El Porteño

I stumbled upon this place while walking around Oxbow Market and knew I had to try the mushroom empanadas. When I say this is a really good empanada I mean it. The texture on the outside had a nice crispy crunch while the inside was soft and moist. The flavors were seasoned really well. Service here was nice and friendly. The worker took our order and gave us the empanadas quickly. This spot would be a great spot to come to for a quick snack or empanadas craving! I will have to come back to try their other flavors the next time I’m in town!

I got 3 empanadas to try: panceta with spinach, mushrooms, and dulce de leche with bananas. I was only in town visiting to take my parents to ride on the wine train. While I waited for them to return, I decided to walk over, and I'm so glad I did! Next time I'm nearby, I will definitely return! I've had tons of empanadas from various places/countries of origin, and the 3 I had rank pretty close to being the best!

Worst beef empanada I’ve ever had. As an Argentinian I can’t say this is a good empanada at all. Big but expensive (7$/each). I don’t think the humita one is good also, it’s more like a corn empanada, different recipe I like the fugazzeta empanada though. Very tasty. Chimichurri not included an expensive for the size

HORRIBLE doesn’t begin to describe the experience. The people don’t care if you’re there or not, you’re simply interrupting their conversation. Then I order jamon and camarones. Jamon had a SINGLE piece of prosciutto (photo for proof), the rest cheese. The camarones (shrimp) was inedible because the shrimp smelled like it was frozen, thawed, refrozen, thawed, then cooked so horribly that the fishy smell smacked me in the face. The pastry was also too soft and buttery to be anywhere close to legitimate Argentinian. I will never go here again and would never recommend it to anyone I like. $14 wasted. I can get better at half the price.

We had the chicken, beef and cherry empanadas. The savory ones were more authentic than most. Included olives and raisins. All three were full, no air space. The crust was tasty and held together but wasn’t tough. The Cherry version was a fabulous, delicious surprise.

Highly recommend the “jamon y queso” one! It was revolutionary! Warm food and service!

Nachos, burrito plate, guac, and specialty soads all absolutely delicious! Friendly, helpful staff.

Excellent carne empanadas… be sure to get a side of Chimichurri to put it over the top.

WTF...why isn't there an El Porteno in SoCal? I tried 2 empanadas - the beef which was pretty good but the Fugazetta was seriously the best thing I've had in a very long time. It's basically white cheddar cheese, onions and oregano. It's a MUST eat!!! Even if you're a carnivore, trust me on this. El Porteno is located inside the Oxbow Marketplace and I highly suggest you grab a few empanadas to go.

I stumbled upon this place while walking around Oxbow Market and knew I had to try the mushroom empanadas. When I say this is a really good empanada I mean it. The texture on the outside had a nice crispy crunch while the inside was soft and moist. The flavors were seasoned really well. Service here was nice and friendly. The worker took our order and gave us the empanadas quickly. This spot would be a great spot to come to for a quick snack or empanadas craving! I will have to come back to try their other flavors the next time I'm in town!

My friends and I split two empanadas so that we could try other food from the Oxbow Public Market. Service was quick from this beautiful and classy stall. We LOVED our mushroom empanada and our lamb empanada. Both were well packed, seasoned and had excellent texture and flavour. Location is a grab-and-go counter inside the market, which has seating all around the building and outside!

Sorry didn't get pictures of all the empanadas we ate. We had spinach, lamb & mushroom. All outstanding For dessert we're sharing the the alajores "cookie". .. Shortbread, chocolate & dolce de leche. Yum Short post, quick picked up quick food, after a couple of wine tastings. All u can eat is that they were really good. Shop is in the Oxbrow public Market , Napa Valley. CA

