Maria Empanada is nearly ready to open its East Colfax Avenue location, which has been in the works since 2022.
Delays caused at first by COVID-19 and then a long waiting process for permits from the city prolonged the buildout, said owner Lorena Cantarovici.
“The building is a bit old, so we also discovered some issues that needed to be addressed before we could move forward, like upgrading the electrical panel,” she added. “It all really set us behind.”
Cantarovici expects the store to be open by mid-November.
“The exciting work is happening now as we bring the shop to life to create a true Maria Empanada space. I’m so excited to see the progress being made; every time I visit, the exterior and interior become more vibrant,” she said.
The popular spot already has three open locations: on Platte Street and South Broadway, both in Denver, and inside Aurora’s Stanley Marketplace.
So Colfax felt like the logical next step. “Colfax is one of the main arteries of Denver, and I believe it has the best collection of ethnic restaurants in Colorado. You can find Greek, Indian, Arabic, British. And now, we’re excited to add Argentine empanadas to the mix.”
The 500-square-foot store’s design will be reminiscent of its other locations, with counter seating, a large patio and displays filled with the brand’s signature empanadas.
“Even though our concept is fast, it’s still elegant. You can take your empanadas to go or sit and enjoy a meal with a drink for under $12,” she said. “It’s not a place where you buy and want to leave because there’s no ambiance. We’re creating a space that’s beautiful and inviting.”
In addition to empanadas, the Colfax store will also showcase alfajores, Argentine sandwich cookies filled with sweets like dulce de leche or chocolate mousse. Maria Empanada launched the homemade cookies at its other locations a couple of weeks ago and they’ve quickly become a hit. “We’ve introduced seven variations, and they’ve been incredibly popular,” Cantarovici said.
Maria Empanada is also planning another outpost at Denver International Airport, slated to open in the first quarter of 2025. As the brand continues to grow, Cantarovici said it maintains consistency by producing all of its products out of a commissary kitchen. The company was struggling with that consistency a year ago, but has since changed its processes.
“Our concept is simple and easy to replicate, so we’re planning our growth strategy. The idea is to grow nationwide, focusing on company-owned locations, but I can’t tell you which markets at this moment,” she said. Eventually, she’d like to be “the Chipotle of empanadas.”
Cantarovici recalled the journey of introducing the Denver market to empanadas, and how she had to educate her customers about the product, which, a decade ago, was really popular only in Latin communities.
“It took a lot of hard work to introduce Denver to Maria Empanada, which has been around for 11 years. Initially, many people called me “Maria” and thought my last name was “Empanada,” showing how little people knew about this dish,” she remembered with a laugh. “I no longer get those questions as frequently, which shows that we’re making progress.”
Maria Empanada, 2730 E. Colfax Ave., near East High School, opening mid-November.