Stephanie Spear 
Mpanadas is a family-run business in South Arlington with a cheeky llama logo, an Insta-ready interior, and a colorful lineup of ice cream treats. Underneath the fun exterior is a dedication to high-quality food and gathering people together. Mpanadas, located at 2602 Columbia Pike, opened in 2023 and has made its mark with delicious classic and creative empanadas. Read on for more about Mpanadas, an Arlington favorite.
Behind the Scenes
Mpanadas is truly a family affair. The business was founded by patriarch Marcelo Herbas in 2022. He tasted empanadas made by DMV Empanda and knew there was an opportunity to bring the classic tastes to Northern Virginia. An empanada is a half-moon-shaped baked or fried turnover filled with sweet or savory fillings. They are common in many Latinx cultures.
Mpanadas opened at 2602 Columbia Pike in Arlington in July 2023, selling a variety of flavors made by DMV Empanada. The whole family joined in on the operation: wife Lucy, daughter Paola, niece Gabriela, and Paola’s husband Jesse Correa pitched in. The family found its rhythm selling the empanadas, adding coffee drinks and sweet treats like ice cream to the menu. Gabriela likes to bake, and Jesse and Paola like to cook, so the trio tinkered with recipes for their own empanadas. “We wanted to try some fusion flavors,” Jesse said.
For several months, the trio worked on perfecting their recipe for the dough and came up with the core flavors for the cafe’s menu. In September 2024, Mpanadas debuted its house-made empanada lineup. Now, all of the empanadas sold are made by the Mpanadas team using its own recipes.
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Jesse said that he and Paola are working on a gluten-free dough. “We’re working with a recipe inspired by Bolivian Cuñapé, which is made with yuca flour and cheese,’ he said. It won’t be the same half-moon shape as a traditional empanada, because of the dough’s relative sturdiness, but the iconic llama stamp that the team uses will be on the finished product.
What to Expect
Mpanadas has 13 flavors on the permanent menu and there is at least one seasonal flavor each month. Most of the meats used in the fillings are halal, and there are vegan and vegetarian options. Some of the permanent menu items include classics like Beef Papa, which is filled with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, peas, sweet onions, and creative takes like the Indian-inspired Bombay, which is filled with lentils, black beans, tomato, green squash, sweet onion, bell pepper, garlic, carrot, and curry.
Jesse says that the seasonal flavors are often the most popular, with customers asking for them to be added to the regular rotation. The team added two breakfast flavors in May 2025. One of the breakfast flavors, French Toast, is vegan.
In addition to dining in at the cafe or ordering takeout, patrons can also order catering and hire the team to come to community events. In particular, Mpanadas is very involved with the Columbia Pike Partnership and works with several local food pantries.
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More than anything, Mpanadas is a way to bring people together. “This is our way to get people together to enjoy good food,” Jesse said.
Mpanadas is open Monday – Wednesday from 7AM to 7:30PM; Thursday – Saturday from 7AM to 8PM; and Sunday from 8AM to 7PM.
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