Really yummy empanadas! This place is SF-based so I was very surprised (but very excited) to see it at the Napa Oxbow market. The empanadas here are massive and so delicious. The exterior is the perfect amount of buttery flakiness and they fill their empanadas very generously and they're always so fresh & piping hot! I got the tomato, mozzarella, and basil one, and my friend got the prosciutto & fontina one. We both loved ours! The tomato/mozzarella/basil did not skimp on the cheese. It was perfectly stretchy too. I wish it had a little more basil & tomato, but the overall flavor was so delicious. It's like eating a pizza in an empanada form. They are a bit pricey (almost $8 for 1) but they're quite big and filling so I would still recommend getting one if you're craving a warm comforting snack! They also have sweet dessert empanadas which looked soo delicious as well. Friendly workers and quick service :) It's a grab and go place so no seating but if you turn the corner there's a ton of places to sit in the market itself!

Seriously delicious! We stopped in on a late Monday morning in November based off of others' reviews and so glad we did. El Porteno is one of the restaurants/shops located in the Oxbow Market (which is worth a visit itself!) and specializes in empanadas. We ordered a ham and a chicken to try them for ourselves. Loved, loved, loved the ham - super flaky with just the right amount of delicious cheese to accentuate the thinly cut meat. The chicken was sweet (I didn't realize it had raisins in it) which wasn't my favorite but my husband loved it! Service was quick and friendly - perfect to grab and go! Each empanada is placed in its own bag with the type of empanada stamped on it so you won't confuse them as they look very similar from outside.

Best selection of empanadas I've ever seen. Each time I go, I try something new. What ever I have last is my favorite. Always a flaky crust, different fillings, savory ($7) and sweet.

Had 3 different empanadas and they were all a disappointment. Staff member burnt the empanadas. There wasn't much filling in any of them and it was very difficult to chew.

My girlfriend and I each had a jimon & queso empanada. The meat inside was grey and disgusting. We each only took one bite apiece and threw the rest out. . I tried calling them to let them know not to sell anymore but their phone tree is broken and told me my entries from their menu were invalid. I can already feel my stomach turning. I'll update if I get sick or not. I would never eat here again. They should be shut down!

Omg what an amazing little surprise in Oxbow market! It doesn't look like much but wow, the empanadas are outstanding. We got shrimp, Zapallo (pumpkin, brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, anise, clove), and Cereza (black cherries in Malbec). They were all amazing but the filling in the Cereza - droolworthy. We'd initially just gotten the shrimp and Cereza but after tasting them, had to go back for a third, and it did not disappoint. Highly recommend this gem!

Absolutely delicious! El Porteno has a food vendor stall in Oxbow Public Market. We noticed it when exploring and decided to get empanadas after having a smallish appetizer at C Casa. We were so glad we did. We both chose the spinach, parmesan, and bacon empanada. And my daughter also chose a banana dessert empanada. We loved both! The market was pretty crowded, and it took a bit before we ordered, then found a table where we could enjoy our fresh and tasty empanadas, but we were both glad we put forth the effort!

Love empanadas so I had to try one! I went with the jamon y queso. It was ready right away and the cashier was very efficient! I love that it came piping hot and fresh! The outside was nice and flaky. The filling inside was pretty good for the most part, except it had random spots that were super salty so that's where I'm docking one star.

Came here with the hubby and he liked it. We'd only been to their truck a few times, so seeing their stall in the Oxbow market was a treat. My husband ordered four empanadas and he mowed them down over the next day and a half. I guess he liked them. It's nice to know that if looking for a nice snack, one is available from them. I won't be back, but I know that he will. Also, the people working there were totally nice. So that was a plus.

I visit El Porteno every time I'm at Oxbow Market. Their empanadas are irresistible. I often purchase a dozen, freeze most, as I don't reside in Napa. My top pick is the mushroom empanadas, so flaky on the outside but filled with flavorful fillings. The service is always fast and friendly, it's usually familiar faces, year after year. And the ambiance is casual, fast ordering to-go. I'm a traveler, and I make an effort to try other empanadas wherever I go. El Porteno stands out as some of the top empanadas in my experience across California.

