: 212 959 2169 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 9am to 9pm, Sundays 1pm to 7pm Situated in Las Mercedes, the hip and happening part of Caracas, the CCCT is the perfect place to head to if you have a sizeable wallet or a collection of credit cards that actually work! The inverted half-pyramidal shape of the mall attracts many an unsuspecting tourist from a long distance, who wanders inside unaware of the outrageously expensive goods on display. CCCT is famous for its more than 500 shops and boutiques that sell anything from garments to undergarments and all in between and beyond. The stores contain toys, electronics, high end décor, and authentic artwork, apart from the mundane groceries and items of daily use. CCCT houses two nightclubs that rage on all night, a charming variety of international diners arranged around an artistically designed food court, and a splendid movie theater. The mall contains an indoor parking space for 6000 cars. Weekends get especially crowded, when people come not only to shop, but to eat, watch movies, and dance all night!

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Centro Lido

Address: Avenue Francisco de Miranda, El Rosal district Phone: 212 952 7196 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 8pm Located in another elite neighborhood within Caracas, Lido presents a shopping experience marked by authentic serenity and comfort that many other malls fail to provide. Firstly, the mall is not very crowded – this may be due to the fact that its prices are WAY too high for common Caraqueños to even window-shop. The mall is actually complementary to an already existing office space, containing facilities like beauty salons, perfume and cosmetics stores, and fitness centers, which cater exclusively to its stinking rich corporate clientele. The mall offers high-end designer gear, accessories, jewelry, and footwear. It also houses two incredible movie theatres, more than a dozen authentic international diners, and a five-star hotel. Even if you do not shop, the mall offers an exciting insight into the lives of the city’s elite.

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Centro Commercial El Tolón

Address: Nicholas Copernico Road, south of Plaza Alfredo Sadel, El Rosal disrtict Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 10am to 9pm, Sundays and holidays 12noon to 8pm A lavish upscale mall that has recently entered the shopping scene in Caracas, El Tolón has quickly become one of the most popular malls around Caracas, as can be witnessed by the sheer number of people that swarm it each day. The mall contains a very diverse range of products, including, apart from garments and footwear, gifts and toys, the latest in electronic items, high end cosmetics and perfumes, opticians, pharmacies, two cinema houses, and a host of trendy diners serving up delectable local and international menus.

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Centro Commercial Sambil

Modest dress

Address: Avenue Libertador intersection at Los Ángeles, Chacao district Phone: 212 263 9323 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 11am to 9pm, Sundays and holidays 12noon to 8pm Sambil is believed to be the largest mall in all of South America. It is not uncommon, especially during the first weekend of every month, to see people from all around the country who just come to spend a full day of shopping at the mall before returning to their own cities towards the evening. A visit to the mall on any such day is sure to be filled with exciting, enlightening, and sometimes even amusing moments. The mall is a visual treat in itself, fusing elements of formal, modern architecture with the city’s rich cultural heritage. Spread over five floors, its dozens of elegant boutiques are a pleasure for any kind of shopper. Come here for the designer apparel, shoes, and fashion accessories that are hard to find anywhere else around the city – at such good prices, anyway. Sambil is one place where you can get ridiculously expensive items at somewhat reasonable prices. The large variety of items on apparently permanent year-round sales, coupled with the Caraqueños’ inherent love for shopping, make this mall a first choice for everyday shoppers as well as window-shopping social anthropologists. The mall contains two small cinema houses and more than a dozen decent restaurants serving up Asian, French, Spanish, and Italian cuisine. The top floor also houses an arena for the game-loving shopper. Word of advice – always keep your valuables in a safe place, especially your ID’s. Lots of people means lots of pickpockets!

