pokomde.info – At East 152nd Street and Wales Avenue in Mott Haven, La Piraña Lechonera is a South Bronx icon, where Angel “La Piraña” Jimenez has served Puerto Rican lechón from a trailer for over 30 years. Open weekends only, this gritty spot lures crowds with its slow-roasted pork—crisp skin and tender meat hacked by machete—served with arroz con gandules or mofongo. Jimenez, from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, moved to the Bronx in 1984, inheriting his father’s lechonera craft. He rises at 3 a.m., roasting pigs with a secret adobo blend, filling the air with salsa and nostalgia.
Beyond lechón, the menu offers octopus salad and bacalaitos, priced at $8-$10, feeding the boricua diaspora affordably. The New York Times praised it in 2022 as a top eatery, while Vice dubbed it a cultural gem. Jimenez’s warmth—often seen with a Heineken in hand—turns meals into a block party. He feeds the homeless too, embodying community spirit. Though some note sanitation risks from the rustic setup, the flavor and heart prevail. In a changing Bronx, La Piraña remains a defiant taste of home.
