By Michelle Gillan Larkin & Rebeccah Worth
Photo courtesy of El Barrio
Whether fried or baked, these traditionally savory staples of Latin cuisine take on a new dimension when packed with sweet fillings.
Those warm pockets of heaven we all know and love as empanadas go down easy when filled with traditional meats and cheeses, but if you look hard enough around the 914, you’ll uncover a handful that are stuffed with sweet and gooey goodness. Meal enders instead of starters, dessert empanadas are just as tasty, transportable, and sublime as their savory sisters. But don’t just trust us; you go see for yourself.
Aqui Es Santa Fe
Half a dozen empanadas grace the menu at this mother-and son-owned home of modern Colombian cuisine, and while it may seem like an odd combination, fresh blueberries and creamy goat cheese actually go really well together inside house-baked dough, and in the end, they produce a perfectly sweet, yet savory, way to do dessert. And it wouldn’t hurt to add their guava cheese version to the finish line, either.
32 Broad St, Portchester
914.305.1060
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Claudy’s Kitchen
Just over the county line, your sweet tooth will fit right in at this local top spot for authentic Peruvian food, where caramelized apples get tucked into homemade dough, baked to flakey deliciousness, and then topped with cinnamon nutmeg sugar.
5981 Broadway, Bronx
718.884.7378
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El Barrio
At this relative newcomer to the elevated Mexican street food scene, the rainbow cookie cheesecake empanada puts an Italian twist on the traditional Latin American treat, while their Nutella cheesecake varietal is rich, smooth, and needs no further introduction.
185 Summerfield St, Scarsdale
914.723.2600
Salsa Bembe
At this buzzy, three-story bastion of Latin American zip and zing, the tropical taste of sweet guava paste and the tang of luscious cream cheese is a flawless pairing for a crispy masterpiece that will leave your taste buds singing for more.
811 McLean Ave, Yonkers
914.294.0096