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Centro Plaza

Address: Avenue Francisco de Miranda, Los Palos Grandes neighborhood Phone: 212 507 8800 Timings: Mondays to Fridays 9am to 12noon, 230pm to 630pm You will easily recognize this tall, slim office block with its glittering glass façade and the golden colored “Centro Plaza” sign on the front. The Centro Plaza is tucked away on the lower five floors of a 20-floor office building, and is a relatively unknown shopping center considering the shopping craze of the Caraqueños. This might be because it specializes mostly in office goods, electrical equipment, audio visual gadgets, videogame stores, and quite affordable designer clothing and footwear for youngsters and teens. The mall also contains a sizeable fitness and sports equipment section. For this reason you will often find, as opposed to the families and couples at other malls, groups of local teenagers rambling around its premises, ogling and whistling at girls passing by, sitting in one of the many courtyard cafes sipping away on simmering coffee, and enjoying the slower pace of city life. Centro Plaza has a large underground parking lot (owing to the fifteen floors of office space it also houses), a mini-theater, and a grocery mart.

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Metro Center

Address: Avenue Baralt and Avenue Universidad intersection, El Silencio district Phone: 212 482 7646 A relatively new and stylishly designed mall, Metro Center has yet to achieve the attention of the crazy Caraqueño shopper crowd. The mall is located in a fairly secluded part within the old central district, almost devoid of traffic when compared to the highway rage Caraqueños have to face every day. Metro Center offers a general collection of garments and accessories, everyday items, and home décor. The mall is more popular with the tourist crowd, however, for the sheer number of fast food outlets it contains – it is the perfect spot to stop for a quick bite during a tour of the old city. From Asian to American and all that is in between, topped with juices and shakes from around the world, you can find anything to your taste in these more than three dozen diners even if you do nothing more than window shop.

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Mercado de la Hoyoda

Modest dress

Address: Avenue Fuerzas Armadas, Centro district Phone: 212 576 8147 Timings: open daily 8am to 8pm A sprawling open-air market, the Hoyoda offers, at very reasonable prices, all that you could hope to find in the most glamorous of malls around Caracas – or quite authentic copies, anyway! The market consists of hundreds of kiosks that sell anything from clothes and artificial jewelry to eatables, drinkables, and store-ables. A fine collection of cheap local artwork in the form of vintage paintings, photo frames, and hand-crafted sculptures make for delightful souvenirs. The market is very popular amongst locals and tourists alike, who might as well venture in and out of it as they go around exploring the city. A number of cafés and restaurants dotted along the market’s periphery offer refreshing breaks from shopping sprees. Parking is available on the street, provided you manage to arrive early! Word of caution – be very mindful of your valuables, as pickpockets just lurk around street markets like this one where people inevitably keep bumping into one another.

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Museo Bolivariano

Attraction

Address: south of Plaza Bolívar Timings: Tuesdays to Fridays 9pm to 430pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 4pm. Admission free A museum dedicated to the legendary independence hero Simon Bolivar. Situated in a renovated colonial style building, the Bolivar Museum contains exhibits with historic documents, formal dresses from Bolivar’s era, a collection of weapons used during the colonial wars, and a number of paintings from the political and personal life of Simon Bolivar.

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What to do with Children in Tow

Activity

Caracas loves children! Apart from the many family-oriented public parks, like the Parque del Este and the Parque Los Caobos, which offer countless hours of fun with the lush landscaping, the serene water bodies, the alluring all-year-round floral displays, and the regularly organized family activities, the city contains two large public zoos that are also a big hit with Caraqueño children.

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Plaza Bolívar

Attraction

The main public square in Caracas, dedicated to the man whose relentless struggles bought the nation independence. The plaza is large open space used frequently by the citizens for public gatherings, political processions, open-air festivals and concerts, and as the starting point of numerous annual parades. The plaza contains impressive monuments, including statues of Bolivar, and is surrounded by government buildings and offices, all echoing with colonial architectural accents.

