Location: 3801 14th St. NW

Readers’ pick: El Tamarindo

Far removed from the stuffy atmosphere of Downtown D.C. sits a small, red-paneled storefront that is easy to miss on the bustling 14th Street, unless you know what’s cooking inside.

Elizabeth’s Pupuseria and Deli is a small, family-owned restaurant in Petworth, serving hearty Salvadoran staples seven days a week — 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. The 34-minute trek from campus by Metro is well worth it, and you’ll know you’ve reached the storefront when the aroma of chilis and sizzling meat begins to waft down the sidewalk.

Elizabeth’s offers pupusas and daily lunch specials that rotate through stews, grilled meats, vegetables and sides like rice and beans, all at budget-friendly prices. A meal here won’t hit your wallet too hard — pupusas are $3.50 each or two for $6, while lunch platters hover around $15. 

I visited with a friend at the end of March in search of a casual, no-frills meal, where bold flavors matter more than table settings. Walking into Elizabeth’s, I felt like I was entering someone’s home. The space was intimate and comforting, and the enclosed front patio had a distinct backyard feel, with fake turf flooring and plastic outdoor furniture. Inside the small, dimly lit restaurant, eager customers waited to order at the front, chatting in Spanish while pupusas sizzled on a griddle in the back. From the counter, we could see into the open kitchen, where two cooks worked quickly, patting dough, flipping pupusas and stirring pots of fillings with practiced rhythm.

We placed our order of pupusas: queso y espinaca (cheese and spinach) and queso y chicharrón (cheese and pork rinds), along with some refreshingly iced limón Jarritos.

After about 10 minutes, we got our food: two plates filled with large, steaming pupusas, a side of curtido — fermented cabbage salad — and small cups of salsa. We found a table on the empty patio and dug in. The pupusas — thick, savory patties made from corn flour — had visible griddle marks and a slight crisp around the edges. The chicharrón pupusa was packed with pulled pork and melted quesillo, a soft, stretchy cheese. It added just the right amount of creamy saltiness to balance the smoky pork, which carried hints of garlic and cumin.

The queso y espinaca pupusa was filled with chopped, sautéed spinach and the same soft and velvety cheese. The mild saltiness of the cheese contrasted with the earthy, slightly bitter flavors of the sautéed spinach, making for a simple yet flavorful bite. 

The curtido, a slaw made from cabbage, carrots and cilantro was crunchy and tangy, and had a bright vinegar-forward contrast to pupusas’ richness. A sprinkle of salt could have made the slaw better, but with everything else hitting the spot, I can’t complain too much. The tomato salsa added mild heat and a slight acidity, helping to round out each bite. Wanting a little more heat, we asked for a spicier chili sauce, which delivered a nice kick without overpowering the dish. The lemon soda added a tartness with each bite of the rich dish. 

I left feeling full and content, not just from the food, but from Elizabeth’s itself. The deli doesn’t try to be trendy or overly fancy. It’s a place where locals can gather, where strangers can strike up conversations and where the focus is clearly on good food and good company.