If one takes a journey through the Ironbound, one will always find a wide variety of great places for food, whether the cuisine is Spanish, Portuguese, or Brazilian. Travel time to a restaurant in Newark can vary depending on several factors, like distance, traffic, and mode of transportation.
Right on Ferry Street is a great Brazilian restaurant called Altas Horas. It is a small restaurant that offers a wide assortment of food with a focus on barbecue-style steaks and burgers. If one is in the mood for something sweet, they also offer cakes, pastries and other desserts that would definitely be a great
I sat down at a nice table and read the menu and saw the prices of the food were pretty cheap. A regular hamburger costs around five dollars. This is great for students that are on a budget trying out local food throughout the city of Newark. Atlas Horas offers a drink called Guaraná, a fruity-esque soda from Brazil that is very enjoyable. However, if one is more conventional in their soda tastes, they can find drinks such as Coke and Sprite there as well.
The hamburgers are prepared in a very Brazilian style and are incredibly large as well. They come with a wide variety of toppings, some that are more usual such as bacon or ketchup, but others that are a little bit more unconventional such as bananas or eggs. Despite the additional cost of some toppings, they are worth it.
I ordered a much more traditional hamburger with just bacon and ketchup on it, and it tasted very good. The hamburger was cooked just the way I wanted it and was quite flavorful. It was very juicy and was seasoned very well. My other toppings were little bits of egg and banana, a special sauce, and fries. These gave the hamburger some extra flair and enhanced the taste. I was satisfied upon leaving, happy with the quality of the food and full.
One thing to note is that at Atlas Horas, the tip is added to the bill automatically. The atmosphere is very cafe-esque; one can choose to sit at a table or get their food and leave if in a hurry. It is a quiet place to eat but when people do arrive it does get a little bit noisier. There are a couple of TV’s around the restaurant which mostly showed news. The service is good as well with friendly people there to serve. They speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese. I would highly recommend this restaurant for students on a budget looking to explore local, authentic, and available cuisine. Altas Horas is a synergy between Brazilian food with flair and classic American food.
