The Empanada Spot opens in Farmingdale
The beef empanada at The Empanada Spot in Farmingdale. Credit: Newsday/Melissa Azofeifa
Long Island empanada fanatics have another reason to celebrate: The Queens-based Empanada Spot has opened a Long Island outpost in Farmingdale.
The takeout-only shop on Main Street opened March 16, next to Ralph's Famous Italian Ices. The business is run by Marlen Otalora and her family, Colombia natives who arrived in the United States in 2002. At one point the family had as many as five locations of The Empanada Spot: now only one other remains, in Bayside. The family moved to Farmingdale five years ago.
Once in the neighborhood, "We had the idea to bring some food to our neighbors so they could taste empanadas, typical [Colombian] food that we didn’t find here," Otalora said in Spanish.
The family-run operation includes eight family members.
"My mom takes charge of everything that has to do with the kitchen, my dad takes care of supplies, my brothers help up at the register," said Daniel Castro, one of Otalora’s sons.
The menu is extensive, with more than 40 flavors that can be made with either corn or wheat flour. Typical stuffings include sausage, chicken, beef and cheese (all $3). More creative twists include a lineup of pizza-style empanadas including the ever-controversial Hawaiian, made with ham, mozzarella cheese and pineapple ($3).
For those with a sweet tooth, a selection of dessert empanadas ($3.25) includes guava and cheese, sweet plantains and cheese, or apples and cinnamon.
Despite the shop's name, the menu goes beyond empanadas. You'll find tamales ($11) made with chicken and/or pork, and a classic Colombian bandeja paisa ($21.50), which is grilled steak with white rice, fried sweet plantains with fried sunny side up eggs and pork rinds.
A month after opening, Otalora said it's been gratifying to see the shop busy.
"It wasn’t easy, it was a struggle," Otalora said. "We would close without having been able to eat lunch or dinner, but it was good to be all together and give thanks for a hard day’s work."
The Empanada Spot, 850 Main St., Farmingdale, 516-216-5708. Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Melissa Azofeifa is a restaurants reporter with Newsday's FeedMe team. Having grown up on Long Island, she loves talking about food and its impact on culture. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she joined Newsday in the fall of 2024.
