You’ve heard of pizzerias. What about this pupuseria in Columbus? Our review

Being born and raised in Alabama, I will admit to not being surrounded by a wide variety of foods from around the world during my upbringing. However, one of my great joys in adulthood has been exploring new foods from places all around the globe.

If you asked me a week ago what a pupusa is, I probably would’ve made a terrible guess — and it wouldn’t have involved food. For those still wondering, a pupusa is a flatbread of El Salvadoran and Honduran origin that is typically stuffed with other ingredients.

I decided to expand my horizons and try the dish after learning from a coworker about a pupuseria in Columbus.

Pupuseria Mi Redentor, 4125 Hamilton Road, was my introduction to a food I’ll definitely be back to eat again and again.

Ledger-Enquirer visual journalist, Mike Haskey, and I split an order of four chicharrón and queso pupusas. Kala Hunter, our environmental reporter and resident vegetarian, got the frijoles and queso (bean and cheese) pupusa.

I found the pupusas to be absolutely delicious. The bread was light and fluffy and would almost melt on your tongue when you bit into it.

The cheese was super creamy with a very mild flavor that didn’t overshadow the meat. The ever so slight saltiness of the chicharrónes went well with the cheese.

The pupusas came plated with pickled red onions, a mixture of pickled shredded cabbage and carrots and a red salsa.

I assembled all of the ingredients on top of the pupusa and bit into an explosion of creamy, salty, vinegary, tomatoey goodness. The salsa was mild and not overly acidic and added a nice layer to the flavor profile of the dish.

I also occasionally used some habanero hot sauce that was on the table to add some spice to my meal.

Four pupusas cost $15. With their large size, I’d say it’s definitely worth every penny. If you plan to go, pull out some cash or bring your phone because the restaurant accepts payments through only cash or Zelle.

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.

Kelby Hutchison

Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Kelby Hutchison is the breaking news reporter for the Ledger-Enquirer. Originally from Dothan, Alabama, Kelby grew up frequently visiting Columbus to eat at Country’s BBQ in the old Greyhound bus station and at Clearview BBQ on River Road. He graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.A. in criminal justice and a M.A. in journalism. During his studies, Kelby specialized in community journalism.