Each country has its own version of what Americans call a meat pie, but one thing is for certain: Empanada deliciousness transcends borders.
An empanada, with a flour or cornmeal crust, is a turnover that originated in Spain and Portugal. It holds a savory or sweet filling, is shaped as a half-moon, and can be baked or fried. The word itself comes from “empanar,” Spanish for “to wrap or coat in bread.”
Our readers and online community nominated nearly a dozen restaurants with tasty empanadas for our Taste Test. On a recent Saturday, three taste testers volunteered their time to try empanadas from the three most-nominated restaurants.
Empanadas earned points in five categories: appearance/aroma, dough/crust, filling, overall taste and value. Testers’ scores, on a scale of 100 maximum points, were averaged to arrive at the final scores.
Here’s what they liked. Comments have been lightly edited.
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The beef and cheese empanada at Capicu Puerto Rican restaurant in Virginia Beach comes with a flaky crust and flavorful filling, tasters said. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Winner
Capicu
1781 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, capicu757.com, 757-270-8119
This Puerto Rican restaurant offers a variety of authentic dishes. Its beef and chicken empanadas include cheese and a flour crust. The guava and cheese, apple, and flan empanadas are also a hit with customers.
Price: $4
Beef empanada score: 99 | Chicken empanada score: 98
What they said:
“The chicken had cheese which was a surprise but good.” — Robert
“The flaky crust, flavorful filling, and size — I love everything about it.” — Melissa
“I will be making the drive from Northern Suffolk back to here.” — Angela
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Second place
A platter of beef and chicken empanadas at Bilu’s Colombian restaurant in Virginia Beach. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)
Bilu’s Restaurant
544 Newtown Road, Virginia Beach, bilusrestaurante.com, 757-607-3020
This Colombian eatery serves corn turnovers filled with a savory potato filling and chicken, beef, vegetables or cheese as early as 10 a.m. It also has baked goods, coffee drinks, and other lunch and dinner entrees.
Price: $2.70
Beef empanada score: 88 | Chicken empanada score: 88
What they said:
“I really liked the cornmeal crust. The empanadas were properly filled but a little dry.” — Robert
“The dough was consistently crispy and golden in both the chicken and beef.” — Melissa
“The filling, both the chicken and beef, were finely minced and subtle in taste. I enjoyed the flavors of both but the flavors weren’t differentiated enough. I want my beef empanada to taste emphatically like beef and vice versa.” — Angela
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Third place
Pa’l Carajo Arepa Lounge’s shredded beef, right, and chicken empanadas. (Stephen M. Katz / The Virginian-Pilot)
Pa’l Carajo Arepa Lounge
1642 Pleasure House Road, Virginia Beach, gopalcarajo.com, 757-995-2679
This spot serves Venezuelan cuisine — one of only a few in the area that do. Its menu consists of seven types of empanadas, including codfish and pabellón — a traditional dish with shredded beef, black beans, rice and fried sweet plantains.
Price: $7
Beef empanada score: 73 | Chicken empanada score: 58
What they said:
“My chicken’s first bite was cold and bland.” — Robert
“The chicken was OK. It left me wanting to add more seasoning. However, it was crispy and golden and I could enjoy the dough by itself.” — Melissa
“The ground beef was juicy and flavorful. I think the portion size and the amount of filling definitely made the beef empanadas worth the price.” — Angela
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Honorable mentions
Knotts Coffee in Suffolk, Antojitos and Breakfast Bar in Virginia Beach, and De Rican Chef in Virginia Beach and Norfolk were also nominated.
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Our testers
Robert Davenport (Rekaya Gibson/The Virginian-Pilot)
Robert Davenport, 74, Norfolk
Occupation: Retired Episcopal clergy
Favorite empanada: “Of all the places in this area, my favorite has been from La Yaroa Tropical Restaurant on Military Highway (Norfolk) with their fried crust, spicy meat and vegetable fillings.”
On empanadas: “Empanadas are sort of like the people of our great nation. They come from different places and cultures. Despite this, they have similarities inside and out. None are perfect. All have flaws. All are good. They should be welcomed to any table.”
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Melissa Reyes Kohlmann (Rekaya Gibson/The Virginian-Pilot)
Melissa Reyes Kohlmann, 48, Virginia Beach
Occupation: Licensed massage therapist
Favorite empanada: “Picadillo empanadas are always my go-to, packed with seasoned beef, potatoes, raisins, and those little bursts of Spanish olives. My mom used to make these from scratch with a flaky crust and added a little splash of vinegar in the dough for a hint of tang.”
On empanadas: “A truly outstanding empanada is a golden pocket of comfort with a crust that is crispy at the edges, tender to the bite, and never greasy. Inside, the filling bursts with flavor, juicy but never soggy, bold but never overpowering, leaving you hooked from the first bite to the last.”
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Angela Rowe (Rekaya Gibson/The Virginian-Pilot)
Angela Rowe, 59, Suffolk
Occupation: Instructional technology coach for Newport News Public Schools
Nominated: She nominated Knotts Coffee in Suffolk. “The beef empanada is so delicious. It’s not dry and it’s full of flavor.”
Favorite empanada: “The best one I’ve ever had was at an indoor flea market in Orlando, Florida. A sweet, Puerto Rican lady had a small cafe and her empanadas were to die for. I loved the ground beef because of the taste of cumin and garlic. It was absolutely delicious. “
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Next up: Pumpkin pie
Nothing says fall like pumpkin pie. Nominate your favorites by contacting us with the names of the bakeries or restaurants with to-go pie counters and the cities where they are located.
If you’d like to be a tester, tell us why and include your name, age, city of residence and an email address, if you have one.
Send your nominations and applications to taste.test@pilotonline.com by Oct. 26.
Rekaya Gibson, 757-295-8809, rekaya.gibson@virginiamedia.com
https://www.pilotonline.com/2025/10/13/taste-test-best-empanadas-hampton-roads/
