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<\/p>\nEmpanadas have firmly earned their place in Los Angeles\u2019 vibrant food community as a beloved savory \u2014 and in some cases, sweet \u2014 quick bite.<\/p>\n
From traditional Argentine recipes to Venezuelan and Colombian flavors, these handheld pastries have won over food lovers across the city.<\/p>\n
Here are five standout empanada spots we highly recommend checking out, each offering their own unique take on the South American staple.<\/p>\n
Nonna\u2019s Empanadas<\/p>\n
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Tomato, beef and veggie empanadas from Nonna\u2019s Empanadas. <\/p>\n
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Courtesy Nonna’s Empanadas<\/p>\n
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With more than 30 flavors to choose from, Nonna\u2019s Empanadas<\/a> offers something for every palate \u2014 from savory fillings like beef, chicken, and spinach to sweet ones like Nutella and apple. What I love about them the most is that they\u2019re perfectly stuffed and oven-baked, just like the empanadas I ate as a child in Buenos Aires.<\/p>\n \u201cI grew up with empanadas being a staple,\u201d said Eduardo Ekmekgian, owner of Nonna\u2019s Empanadas and son of its founder. \u201cPeople like my family have one day a week where they have empanadas.\u201d<\/p>\n The late Mario Ekmekgian, a lifelong entrepreneur, teamed up in 2010 with his business partner and longtime friend from Argentina, Graciella Boltiansky, to open Nonna\u2019s first location at West 3rd Street and Holt Avenue in West Hollywood. Before that, Ekmekgian had been selling empanadas at farmers\u2019 markets across Los Angeles.<\/p>\n \u201cThere were definitely growing pains in the beginning,\u201d Ekmekgian said. \u201cWe only had about nine empanada flavors, and we were experimenting with tablecloths, ceramic plates, premium desserts, even choripans, Argentinian pizza and milanesas. We were just trying things to see what worked. But our foundation was always the empanadas, and as we added more flavors, we kept fine-tuning the brand and the business model.\u201d<\/p>\n Ekmekgian and his family are of Armenian ancestry and lived in Argentina before moving to the U.S. in 1987. The name for Nonna\u2019s was inspired by Ekmegian\u2019s grandmother, but also the idea that \u201ceverybody has a nonna\u201d that cooks for them or in his case made him empanadas.<\/p>\n \u201cWe started with classics like beef, which has hard-boiled egg and olive, chicken, spinach, and corn,\u201d he said. \u201cFrom there, we experimented a lot \u2014 Korean-inspired empanadas, Philly cheesesteak, and Latin flavors like carnitas. Empanadas are very versatile, you can take flavors from anywhere and put them in a dough pocket. That\u2019s the fun of it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ekmekgian said their savory empanadas remain the most popular, but they\u2019re still experimenting with sweet varieties and planning to introduce new flavors.<\/p>\n \u201cBeef has always been number one,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re working on new sweet flavors, like strawberry cheesecake and pineapple cream. Sweet ones don\u2019t usually outsell the savory, because people eat multiples of the savory flavors, then maybe add a few sweets.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking ahead, Ekmekgian said he\u2019s often asked about franchising, but he wants to take his time before making that decision.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a process to growing the brand,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to fine-tune the model so every location is consistent and the quality and experience stay the same. My hope is that everyone tries empanadas for the first time and thinks, \u2018Wow, I want this every week with my family or friends.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Locations: Rincon Chileno<\/p>\n Rinc\u00f3n Chileno’s spinach empanadas (left) and beef empanadas, also known as empanada de pino. <\/p>\n The classic Chilean empanada de pino (or de carne) is thick, hearty and generously filled. Unlike many other South American empanadas, which tend to be smaller, the Chilean empanada is large and immediately stands out. Juicy and substantial, it can easily serve as a complete meal all on its own.<\/p>\n Ricardo Flores, owner of Rincon Chileno <\/a>on Melrose since 1973, immigrated to Los Angeles from Santiago, Chile, in 1972 and opened the restaurant with the goal of introducing L.A. to the empanada as much as to tacos or pupusas.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the empanada competes with the best taco or the best pupusa, so I would love for it to become just as popular, for everyone to know of this food that comes from all over South America,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The restaurant is known for their empanadas de pino, which are filled with beef, onion, salt and pepper, oregano, a touch of cumin and garlic. The dough is made from flour, milk, eggs, butter and a mix of seasonings.<\/p>\n Flores credits the empanadas\u2019 juiciness to the fat in the meat and the generous amount of onions in the filling. Adding even more richness is the pebre, a traditional Chilean sauce poured over the filling. Flores shared that their version includes jalape\u00f1os, cilantro, green bell peppers, salt, garlic, olive oil and onions.<\/p>\n \u201cAn empanada de pino with pebre and red wine is the perfect combination for lunch,\u201d Flores said. \u201cA single empanada will satisfy you.\u201d<\/p>\n Location: 4354 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles Sabor Colombiano<\/p>\n Chicken empanadas from Sabor Colombiano in Westlake.<\/p>\n What happens when you take traditional fried Colombian empanadas and add a touch of L.A.\u2019s Mexican influence? If you ask Dario Garcia, owner of the Colombian restaurant Sabor Colombiano<\/a>, the result might just be the ideal empanada.<\/p>\n \u201cThe perfect Colombian combination is a chicken empanada with chili, rice on the side, and an iced coffee,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cAnd thanks to the Mexican-American influence here, our chili is spicier than you might expect.\u201d<\/p>\n Garcia explained that their famous empanadas de carne are made with cornmeal dough and a filling of shredded beef and potatoes. They\u2019re fried for four to five minutes, resulting in a crunchy texture similar to the empanadas you\u2019d find in Cali, in the Valle del Cauca region of western Colombia.<\/p>\n \u201cIn el Valle del Cauca, restaurants offer a range of chili sauces, varying in heat, and we do the same,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cAn empanada isn\u2019t an empanada without chili.\u201d<\/p>\n Another popular addition is the salsa rosada, a pink sauce from Bogot\u00e1 made with mayonnaise and ketchup.<\/p>\n Garcia adds that part of what makes Colombian empanadas special is the way local people eat them \u2014 a tradition he encourages others to try.<\/p>\n \u201cA Colombian takes a bite from the bottom tip of the empanada, then adds chili as they go,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cIn Colombia, we say true love isn\u2019t shown with a kiss or marriage, but by giving your loved one the bottom tip of your empanada.\u201d<\/p>\n Location: 847 S Union Ave., Los Angeles Fuegos<\/p>\n Fuegos\u2019s ham and cheese, vegan beef and mushroom and spinach empanadas.<\/p>\n
West 3rd Street (Original Farmers Market): 6333 W 3rd St, Stall #330, Los Angeles
West 3rd Street (New Location): 8556 W 3rd St, Los Angeles
The Americana at Brand: 608 Americana Way, Glendale
Grand Central Market: 317 S Broadway, Los Angeles <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775763130_620_.jpeg\")
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Hours: Closed Monday; Tuesday \u2013 Saturday 10 a.m. \u2013 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. \u2013 6 p.m.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775763131_723_.jpeg\")
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Hours: Monday \u2013 Sunday: 9 a.m. \u2013 8 p.m.<\/p>\n![\"Three](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775763131_745_.jpeg\")
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