Sabores

Carlos Olarte, Co-Owner

Collage of Sabores spotlight

Carlos Olarte from Venezuela had always wanted his own restaurant. When he faced unemployment during the COVID pandemic, he approached two friends — Ernesto Valenzuela from Honduras and Alejandro Lopez from Colombia — to join him in opening a restaurant together. It was a natural partnership since the three worked together at several restaurants, such as the well-known Jaleo. When the current space became available on Columbia Pike, Carlos and his co-owners moved forward, opening in February 2023. Carlos says although it has been challenging, one year later he’s starting to see repeat customers. An interesting phenomenon is that patrons are coming from further away like DC and Maryland. The location along Columbia Pike is accessible to 395, not far from Pentagon City and Route 50.

People are coming to Sabores Tapas Bar for the different flavors on the menu, indicative of the restaurant’s name. Local neighbors have also discovered Sabores and regularly walk to the restaurant from both sides of Columbia Pike. Some of those flavors are indicative of the owners’ home countries and beyond. From arepas to churrasco, Cuban ropa vieja to Peruvian lomo saltado and an array of Spanish tapas meant for sharing — there are numerous options as well as a robust Spanish wine list. Beyond the small plates, Carlos says it’s the happy and light ambience that makes people return. And getting there is easy with nearly 70% of the staff using public transit and walking to get to work. Carlos shares that coming soon are wine dinners every two months, new items on the menu and Bottomless Brunch (Sat. and Sun. from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.). So plan your trip for tapas with friends, a wine dinner or happy hour after work.

Sabores
2401 Columbia Pike
Arlington, VA 22204
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