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La Casa Natal de Simon Bolívar

Attraction

Address: between Esqs San Jacinto and Traposos Cathedral Phone: +28 212 541 2563 Timings: Tuesdays to Fridays 9am to 4pm, Saturdays and Sundays 10am to 430pm. Admission free of charge This is the birthplace of El Liberator Simón Bolívar, the most highly esteemed national hero in Venezuela. It has been restored as a national museum with the utmost attention to detail. Constructed originally as a colonial style mansion in the 17th century but starting to undergo significant degradation over the years, the house has been completely restored and now functions as a permanent exhibition space that depicts scenes from the life of Bolívar and his family, including classic living room furniture, formal attires, banners and weaponry, and full-wall paintings.

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Calvario Hill

Attraction

Address: Paseo El Calvario, Urbanización El Silencio, Caracas Timings: open daily 7am to 10pm Go for stroll though these lush gardens containing an enchanting chapel and a brilliant white stone arch, all of which were built to emulate the city of Paris. The park contains classical elements out of the gardens at Versailles, including delicate metalwork benches, gazebos, statues of eminent personalities, and fountains. Located on a hill overlooking the city, this is the ideal place to spend your last evening in the city as you sit back and take one last, lingering look at Caracas from above.

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Elliptic Hall

Attraction

Constructed in 1872, and having serviced many administrative departments since, including the Federal Court, the Legislative Court, and currently acting as the Seat of Congress, the Capitol Building, also known as the Elliptic Hall, is a stunning whitewashed building with golden domes that today contains some of the most important legislative documents and manuscripts of the Republic of Venezuela. Although visitors are not allowed inside, they can observe the building for its traces of rich colonial legacy in the elements and embellishment techniques used. The building is an authentic architectural marvel from the regime of the Spanish monarchy.

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Casa Amarilla

Attraction

Address: Centro, western edge of Plaza Bolívar Originally a prison cum sanitarium in the 17th century, Casa Amarilla is also known popularly as the Yellow House because of the shade of lemon yellow given to it after the country’s independence. Casa Amarilla is a treat to the eyes – or whatever you can catch of it today, as it is currently the Foreign Affairs office and visitors are generally not allowed inside. But get a glimpse of it as you pass the Plaza Bolívar, and you will see a very well-preserved example of a colonial manor with many small projecting balconies forming a rhythmic façade.

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Capilla de Santa Rosa de Lima

Attraction

Address: west of Concejo Municipal, south of Plaza Bolívar This chapel marks the exact location where Venezuela was declared as an independent sovereign state in 1811 – although it took 10 more years for this goal to be achieved. However, the chapel has been held in high reverence ever since, and has recently been restored with classic décor and furniture from Venezuela’s cultural past. Great photo ops inside!

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Panteón Nacional

Attraction

Address: north of Plaza Bolivar Timings: open daily (including holidays) Originally constructed as a majestic church, the National Pantheon was converted in 1874 to act as the last resting place for many of Venezuela’s prominent personalities, based on their outstanding achievements in fields of politics, warfare, social service, and education and science. The central, focal space within the pantheon is reserved for Simon Bolivar’s remains. The ceiling contains murals depicting scenes from Bolivar’s life. The body itself is contained within a sarcophagus of bronze housed within a polished marble niche, and the burial chamber reeks of immortal grandeur. More than a hundred other notable personalities are buried within the Pantheon, all the chambers designed with special attributes and elements that had significant symbolic meaning to the person buried within. Overall, the Pantheon is a genuine example of neo-colonial baroque style architecture, with pale pink paint, overly done columns, intricate arches, and grand cupola-topped towers.

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Teatro Nacional

Attraction

Also known as the Municipal Theatre, this public amenity is a splendid work of art in itself. Since its first live performance in 1881, an opera that received national recognition, the theatre has successfully continued to lure music and art lovers to its rather commendable performances. The interior is ornamented in tones of opulent luxury, with velvets and fine silks and an added sprinkle of gold. A large central dome over the performance area attempts to re-create the ambience of a 19th century opera performance. The theater usually has one or more ongoing shows throughout the year, and you are sure to catch one any time you drop by. Splurge on traditional Venezuelan and South American ballets, musicals, and operas. Tickets are quite reasonable, and they are seldom sold out to the full.

