Fab Happenings: Top 5 Empanadas in Chicago

I’ve always had a soft spot for empanadas. Growing up in the Philippines, I have so many memories of making the dough, filling, assembling, and frying these handheld beauties with my family. When my grandma was alive, it was one of the few things she would request from me. She ate a very healthy diet but would indulge on my homemade empanadas, once in awhile. They were time-consuming to make but it was worth it at the end. There is something magical about biting into the crisp flaky dough and the flavorful filling. Nevertheless, I always think of my grandma when I eat empanadas.

Empanadas are stuffed bread or pastry that is either fried or baked, depending where it comes from. They are often found around Latin America, Southern Europe or Philippines. The stuffings vary from meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit. You can pretty much put anything inside an empanada and it would taste good. Over the past few years, there is a growing trend of Chicago chefs or cooks making their own version of empanadas. It is my duty as an empanada fanatic to scout for the best ones around the windy city.

So here are my Top 5 Best Empanadas in Chicago…

5. Cafe Tola

Cafe Tola is a to-go espresso and empanada bar that is located a few blocks from the Southport brown line stop. Regardless of its petite size, it is hard to miss this hidden gem. There is the bright blue painted facade, including the mural of Frida Khalo on the side of the building. The interior is equally colorful filled with Latin theme artwork. The staff is always welcoming and helpful.

Origin: Mexican-American

Varieties: 10-15 kinds, uses store-bought dough with fillings made in house.

Fried vs Baked: Pre-fried and kept in a glass display case.

What I Ate: Each gigantic empanada starts at $4. The best seller (and my personal favorite) is the Black Bean, Goat Cheese, and Plantain. I particularly enjoyed the smooth texture of the filling against the flakiness of the dough. Once I started eating, it was hard to stop until there wasn’t anything left.

@CafeTola sure knows how to make good coffee and empanadas. My favorite kind is filled with Black Bean, Goat Cheese and Plantain. The textural contrast of the creamy filling against the flaky crust is crazy good. Other flavors that I highly recommend are the chorizo & egg, rajas (roasted poblano peppers) & potatoes and chicken verde. P.s. Come early coz' they sell out fast! 😋😋😋 👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼Follow @FabFoodChicago and tag your fab food photos at #FabFoodChicago.

A photo posted by Sherrie Tan (@sherriesavorsthecity) on Sep 17, 2015 at 3:08pm PDT

Another one of my favorites is the Chicken Verde, which was jam packed with dark chicken meat and tossed in a delectable salsa verde.

For veggie lovers, the Rajas (roasted poblano peppers) and Potatoes is a must-try. You simply can’t go wrong with any of the savory kinds. They have a sweet version as well. I tried the Cinnamon Apple and was delighted to find huge pieces of apples in it but the gloopy consistency of the sauce was less desirable for my picky palate.

FAB TIP: Come early because their empanadas sell out fast. Also, they are finally expanding and opening a sit-down restaurant concept right across the street (former Sensational Bites spot). Unfortunately, they won’t be serving empanadas but instead will focus on Latin comfort food.

{Location}
Cafe Tola
Lakeview || 3612 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 687-8428

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 3.5 Fabs}

4. Lito’s Empanadas

Opened since 2007 by Colombian native Carlos Escalante, Lito’s Empanadas is a tiny storefront amidst a long row of boutiques on Clark Street. As the name implies, they only sell empanadas and pretty darn good ones. It is the perfect portable snack to eat while shopping around the neighborhood.

Origin: Colombian

Varieties: 11-12 kinds, dough and fillings are made in house.

Fried vs Baked: Fried to order.

What I Ate: Each empanada comes with a fancy etching of the name, Lito’s.  At a reasonable price of $2.99 each, I started out with the Hawaiian, which is generously filled with cubed ham, pineapple, and mozzarella cheese. The crust is flaky but a tad bit greasy. Whoa, there is no shortage of cheese when it comes to Lito’s Empanadas.