Located in a crowded food court bustling with excitement and ambition. The ambiance is diverse, light noise, warm and well frequented by locals and tourists alike. These empanadas are fresh and warm and delicious. You order to go and they put it in a bag and you can put your whole face in and smell heaven. Employees are friendly and prompt. Don't miss it. I would try her n but might not come here w for peace or calm. This is Union Station or Grand central market, Napa style. Kids are ok.

When hunger hits, as it will when you enter Oxbow Market, do yourself a favor and chart a straight path to El Porteño. Empanadas aren't a favorite treat of mine but here they become that: something warm, delicious, flaky, buttery, and fresh to nosh as you make a decision what you're really going to have for lunch. Smart marketing has dictated that El Porteño also has an outpost at SF's Ferry Building where I'd give you the exact same mandate. I've nothing more to say about El Porteño except that ordering up an empanada or two will certainly offset any poor decisions you make later in the day.

I've been having a lot of empanadas lately, from pastechis in Aruba that are quite similar, to empanadas in Berkeley literally the day before. This is one of the few interesting options for us when we visited the Oxbow Public Market in Napa, and the pricing is solid for the portions relative to other places. We tried 1 sweet empanada (empandita) - the banana y dulce de leche, and 1 savory empanada - the champiñones (mushroom). The banana y dulce de leche is on the sweeter side, but it was tinier. I liked the dulce de leche sauce, with the subtle flavor of banana within, though I'd wish they had more banana in it. The mushroom empanada was good but dry. There is a lot of mushroom and the flavor is great, and the empanada itself has a lightly buttery taste to it.

5/21/22 Yummmmm!!! El Porteño known as one of the best Argentinian empanada establishments. I have been wanting to try it for awhile at the SF Ferry building but haven't made the route back so was eagerly excited when I saw this at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa! If you've been following me for awhile, you know my boys love their mushrooms! So I grabbed each of them their very own savory Champiñones Empanadas (far west fungi, local mushrooms, shallots, parmesan cheese and creme fraiche) and of course one for myself that I tried on site and I ordered Acelga Empanada (local chard, Gruyère cheese and pine nuts) to take Togo for myself later which are both great Vegetarian options! My girlfriend ordered the carne and pollo and I tried them both but preferred my picks! Both has raisins incorporated for a touch of sweetness with the savory but I wasn't a huge fan. They are served warmed and best eaten on site. My Togo was out in the air fryer for a couple of mins and it was still pretty good. I don't think you can have the same effect in the microwave. Both empanada's have a buttery flaky crust and savory fillings. Delicious! Truth be told, I love me some empanadas! Whenever it's on the menu, I have to have one or two or three but who's counting! I'll definitely be back to try the dessert options. They are $7 something after tax before tip so while it's a good snack, you'll need a couple (for now and for later) so it could put a hole in the spending but worth it. ooOo I know they sell them frozen and shipped if you're interested in skipping the drive to the few locations they have. Until next time Yelp fam! SYOY!

Banana caramel empanadas at Oxbow Market were supremely delicious. Thank you for the one of a kind experience!

I love empanadas... but boy I did not know which one to get at El Porteno so I ended up trying three different ones. Ham & cheese, shrimp, and chicken... just typing about it is making my mouth water. They were all so delicious. You can't go wrong. I love how convenient it is to take some to go for a picnic, get one and sit inside or outside with a beer/wine/drink. It's such a great environment, with multiple options of things to get done while still having a good lunch. I will most definitely come back here next time I'm in Napa.

I have been going to this spot, once a week, for at least 2 years now. ITS AMAZING!!! I would have posted a review a long time ago but the empanadas are gone before I remember to take a picture of it! I always go with the Jamon y queso for savory and the banana y dulce for dessert. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it is one of the best desserts I've had to date and I have it on a regular basis. The staff is always super nice and helpful. All in all, I'll probably keep making my weekly visits until I die or run out of money!

