School
New College of Florida
Expertise
Hispanic cuisines, Street food, Hotel restaurants
- Mariana's first professional internship was with the award-winning site Atlas Obscura, and she wrote various articles for the brand's food vertical, Gastro Obscura.
- She once interviewed the head chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea.
- She was a staff writer at Far & Wide, where she regularly covered international cuisine, restaurants, and all things food.
Experience
Mariana was born in Colombia before moving to the U.S. at the age of 10. She's lived in France and South Korea and has traveled to over 45 countries. This has given her a passion for new flavors and the experience to cover international cuisine. She likes fine dining as much as street food and has written about food for numerous publications, including Spruce Eats and Thrillist.
Education
Mariana has a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from New College of Florida. She also completed a semester at the Institut Catholique de Paris, where she studied French and sociology.
The Takeout’s industry-leading editorial coverage is the result of collaboration between writers and editors with a wide array of experience and expertise in the world of food and drink. Every article is fact-checked by our team of editors to ensure accuracy. Outside experts are also consulted to help deliver factual, up-to-date information.
Our mission is to both inform and entertain our readers, telling them everything they want to know (and more) about food. We strive to always provide a well-rounded reading experience, bringing both the biggest food news of the day and a break from the news. Additional information on our editorial process available here.
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Skip the milk, and level up your breakfast French toast with rich, custard-y batter that adds creamy sweetness in almost any flavor you find in the freezer.
By Mariana Zapata
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Though Miami might not immediately come to mind as a hotbed for Korean cuisine, it has a thriving Korean food scene, including one comfort food destination.
By Mariana Zapata
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Miami can lay claim as the home of the delicious Cuban sandwich, but where in the city can you find the best one? Our expert has a pick for Miami's best Cubano.
By Mariana Zapata
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Discover the most unique bar in Covington, Kentucky, where you can sip rare liquors aged up to 100 years for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
By Mariana Zapata
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Austrians often add water to wine, and there's logic behind it. But it's important to pair the right type of water with the right type of wine.
By Mariana Zapata
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Those with a sweet tooth should head to this classic hotel in Miami for quite literally the best dessert. Its depth of flavors will have you craving for more.
By Mariana Zapata
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Turn coffee creamer from your fridge into a secret weapon for your cocktails, adding instant creaminess, sweetness, and bold flavor with almost no effort.
By Mariana Zapata
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Nespresso uses aluminum for its single-use pods for a particular reason. However, it's unclear if their objective is being met by the pods using it.
By Mariana Zapata
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If your glass jars still smell like last week’s garlic or kimchi, there’s an easy, zero-effort trick that clears odors without scrubbing or chemicals.
By Mariana Zapata
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If you find yourself filling up on a product that comes from the bulk bins of a grocery store, be sure to have common courtesy by keeping this tip in mind.
By Mariana Zapata
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America's oldest liquor store has been serving patrons for over 300 years, offering historic charm and rare spirits while playing a role in U.S. history.
By Mariana Zapata
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The world's oldest restaurant just marked 300 years of serving diners, continuing a legacy that began back in the early 1700s in Madrid and still going strong.
By Mariana Zapata
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Learn how to safely use a pressure cooker and overcome fears of explosions with simple tips that make cooking faster, easier, and worry-free.
By Mariana Zapata
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Guy Fieri recently had a short interview on controversial cooking topics which revealed strong opinions from the culinary icon about this one ingredient.
By Mariana Zapata
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Miami has its fair share of tourist traps, but that's not where the locals eat and drink. Here are five Miami spots that only people who live here know about.
By Mariana Zapata
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Although they share some similarities, American and European culture has many distinctions. This European dining experience is sadly lacking in the States.
By Mariana Zapata
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Miami has plenty of nightlife, but this iconic club has been a mainstay for 90 years. As a local myself, it's one of my favorite places for music and drinks.
By Mariana Zapata
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Delicious gumbo can be hard to find outside of the South, but it's not a total loss in Miami, where an unassuming eatery knows how to whip up the comfort food.
By Mariana Zapata
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Burgers are unbelievably customizable, but this umami-loaded topping ranks high on the list. Here's when to add it and what it pairs well with.
By Mariana Zapata
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While unusual pairings are nothing new in the culinary world, there are few, if any, that envisioned seafood and chocolate in the same dish. And yet, it works.
By Mariana Zapata
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If you're a fan of international cocktails, you've likely heard of this spirit, but you might not be aware of the tension over where it was invented.
By Mariana Zapata
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Salsa is versatile and easy to make at home, but the kind you get at restaurants always seems to blow homemade salsa out of the water. How do they do it?
By Mariana Zapata
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Jerk chicken is more than just a meal — it's part of Jamaican culture. Miami, Florida has a thriving Jamaican dining scene — which has the best jerk chicken?
By Mariana Zapata
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White abalone was widely eaten on the west coast of the U.S. for hundreds of years, but overfishing prompted a ban and a spot on the endangered species list.
By Mariana Zapata
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Growing food in space seems like something out of science fiction, but researchers have grown a vegetable native to the Americas in space since the '90s.
By Mariana Zapata
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This hotel restaurant in Mexico is no ordinary dining room. The place boasts the world's largest private tequila collection and that's not even the half of it.
By Mariana Zapata
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If you're in Miami and craving smoked chicken BBQ, there's a place you definitely need to try. It's a bit outside of town, but you can thank us later.
By Mariana Zapata
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