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Some of Denver’s most popular South American restaurants are devoted to empanadas — but they’re going through a few changes.
Empanada Express Grill started as a cart that served up fluffy empanadas on the streets of Golden, then opened a brick-and-mortar location in a quiet spot in that town. Too quiet. That restaurant, as well as a second location that opened last year on East Colfax Avenue, is now closed. “Our owner had a baby and didn’t have enough time for all three locations,” explains a server at Empanada Express’s’ northwest Denver location, the last one standing. It continues to serve up its namesake empanadas, plus an array of such Venezuelan specialties as hallacas, tostadas, griddled arepas, paella, a variety of fresh chilled juices, and tropical milkshakes.
See also: Fifteen best South American Restaurants in Denver
The original Empanada Express location in Golden has a sign in the window announcing that Elote’s Restaurant and Bar, featuring “new age Latin cuisine,” will be opening soon.
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Meanwhile, as we reported back in October, the Buenos Aires-inspired Maria Empanada, which specializes in passed-down family recipes, will relocate from its original location in Lakewood to the former Buffalo Doughboy space; the opening is slated for January.