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El Arabito

Cuisine: Arabian Address: Avenue Casanova, Sabana Grande Phone: 212 761 0887 Timings: Mondays to Sundays 11am to 12midnight Small, welcoming, and inexpensive, this Arabian diner is known best for its falafels, shish kebabs, spicy shawarmas, and an assortment of customizable salads. It also specializes in fast food, burgers, and sandwiches. Try the Pitta-Burger, made out of a beef or chicken helping wrapped inside soft Middle Eastern bread. A take-away service is also provided as there is rarely enough space to seat the hordes of incoming customers. The restaurant contains a little store where you can buy Arabian spices and groceries like olives, dry nuts, roasted almonds, and confectionery.

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Zambal

Cuisine: Asian Address: 3 Avenue, Los Palos Grandes Phone: 212 286 8553 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 11am to 4pm, 7pm to 11pm Small, trendy, and popular amongst the locals as the best Asian eatery in town, you will often find Zambal overcrowded to the brim with young Caraqueños as well as tourists. Chinese, Indo-Chinese, Japanese, and Thai, you can experience authenticity in all its Asian grandeur. The place contains charming interior décor and lighting, kind of like a frame out of a Japanese movie. The furniture is finely carved, ceramic ornaments line the intimately low-placed shelves, and incandescent lanterns hanging from the ceiling simulate fireflies on a dark night. Treat yourself to one of the delightful varieties of sushi after choosing from an assortment of appetizing Thai soups. You can also try the sashimi, chicken curry, szechaun steak, and salmon. Service is quick and very polite.

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Lasserre

Cuisine: French Address: 3 Avenue, Los Palos Grandes Phone: 212 283 4558 Timings: Mondays to Fridays 12noon to 4pm, 7pm to midnight. Saturdays 7pm to midnight A genuinely French dining experience, a rarity in Caracas. The interior whisks you off on a magical journey to 17th century Versailles, complete with baroque and rococo paintings, full-length mirrors reminiscent of the Palace Hall, and decorative schemes in silver, gold, and crystal, coupled with soothing live piano sessions. The rich menu offers traditional delicacies like anguille pâté, chicken Kiev, peacock bass, and Canard à l'Armagnac. Also available are a delightful variety of French desserts. The restaurant offers a valet parking service. Reservations are strongly advised.

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El Barquero

Cuisine: Spanish/Seafood Address: Avenue Luis Roche, corner 5a Transversal Altamira Phone: 212 261 4645 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 1130am to 11pm All aboard for a delightful journey into the riches of the oceans, accompanied by creatures from the deep (don’t worry, the creatures will all be cooked, grilled, fried, or roasted)? El Barquero, “The Boatman”, serves mouthwatering fish and shrimp dishes, as well as a delightful variety of lamb and rabbit dishes! Try the seafood rice and casserole. The restaurant has an air of formality, and is good for over-lunch business talks. It also contains a hall that can be rented out for conference and event dinners.

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Astrid y Gastón

Cuisine: Peruvian Address: Calle Londres, Las Mercedes Phone: 212 993 1119 Timings: Mondays to Saturdays 1230pm to 330pm, 7pm to midnight Straight from the heart of Lima, Peru, comes this delightful little restaurant that will leave you just longing to visit Peru itself! Located in one of the most upscale and undisturbed parts of town, the restaurant offers genuine Peruvian flavor right down to the last speck of pepper and sauce. Start off by spicing things up with some hot, steaming chupe (soup). Then try scrumptious delicacies like the ceviche (saucy seafood in tantalizing gravy), causa (dumplings with potato peels and slices), and a variety of fish and meat menus that are not exactly true-blood Peruvian but a finger-lickin’ blend of Spanish, Middle Eastern, and Asian flavors. The place has a formal atmosphere, and is good for serious dinners with business partners and delegates. Reservations are especially advised.