The hardest part is waiting for it to cool down a little before digging in. Trust me, you don’t want to experience the wrath of hot pineapple juice squirting all over you. lol. On to the next one, the Al Pastor was equally tasty with bits of seasoned pork and pineapple running through the melted gooey cheese.

The Chori-Cheese (chorizo, potato, and cheese) and Spinach (spinach, onion, and cheese) is pretty much self explanatory and positively delightful. If you are craving something sweet, the Choco-Banana is an excellent choice. Just imagine empanada dough wrapped in melted Nutella and fresh bananas. Deeeelish!

FAB TIP: Make sure you get their addictive homemade chili sauce which is made of green chilis, onions and cilantro. It gives the empanadas extra ooomph!

{Location}
Lito’s Empanadas
Lincoln Park || 2566 N Clark St, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 857- 1337

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 3.5 Fabs}

3. El Nandu

Family owned since 1990, El Nandu is a casual full-service restaurant that serves authentic Argentine fare. They are known for their signature sangrias, empanadas, and grilled meats. The staff is always friendly and well versed with the menu.

Each empanada comes with a black stamp that states exactly what kind they are, to any avoid confusion…especially after a carafe or two of their utterly refreshing Sangria. Shameless Confession: I am, of course, speaking from past experience regarding this topic!

Origin: Argentina

Varieties: 8 kinds, dough is imported from Argentina and fillings made in house

Fried vs Baked: Fried to order.

What I Ate: I have been going to El Nandu for years now upon my friend’s recommendation. It still remains to be my top place for amazing empanadas at a low cost of $2-$2.50 each. It is perfectly fried with its crispy and crackly crust. Almost all of the hearty fillings contain hard-boiled eggs. The Criolla which has ground beef, red peppers, raisins, and eggs is full of flavor while the Tucumana has similar ingredients but with the addition of cubed steak and olives.

There is the Jamon Y Queso which contains ham pieces and lots of ooey gooey cheese. Vegetarian options include Espinaca (fresh spinach, green onions, and eggs) and Maiz (fresh corn, red peppers, and eggs). Both are mighty tasty as well. The empanadas are not complete without its two house-made sauces, a regular chimichurri and a spicy version. In comparison with the typical chimichurri I have tasted elsewhere, it is slightly more vinegary which helps balance out the richness of the empanadas. Don’t forget to wash it all down with their house made sangria.

FAB TIP: They play live music during the weekends.

{Location}
El Nandu
Logan Square || 2731 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 278-0900

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 4 Fabs}

2. 5411 Empanadas

5411 is named after the international dialing code for Buenos Aires, Argentina. The three owners wanted to bring a piece of their homeland to Chicago by selling their unique empanadas. Through word of mouth, people started noticing what a great product they were offering. They began as a successful food truck that eventually turned into opening several locations around the city.

Origin: Argentina

Varieties: 15 kinds, dough and fillings made in-house

Fried vs Baked: Baked to order.

What I Ate: Every empanada comes with its own distinct shape so you can tell the flavors apart. Whenever I come here, it’s inevitable not to order the Bacon, Dates, and Goat Cheese. After all, you know I am a sucker for anything salty/sweet so this empanada embodies that concept perfectly. The flaky dough has a nice chew to it and can stand up against the rich and heavy filing.

The Malbec Beef comes as a close second. It is slowly braised in Malbec wine and shredded with cooked carrots and potatoes.

They offer plenty of vegetarians options such as the sweet corn, spinach & cheese, caramelized onion & parmesan, etc. Although the fillings may not be traditional, the flavor combinations are unique and absolutely divine. Bottom line, it works for them. Each empanada costs around $2.50 and for an extra $.50, you can get a side of their bright green and garlicky chimichurri or hot sauce. The chimichurri is an essential part of the whole 5411 empanada experience. It adds a lot of fresh herb flavor to the baked empanadas.

FAB TIP: They recently added breakfast empanadas on their menu. Flavors include bacon/cheddar/cheese, veggie/egg, and chorizo/black bean/egg.

