empanada mama

What empanada mama does

Empanada Mama is a privately-held restaurant chain specializing in Colombian and Latin American cuisine, operating six locations across the northeastern United States — five in New York City (Hell's Kitchen, Lower East Side, Times Square, East Village, and Upper East Side) and one in University City, Philadelphia. The chain's core offering is a menu built around more than 40 distinct empanada flavors, supported by a broader range of Latin American comfort dishes, with select locations operating 24/7 to capture late-night demand. Pricing is positioned at the accessible end of the casual-dining spectrum, with empanadas priced at $4–$6 and most menu items under $10. The business is owned and operated by Socrates Nanas.

The company runs a multi-channel go-to-market model combining dine-in service, takeout, third-party delivery partnerships (UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash), direct digital ordering through ToastTab and Order.Online, and a catering program targeting corporate and event clients. Customer segments are deliberately diversified — late-night diners, university students (Philadelphia), tourists and theater-goers (Times Square, Hell's Kitchen), Upper East Side residents, and corporate catering accounts — reflecting a high-volume, transactional retail model rather than concentrated-account economics. There is no disclosed technology platform, proprietary software, or AI/ML capability; the operating model relies on standard POS and aggregator integrations, and the company shows no signs of franchise, licensing, or external-capital-driven expansion.

Name

empanada mama

Legal name

Empanada Mama

Website

https://empanadamama.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Empanada Mama is a privately-held Colombian and Latin American restaurant chain operating six locations in New York City and Philadelphia, serving over 40 empanada varieties plus broader Latin fare via dine-in, takeout, delivery, and catering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Latin American Restaurant

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Limited-Service Restaurants (722513), Special Food Services (7223)

SIC

Retail-Eating Places (5812), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Ethnic & Regional Cuisine Restaurants (THAFACAD)

Keywords

• Colombian restaurant
• Latin American cuisine
• Empanada varieties
• Restaurant catering
• Food delivery services

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Customers dine at one of six restaurant locations, ordering directly from the menu. Revenue is generated through individual food and beverage purchases at point of sale.
2. Takeout and Online Ordering: Customers place orders online through the company's website or mobile app for pickup at any location. Orders can also be placed by phone for takeout service.
3. Third-Party Delivery: Partnership with delivery platforms including UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash enables home and office delivery. Commission-based revenue sharing with delivery partners.
4. Catering Services: Corporate catering for office lunches, events, parties, and private gatherings. Large orders for events with advance notice. Customizable catering packages available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Empanada Mama operates a chain of Colombian and Latin American restaurants serving a menu of over 40 unique empanada flavors spanning Colombian, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, and Greek varieties, complemented by arepas, Bandeja Paisa, Arroz Con Pollo, sides, salads, and dessert empanadas. The restaurants offer dine-in, takeout, third-party delivery, and corporate catering services across six storefront locations in New York City and Philadelphia.