There's a lot of good-looking food inside the Oxbow Marketplace, but I challenge you to not be tempted by the delectable empanadas at El Porteno. So many flavors, which do you choose? I mean, we already put our name in at Hog Island Oyster Company, but it was going to be a 45 min wait. So, off to El Porteno I go. I got a chicken empanada (w/raisins, onions, and green olives), and it was delicious! $6.50 was a little pricey for a 3x4" pie, but so worth it. Recommended.

I love, love, love El Porteno! And this location lives up to everything you would get from the Ferry Building in SF. In fact, El Porteno is pretty consistent all around. My faves, and what I had here at Oxbow Public Market on a Sunday afternoon, are the Champinones, Camarones, and Jamon Y Queso. The shrimp, and ham and cheese empanadas, are filled with so much melted gooey cheese, I absolutely crave these, especially wrapped in the flaky buttery crust. And the mushroom empanada doesn't need cheese, all the flavor is in the marinated mushroom slices! We also tried the lamb empanada, which was new, but obviously delicious, since apparently everything at El Porteno is delicious. And it doesn't need this, but omg, I absolutely had to have their chimichurri sauce. They make it a bit spicy here, and charge $1.50 for a tiny container. But I don't even care, it's that good!!!

Love oxboW we didn't want to fill up b/c we had major dinner plans but needed a bite to eat before our wine tasting. this was perfect! we each got one empenada ..the larger size. both were sooo good! i wish i had gone back later in our trip for more. there's always next time

Super yummy and great prices! I got a Cereza (cherry) & Championes (mushroom) Empanadas and together, it was only $10 + tip. A sweet and savory is more of a snack than a meal. I can picture getting a second savory empanada or a smoothie (like at the food stand directly across from it) for a nice quick lunch. This is one of those places where you just pick whatever you want and go. I saw they also offer lamb but options like that were sold out when I visited on a Tuesday (err... Halloween) night around 4pm. I can't wait to try more or just figure out my favorites here.

Very tasty enchiladas in oxbow market. We tried the corn, mushroom and beef, all were great.

The service i received from a gentleman named Nick was exemplary, i ended up returning the next day with my family and again Nick was there and gave us the same great service. Thank you Nick for your people skills. Donna A.

Best empanadas around! Scrumptious, delectable & so delicious. Perfectly flaky, sweet & savory choices, how can you not crave this! I don't want to say a favorite because everything we've tried was good. Whatever flavor your craving that day, go for it, I'm sure you'll be happy.

Oxbow was packed and we didn't have much time to grab food in between our tasting appointments, so El Porteno was the perfect spot to grab and go. I got the Carne and Humita. I was expecting steak chunks in the Carne, but it was ground beef instead. The flavor and portions for both met my expectations for the price. I loved that the crust was light and flaky. I would recommend this to those wanting a quick and cheap bite!

Empa Nada? Nope Empa MORE! How do I describe these...it's like wrapping warm hugs and smothering them in cheese. Not too salty, not dry and just the right amount of heat. If you're at Oxbow you have to grab a few. On the menu: chicken, lamb and shrimp. I literally had to stop myself or else I would have eaten the whole shop. My favorite of them all, the shrimp and cheese! Ohhh la la! Get em while it's hot!

Tried everything they had at Bottle Rock over the course of 3 days, absolutely awesome. I ended up taking home 20 to share with friends, they reheated great, and everyone enjoyed!

We were at the Oxbow market looking for a snack and came across El Porteno. So we decided to order two savory empanadas: mushroom and corn. If you're a fan of mushrooms, you'll definitely love the mushrooms. The dough was soft with a slight chewiness. The mushroom filling was pretty good, but it felt as if there wasn't as much filling as I would like inside the empanada. The corn and bell pepper empanada was a delicious combination. It's sweet and savory and just slightly different than what I expected. Out of the two, the corn combination is my favorite. I would definitely come back for more of their empanadas.

