The signature dish and Chef Araujo's most personal creation — a childhood memory made into restaurant food. Deep-fried chicken that stays juicy inside, golden crispy green bananas on the side, a rich tomato-based Honduras red sauce (rojo), and a tangy escabeche (pickled onions and carrots) that cuts through the richness. The balance of crispy, spicy, sweet, and acidic is why locals call it the best chicken in the city.
Tips from diners
This is the dish Melissa cooks for friends — the pickled onions and green bananas make it different from other fried chicken.
Arrive before 1 pm on weekdays — they sell out by 2 pm most days.
House-made Bloody Mary with fresh tomatoes and Honduran spices.
Tips from diners
Order this with the pollo chuco — the spice levels play together perfectly.
The Honduran street food breakfast that defines casual eating in San Pedro Sula. Alma's version uses thick, handmade flour tortillas filled with rich refried beans, melted cheese, and a fried or scrambled egg. You can add avocado for richness or chorizo/carnitas for protein. It's cheap, filling, and the exact opposite of fancy — which is why it's a daily order for regulars.
Tips from diners
Add avocado and chorizo — it turns a breakfast side into a full meal.
Get two baleadas for under $30 with a coffee — this is the best breakfast value in the neighborhood.
Salvadoran-Honduran stuffed corn tortillas filled with cheese, beans, and meat, served with curtido (pickled vegetables).
Tips from diners
Order with curtido on the side — the pickled vegetables are the traditional pairing.
Grilled marinated beef served with tortillas, rice, and beans.
Tips from diners
Ask for extra lime and achiote sauce — the beef is simple but the condiments make it.
Chef and Owner Melissa Araujo opened Alma Cafe in 2020 in Bywater to honor her grandmother and her Honduran heritage. The restaurant was named Best Restaurant in Marigny/Bywater 2025 and Araujo was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef South in 2024. Every dish reflects her childhood eating street food in Honduras — the pollo chuco is the centerpiece, a fried chicken dish served with crispy green bananas, rich tomato sauce, and pickled onions.
Sunday-Tuesday 8 am-3 pm, Wednesday-Saturday 8 am-9 pm. Breakfast and brunch items are served all day.
The space is small and fills fast at lunch. Come early or order takeout and eat on the balcony next door.
Catering available through their website — perfect for groups who want authentic Honduran food.
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