Product overview

Empanada Mama is a Latin restaurant chain with 6 locations in NYC and Philadelphia, specializing in empanadas with over 40 unique flavors including Colombian, Greek, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, and breakfast varieties. The core product is handcrafted empanadas available in wheat, corn, and dessert forms, complemented by arepas, Bandeja Paisa, Arroz Con Pollo, sides, salads, soups, and desserts. The company operates delivery services through UberEats, Grubhub, DoorDash, and Toast Tab platforms, and offers catering services for corporate events and private gatherings. Specialty offerings include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free empanadas, with limited-time seasonal flavors like the Piñaloca.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Empanadas Handheld Latin pastries offered in over 40 unique savory and sweet flavors spanning Colombian, Cuban, Peruvian, Mexican, Italian, American, Greek, and breakfast varieties. Made fresh with wheat or corn doughs and house-made fillings. Priced at $4-$6 per unit, with most items under $10.
• Catering Services Corporate and event catering services offering empanadas, arepas, and Latin comfort food for office lunches, meetings, parties, and private gatherings. An empanada catering calculator assists customers with portion planning, and party packs and catering trays are available.
• Delivery and Takeout Services Food delivery and takeout services for the full empanada menu and Latin entrées, available through the company's own website, ToastTab, Order.Online, UberEats, Grubhub, and DoorDash for home, office, or event delivery.
• Piñaloca Empanada Limited-time dessert empanada filled with coconut cream cheese and sweet pineapple, inspired by piña colada flavors. Available exclusively at the Hell's Kitchen flagship location.
• Vegan and Vegetarian Empanadas Plant-based empanada offerings including veggie empanadas with spinach, bell peppers, and mushrooms, lentil empanadas, and spinach-and-cheese varieties for vegetarian, vegan, and other dietary-restricted customers.
• Gluten-Free Empanadas Gluten-free empanada options prepared for customers with celiac conditions or gluten sensitivities.
• Arepas Colombian-style corn cakes served warm in various fillings including shredded beef, black beans, cheese, and chicken. Naturally gluten-free.
• Bandeja Paisa Colombian-style platter featuring grilled skirt steak, chicharrón, chorizo, maduros, fried egg, avocado, rice, beans, and arepa.
• Arroz Con Pollo Colombian-style shredded chicken served with sofrito sauce, seasoned yellow rice, peas, onions, red peppers, and maduros.
• Dessert Empanadas Sweet empanada varieties including Nutella & Banana, Romeo & Juliet (guava and mozzarella), Belgian chocolate, caramel and cheese, and dulce de leche options.
• Sides and Appetizers Menu items including tostones, maduros, yuca fries, plantain chips, soups, and salads designed to complement empanadas and entrées.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7 availability at multiple NYC locations
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UberEatscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUberEats is a core delivery partner enabling Empanada Mama to offer food delivery to customers throughout their service areas. The partnership allows customers to order through the UberEats platform with delivery to their location.
• GrubhubcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrubhub partnership provides delivery services to Empanada Mama customers, expanding reach to Grubhub's existing user base in NYC and Philadelphia markets.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash enables delivery services for Empanada Mama, providing last-mile delivery to customers ordering empanadas and other menu items through the platform.
• ToastTabminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorToastTab provides online ordering and point-of-sale integration for Empanada Mama locations, enabling efficient order management for dine-in, takeout, and delivery orders.
• Order.OnlineminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOrder.Online platform integration allows customers to place online orders for pickup from Empanada Mama locations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Dos Toros Taqueria: NYC-based fast-casual Mexican/Latin chain with multiple Manhattan locations. Directly comparable as a multi-unit NYC ethnic food concept serving budget-friendly handheld food to office workers, students, and tourists.
• Café Habana: Iconic NYC Cuban/Latin restaurant in SoHo and Nolita. Comparable as a Latin casual dining concept targeting a similar NYC demographic of tourists, nightlife patrons, and office workers with affordable ethnic cuisine.
• The Halal Guys: NYC-born street food concept famous for late-night carts and multiple storefronts. Comparable as a multi-location NYC handheld food brand with budget pricing, delivery partnerships, and broad tourist/late-night appeal.
• Joe's Pizza: Iconic NYC slice shop with multiple Manhattan locations and strong late-night presence. Comparable as a multi-unit NYC handheld food brand relying on budget pricing, late-night traffic, and delivery platform partnerships.

Broad incumbents

• CAVA: National fast-casual Mediterranean chain. Comparable as a scaled ethnic fast-casual concept using customizable menus, multiple revenue channels (dine-in, delivery, catering), and affordable per-item pricing.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: National fast-casual leader in Mexican/Latin cuisine. Comparable as the benchmark for scaling a Latin fast-casual concept with delivery, catering, and digital ordering at scale.
• Sweetgreen: National fast-casual chain focused on fresh, customizable meals with strong urban presence. Comparable on multi-channel revenue model (dine-in, app ordering, delivery, catering) and urban office-worker targeting.

Emerging players

• Pincho: Latin fast-casual concept with a small multi-state footprint. Comparable as an emerging Latin handheld/sandwich concept testing the scalable ethnic fast-casual category in select US markets.

Regional players

• La Fonda Boricua: East Harlem Puerto Rican/Latin restaurant serving traditional plates. Comparable as an NYC ethnic restaurant concept offering affordable, authentic Latin comfort food with catering for community and office events.

Others

• Toast (POS platform): Restaurant technology platform used by Empanada Mama for POS and online ordering. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler providing the operating infrastructure underlying Empanada Mama's multi-location, multi-channel service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empanada-mama

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about empanada mama