1428 RACE STREET

The creation of former Procter & Gamble logistics and financial coordinator turned marketer Angel Batista and Queen City Radio co-founder Louisa Reckman, Maize is a Venezuelan restaurant with Caribbean flair. A good portion of the menu is corn-based and thus gluten-free. This includes a menu of empañadas stuffed with ingredients like shredded chicken tossed in sofrito, Caribbean-style shredded pork, Venezuelan-style shredded beef and Venezuelan hand cheese. The menu also includes arepas and cachapas, similar dishes of corn cakes stuffed with ingredients.

Sweet Petit Desserts creator Taren Tinebrew grew up in the kitchen, cooking with Grandma and the result is a splendid collection of desserts made from scratch with the finest ingredients. She claims that desserts are best enjoyed as a reflection of culture, and bakes edibles that she’s tasted around the world. Her menu includes delightful little treats such as Cake Pops ($18/dozen), Red Velvet Bites ($15/dozen), Key Lime Bars ($12/dozen), Double Chocolate Brownies ($15/dozen), Cheesecake ($12/dozen), Lemon Bars ($12/dozen), Pound Cake ($15/dozen), Petit Fours ($15/dozen), Macaroons ($18/dozen), chocolate covered items of all kinds and much more.