{Location}
5411 Empanadas
Lakeview || 2850 N Clark St, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 755-5411
Wicker Park || 2045 W North Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 276-8344
Wicker Park || 1659 W Division St, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 227-3064
Downtown Loop || 175 N Franklin, Chicago, IL || P: (312)877-5522
Coral Gables || 98 Miracle Mile, Miami, FL || P: (786) 899-0633

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 4 Fabs}

1. La Sirena Clandestina

Situated in the Fulton Market district, La Sirena Clandestina, is a 40-seat restaurant that serves Brazilian-inspired food. The name, which means “hidden mermaid”, comes from owner/chef John Manion’s idea of wanting to create a mysterious atmosphere that one might encounter at a tropical beach somewhere around the world. Although there are hints of Brazilian influences on the menu, he also draws inspiration from his years of working in a professional kitchen. The menu is limited but delivers big and bold flavors.

Origin: Argentina

Varieties: 2 kinds, special dough imported from Argentina and fillings made in house

Fried vs Baked: Baked to order.

What I Ate: The empanadas here are the smallest in size compared to the other empanadas around the city. But size doesn’t matter when you are talking about quality over quantity.  Each empanada cost around $4 and there are only two options available at a given time: meat and veggie.

Depending on the season and availability of the ingredients, they change the flavors of the fillings every 3 to 4 days. So don’t be surprised if you end up eating a different kind every time you come visit the restaurant. The delicately thin and undeniably flaky dough wraps around the filling that is bursting with so much flavor. I had the Potato/Leek which has creamy mashed potatoes and sweet leeks. Another one I tried was the Cuban with cubed ham, mustard, pickles, and Swiss cheese. Every heavenly bite was accompanied with lots of oohs and ahhhs.

I believe that there is a certain restraint that is necessary to pull off a perfect empanada. La Sirena Clandestina seems to understand the importance of the perfect amount of crust to filling ratio. These empanadas are so good by themselves that there is no need for any sauces. Sometimes simplicity is truly the best and this is why they were #1 on my list.

FAB TIP: They make amazing craft cocktails. Go try their pisco sour or caipirinha, you won’t be disappointed.

{Location}
La Sirena Clandestina
Fulton Market || 954 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL || P: (312) 226-5300

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 4.5 Fabs}

Alright, there was one more place that didn’t make it to the top 5 list but it would be a serious foodie sin if I didn’t share it to you.

Honorable Mention: 

El Mercado Food Mart

El Mercado Food Mart is an unassuming neighborhood shop that sells great cuts of beef, house made sausages, empanadas, South American pastries, and groceries. The owners are the same folks who opened the wildly popular Argentinean restaurants, Tango Sur (which is located next door to the food mart) and Folklore in Wicker Park. These empanadas may be one of the cheapest in the city but it’s definitely not lacking in flavor and quality.

Origin: Argentina

Varieties: 9 kinds, dough and fillings made in house

Fried vs Baked: Both Fried and Baked ahead of time and kept in a display case.

What I Ate: I was pleasantly blown away on how good the empanadas were at El Mercado Food Mart. They were so flaky and fried to a golden brown perfection. Even better were the fillings inside. Each empanada will cost you $1.50-$1.99. What a steal! They grind their own beef for their beef empanadas which was unbelievably scrumptious.

The ham and cheese is equally delicious but the eggplant was by far, my favorite. The killer combo of tender eggplant chunks and melted cheese along with their house made chimichurri sauce is highly addictive. Nommm…

FAB TIP: It’s cash only!

{Location}
El Mercado Food Market
Lakeview || 3767 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL || P: (773) 477-5020

{Price Range}
$ (Under $10)

{Fab Ratings: 3.5 Fabs}

Empanadas are the perfect snack to have whenever you want something quick and satisfying. One makes a snack, two or three makes for a full meal. These little pockets of deliciousness has provided me with so much comfort and joy without leaving a hole in my wallet. It’s a win win situation. Yippeee…

Where’s your favorite spot for Empanadas in the city? Please comment below.

Savor every moment,
Sherrie

Note: These meals were not complimentary. The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.