Let us now sing the praises of prodigious, delicious, Argentine-style empanadas. Empanadas you can have delivered to your home, frozen and ready to heat and eat within mere minutes. We ordered one box each of El Porteno's meat and mushroom varieties. Each is absolutely fantastic, surrounded by wonderfully flaky, tasty pastry. And both fillings are richly, deeply flavorful and perfectly balanced. They make multiple other types. I would bet they are all at least as great as the ones we're enjoying. They arrived in perfect condition, too, in a strong cardboard box that contained a solid foam case and some dry ice. And according to the shipping label, they arrived the day after they were packed. Sometimes, you just need to splurge and do something nice for yourself. Check out the website and order some empanadas. Enjoy the holidays -- or your recovery from them, or both -- even more.

The prosciutto and mozzarella was my favorite, and my husband is obsessed with the lamb one. The bacon in the spinach one was mostly just fat so I didn't care for that as much. The cherry and apple dessert ones were tasty, too. Careful - they're hot!

My wife and I have been to their mobile food truck before so we knew we were in for a good quick bite. Located inside OxBow Market this is a great place to stop. This time I got the Jamon y Queso (Ham and Cheese). The first bite into the delicious, flaky and buttery pastry I got a huge bite of yummy Fontina cheese. As you work through the empanada you make your way to salty ham that balances the cheese. Yummy. My wife got the Camarones (Shrimp). This was more of a rounded shape compared to the half moon of the Jamon. I enjoyed this but it's not something I prefer. I think seafood doesn't stand up the pastry as well as other options at El Porteno. My wife loved it though. The shrimp inside is small but tasty and there is a good amount of seafood in the pastry. A good quick bite at any locations we love El Porteno. Of the different empanadas we have tried I actually like the Champinones (mushroom) the most. We have yet to try their Dulces (sweet empanadas) but their Alfajores are incredible if you want a sweet option.

Popped into Oxbow Market to grab something quick before our afternoon of wine tasting and I'm so glad we decided to grab some empanadas from El Porteno. The empanadas were delicious! We tried the chicken, ham and cheese and the lamb (I believe this was their daily special empanada). The empanadas are a great size, filling, fresh and so flavorful! My personal favorite was the chicken empanada with olive and raisins. They definitely don't skimp on the filling and the outer crust is perfectly flaky. Do yourself a favor and grab an empanada whenever you're at Oxbow Market!

Amazing empanadas and plenty of options. I got the jamon y queso (prosciutto and cheese) and banana with caramel. Both were amazing. The star of the show was the banana and Carmel. I got 3 of those, delicious and served warm. If I am ever back in Napa I will be sure to go back and try more. Perfect for snacking or grabbing in between wine tastings!

I discovered El Porteno on a wine tour. One of our stops was the Oxbow Public Market. They feature Argentinian Empanadas. I had to try the Fugazetta. Ingredients included tons of aged cheese, oregano and onions. You can add chimichurri sauce, it was such a great compliment. If need be, shipping is available within the west coast. Please extend shipping NY.

Portable, quick hot and tasty, which made it a perfect carry in meal for an Oxbow show. Tonight was Billy Idol and I wasn't about to waste time in a long line at a food truck! Love empanadas and I've had the Champinones from the Ferry building location so I got several to try. There's two sizes; large ($6.50) for savory and small ($3.50) for sweet. From the showcase the large appears deceptively small, and small practically puny; however, they very filling. Here's my vote... Chaminones (mushrooms) - you have to be a shroom fan b/c the Hubbs took one bite and thought it was yucky. I on the other hand loved the taste of mushrooms as the main flavor with the crispy, tender crust. Carne (beef ) - I thought this would be the fave but really it was just ok. Had I known about the Chimichurri sauce it would've made it so much better. Acelga (chard & gruyere cheese) - this was my 2nd fave of the savory. Chard is chopped fine and practically blends in with the cheese. Imagine hot spinach dip in a pastry. Jamon y queso (ham & cheese) - This seemed boring and I only added it for the Hubbs in case he vetoed the shrooms & chard and was so glad I did! This was hands down the best. There's something magical to the taste buds with salty ham, melted cheese and a flaky crust! Cereza (black cherries in Malbec) - I can only imagine this was good because the Hubbs scarfed it down before I could get a bite! Bananas y Dolce de Leche (Bananas & Caramel) - OMG yummy, sweet, flaky caramel goodness with banana so they're semi good for you too right?!

