01-07-2025
Lunch like a local at Barroluco
The latest entry in our "Eating Around the World" series takes us to Argentina via a popular lunch spot for downtown workers.
Dining the news: Barroluco is tucked in an alley, but it's hardly a secret. The U.S. Small Business Administration recently named owner Victor Omar D'Angelo the 2025 Ohio Small Business Person of the Year.
D'Angelo and his family emigrated from Argentina, and after a few other local culinary efforts, they opened Barroluco in 2018.
What we ate: Tyler and Alissa stopped by for lunch last week. He tried the milanesa grande, a cut of chicken coated with seasoned breadcrumbs ($20).
She ordered a sampler platter including a pork rib; loaded fries; paella, a Spanish rice topped with corn, chorizo and chicken; and an empanada, a pastry filled with chicken and cheese ($22.50).
For dessert: A pile of sweet plantains ($7).
💭 Tyler's thought bubble: Grande is right. It was huge for a lunch portion, and the coating gave it a perfect crisp.
💭 Alissa's take: The paella and empanada were platter standouts, along with the garlicky chimichurri, but it was all delicious the first and the second time I ate it. It was enough for two lunches.
We suggest you come hungry.
The intrigue: The restaurant has an option to order a weekly meal plan.
🏳️🌈 Worthy of your time: Barroluco is one of many local LGBTQ+-owned businesses Experience Columbus highlighted for Pride Month. See the list.
Go deeper: See the other international foods we've mapped so far.
