5411 Empanadas: A Party in a Pastry Pocket

I am a lover of anything wrapped in dough and baked until crispy. So naturally, I am a huge fan of empanadas, those little pockets of joy that are stuffed with meat or veggies and baked to golden perfection. In Wicker Park, 5411 Empanadas is churning out a variety of empanadas in all different shapes and sizes that are sure to please just about everyone.

The Vibe

5411 Empanadas is located on North Avenue just West of the intersection of Milwaukee, North and Damen ave. Inside, customers can sit at individual tables or at the bar, which features local draft beer. Along one wall is a giant picture of their food truck, which goes by the same name, and delivers their yummy empanadas to hungry Chicagoans all over the city. The vibe was chill, and on a Friday afternoon it was pretty quiet.

The Food & Drinks

Of course, the specialty at 5411 is empanadas, and I indulged in three! They are not super big, so it is best to get at least two or three, although if you just want a snack one is perfect. I tried a veggie (spinach and cheese), a meat (BBQ chicken), and one of their sweet empanadas (banana and nutella). When they bring you your order, you can use the signs on the tables to guess which one is which, since each flavor has a different shape.

All the empanadas I tried were delicious. I also ordered chimichurri sauce to top off my savory empanadas which was the perfect topping on an already very tasty bite each time. On their website, they recommend the sauce specifically for their beef as well as ham & cheese empanada, though it tastes excellent on any of their many flavors. While I only tried three empanadas, there are so many varieties I need to go back for: ham & cheese, ratatouille (ummm french inspired? yes. Lots of veggies? yes), bacon, date & goat cheese (bacon over everything), mushroom & blue cheese (the mushrooms are sautéed in garlic and butter first…. yummy), sweet corn (which has a hint of nutmeg), and even malbec beef (with a malbec wine reduction)… are you salivating yet? Hurry and visit! Or order online for delivery!