Wow delicious! Booth at Oxbow! Fresh empanadas are constantly coming out! Got the champiñones empanada for $6 so good! A light snack as you wait in line for coffee or for English Muffins at Model Bakery! And and them what the special is! :)

Located inside the Oxbow market, are delicious empanadas from El Porteno! Low key anytime I see savory empanada I have to stop and give them a try, it's my favorite type of pastry! I was with a group, so I decided to order a bunch so we could all share and try. The Camaron (bay shrimp, parm cheese and green onions), Jamon y Queso (ham and cheese) and Fugazetta (cheddar, onions, oregano) and La Maradona (tomato, basil, mozz). My favorite out of them all was easily the camaron. The shrimps were plump and the flavors were unlike any other empanada I had before. The jamon was what you would expect, although I wish they'd put more filling in them, which was a feeling I had for most of the ones I ordered. The outer crust was flaky and delicious though, no dry bites here! I love the fact that they keep em all warm, so they taste fresh when you eat em. $6.50 each was probably the most I've ever paid for empanadas, but I can't imagine rent being affordable in such a popular place like Oxbow market. Either way, they were delicious, and I'd pay it again! They also sell small containers of their chimichurri sauce for $.50/each, which is must whenever I order savory empanadas. Overall, would definitely order these again. Didn't know they had a spot in the SF Ferry Building, so great to know I don't have to drive all the way up to Napa to get my fix!

The best empanadas I've ever tasted. Wow! It blew me away!! They had frozen ones I could just bake at home. Worked out perfectly!

I love this little spot. It's located in the Oxbow Market. If you blink, you might miss it. Their pancetta, mushroom, and banana empanadas are my favorite so far. I'll definitely be back to try all of them. The young man who works here is helpful and nice. Grab a couple empanadas, get a coffee at Ritual and sit outside. What a treat!

Maybe best fast food IN NAPA. Delicious empanadas. I had the shrimp. Take it to go for a picnic down by the river

MIND BLOWING! Located inside Oxbow market in Napa! I never had an empanadas line this one! Their bread was so light, airy and flaky literally melts in your mouth! We had it for the first time on a Monday and they sold out on their Carne so the guy recommended us getting the FUGAZETTA! And it is a MUST!! after buying one we did not expect it would be that good so we came back like less than 5 mins and they were closed...came back the next day which was Tuesday they were closed!! We were honestly so heart broken haha thennnn we came back again! On a Wednesday! We were soooo happy they were open!! Haha So we tried Carne and got Fugazetta again! I recommend getting their chimichurri for their Carne Empanada!! Realllllly good! 10/10!! I live an hour away and I would go for a day to get their FUGAZETTA!!

El Porteno is the newest addition to Napa's Oxbow Public Market, and just like its location in the SF Ferry Building, this stall offers a variety of Argentinian empanadas! There are savory and sweet selections, but my pick was the Champinones, filled with a mixture of Far West fungi, local mushrooms, shallots, parmesan cheese, and creme fraiche. Sounds simple, but the filling had such a satisfying, deep umami flavor from the mushrooms and melted cheese, while the thin pastry layer was pleasantly soft and chewy! These little hand pies didn't come cheap at $6.50 for a relatively small portion, but the flavors were simply spot-on!

First time today, we'll be returning frequently! The empanadas are hot and ready to go - no waiting. We tried two today, but there are probably fifteen varieties (each named) to choose from. 'Camarones' with shrimp, Parmesan and green onions had bold flavors and melts in your mouth, while 'Cordero' with Malbec-marinated lamb, diced onions and herbs was rich and savory. