The American
Empanada

Empanadas Like You’ve Never Tasted

Handmade empanadas in Arlington, VA, right on Columbia Pike. Discover over a dozen Latin-inspired flavors, crispy golden crusts, fresh fillings, and our signature house-made sauces.

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All-Day Empanadas

  • Beef Papa

    (Halal/Dairy-Free) Ground beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, sweet onions, mpanadas spices.

  • Two baked ingredients: one of a golden-brown savory meat pie with flaky crust, partially bitten to reveal a filling of seasoned ground meat and vegetables, placed on black and white printed paper

    Cheeseburger

    (Halal) Ground beef, cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, mpanadas seasoning.

  • Chicken Little

    (Halal/Dairy-Free) Chicken breast, potato, carrots, peas, sweet onions, mpanadas spices.

  • A baked hand pie with a decorative edge, partially cut open to reveal a filling of chicken and vegetables, resting on black and white printed paper.

    Chicken Pesto

    (Halal) Chicken breast, pesto sauce, mozzarella, white mushrooms.

  • A sliced empanada with chicken filling on a patterned paper background.

    Chili Chicken

    (Halal) Chicken breast, mozzarella, potato, cayenne pepper, cumin.

  • Empanada with a textured dough exterior and a filling of vegetables and ground beef, including black beans and peppers, on a patterned paper background.

    Chorizo Ranchero

    (Dairy-Free) Chorizo, scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, salsa, black beans, and mozzarella.

  • A stuffed pastry with a golden-brown crust and melted cheese filling on a decorative paper background.

    Golden Melt

    (Halal/Vegetarian) Cheddar & Mozzarella

  • Half of a stuffed pastry with savory filling on decorative paper

    Philly

    Philly steak, caramelized onion, provolone, mozzarella.

  • A stuffed pastry cut open to reveal a creamy filling with herbs and vegetables, placed on a background with playful typography.

    SpinArt

    (Halal/Vegetarian) Spinach, artichoke hearts, sour cream, cream cheese, mayo, garlic, parmesan, and mozzarella.

  • A cut empanada on a patterned paper background. The filling is visible, showing shredded meat.

    Tangy BBQ

    (Dairy-Free) Ground pork, BBQ sauce, mpanadas BBQ seasoning, and balsamic vinegar.

  • A savory pastry with a filling of vegetables and meat on decorative paper.

    Bombay

    (Halal/Dairy-Free/Vegan) Lentils, black beans, tomato, green squash, sweet onion, bell pepper, carrot, curry, garlic.

  • Opened empanada with french toast filling

    French Toast

    (Vegan/Halal)
    French toast with blueberries and strawberries lathered in syrup

  • Empanada with a filling of cheese, maple syrup infused bacon, and eggs

    Maple Bacon

    Bacon, egg, and cheese with maple syrup and green onion

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Seasonal Favorites — Order Today

  • A fried pastry with bulgogi

    Bulgogi Empanada

    NEW SEASONAL Bulgogi

    Korean BBQ in a bite: sliced ribeye, caramelized onion, and sesame with a sweet kick. (Dairy-Free)

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  • Strawberry Lemonade

    Strawberry Lemonade

    A splash of sweet strawberry syrup with tart lemon juice, garnished with freshly diced strawberries

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  • Drink garnished with mango bites

    Mango Passion Lemonade

    Rich mango nectar and passion fruit pulp, tart lemon juice, and sweetened condensed milk, garnished with diced mango, salt, and pepper.

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  • Honey lemonade garnished with butterfly pea flowers

    Honey Lavender Lemonade

    Sweet lavender syrup and tart lemon juice drizzled with honey and garnished with butterfly pea flowers

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  • blueberry lemonade garnished with blueberries

    Blueberry Lemonade

    Sweet blueberry puree with tart lemon juice, garnished with a bundle of blueberries

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  • coconut lemonade garnished with coconut flakes

    Coconut Lemonade

    Refreshing lemonade emulsified with coconut cream and coated with shredded coconut

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  • Sooooooo Good

    The spinach and artichoke one was a perfect balance of spinach to artichoke. Right amount of cheese and so flavorful.

    - Sammi C

  • Raving Fans!!

    I would love to bring my whole family! Gaby is amazing, and everyone raves about her and the empanadas. I tried a spinach empanada after everyone left, and I absolutely loved it—packed with all my favorite ingredients! And the green sauce? So, so, so good!
    - Lisa Borrow

  • Hot Empanadas and Good Vibes!

    We asked what they recommended and got the beef empanda and horchata gelato. Super friendly staff! Very cute seating.

    - Annie S

  • Mpanadas Is a Delicious Treat

    The cafe is very cute! The empanadas were so good and love the vegan option. They also had a vegan guava sorbet that was yummy.

    - Amber K

  • IYKYK

    A cute little spot that seems a bit like an "IYKYK" location!

    - Kay L

  • Everything Was So Delicious

    And the customer service was superb. We just found it less than a week ago and have been multiple times already. Empanadas are varied and they have a nice lemonade selection. Not your usual empanada fillings but yummy.

    - Karla S

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Multiple cheddar cheese and black olive Danish pastries arranged on a tray.

Catering

Fresh. Hot. Tasty.

From business lunches and PTA events to dinner parties and birthdays, Mpanadas has you covered! Our fusion empanadas and fresh offerings make any event delicious. Let us cater your next gathering and bring flavor your guests will love. Feed Your Crowd — Llama Style!

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Illustration of a happy llama wearing a red bandana, with its tongue out, sitting with a bowl of food in front of it.

Who’s Larry the  Llama?

Mpanadas is a family-owned café on Columbia Pike in Arlington, Virginia, proudly serving handcrafted empanadas with unique, globally inspired fillings.

You’ve probably spotted our cheerful mascot, Larry the Llama, holding an empanada with pride. Larry represents everything we love about what we do: warmth, creativity, and community. He’s a playful reminder of our South American roots and our mission to bring bold, fusion flavors to Arlington. Larry’s tongue-out grin says it all: the joy we want you to feel with every bite of our delicious, freshly made empanadas. Each one is crafted with care, passion, and a touch of fun.

We’re proud to be part of the Arlington community, connecting with our neighbors through food that’s made with love.
If you have any questions about our empanada flavors, catering, or seasonal menu, reach out — we’d love to hear from you!

About Us