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Coma

Cuisine: International Address: inside the C.C. Blandín shopping center, Avenue Blandín, Chacao district Phone: 212 263 4628 Timings: Daily 8am to 730pm A favorite hangout space for businessmen, Coma places all its emphasis on providing healthy, low-fat, organic food for its busy clientele. Treat yourself to tossed salads, whole meal sandwiches, a variety of pasta, fresh fruit juices, a selection of cream shakes, and dishes derived from milk and dairy products. For dinner you can try a more filling menu composed of fish, meat, and vegetable dishes. A special mention is the salmon fillet. Coma contains an open-air terrace, another reason which makes it a first choice for relaxed business conversations through the evening. Coma, keeping in mind its target crowd, also provides wireless internet service to its customers.

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Altamar

Cuisine: Mediterranean/Spanish Address: 3 Transversal, entry to Avenue San Juan Bosco and Avenue Luis Roche, Altamira district Phone: 212 262 1813 Timings: Daily 12noon to 11pm Santorini? So you will surely feel as you step inside this charming Mediterranean diner. With blue and white walls and matching furniture, this place pulls you into a whirlwind of Spanish and Galician seafood recipes, with slight pinches of Greek spices. A special mention: the tiger shrimp dish topped with garlic, served with cured ham – called “camarones al ajillo con jamon serrano”. The turkey and chicken menu is also worth tasting, served with a side dish of vegetables of your choice. Reservations are advised, as this place is quite popular, and subsequently very crowded.

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Aventino

Cuisine: French Address: Avenue San Felipe, La Castellana Phone: 212 267 5422 Timings: Mondays to Fridays 12noon to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm. Saturdays 7pm to 11pm Just add the Eiffel Tower and you can have the whole of France inside this charming little place! Operating since the 1960s, regarded as a pioneer in French cuisine in all of Caracas, Aventino prides itself with traditionalism when it comes to serving authentic food with all the hospitality of a Frenchman. The décor and lighting is reminiscent of many a diner in Paris. The special on the menu: pressed duck, the Caneton a la presse – spice, seasoning, and flavor, with an added touch of magic, all make this dish a must-have during any visit to Caracas. Good for formal dinners with family and friends. Reservations are strictly advised.

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Sibaris

Cuisine: Fusion Address: Avenue Principal, Las Mercedes Phone: 212 991 8776 Timings: Daily 11am to 4pm, 7pm to 11pm The best flavors from around the globe, blended to perfection by experts and served with local traditions of hospitality. The interior is splendidly ornamented, presenting a rather formal setting, but the ambience is nonetheless soothing. As for the food – what you cannot make out from the menu will gladly be explained to you by the friendly waiters, including the ingredients, the spices used, the seasonings added, and how the dish will ultimately taste! If you are still not comfortable, you can ask for a custom-made meal – list the ingredients and spices you want to be used for any meal on the menu and the chef will modify it for you. Sibaris also contains a small courtyard garden with an adjoining terrace, making for a perfect evening dining experience. Make reservations at least a day before you plan to visit, as this popular five star restaurant is usually booked to full capacity every night! Valet parking is available.

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Arepazo

Cuisine: Local Address: Con Avenue Principal de Las Mercedes, El Rosal A visit to Caracas is not complete without a taste of the truly authentic Caraqueño dish, the stuffed arepa. The arepa is round corn flour bread, usually small in size. It can be made into a roll, and the filling can range from salads and strictly vegetarian, to cheese and butter, to poultry, meat and fish. The meat can be grilled, sauced, minced, roasted, fried – you name it! Do not try to make a reservation – there is no phone! But the place is neat, the service is polite, and the food – some of the best at this price!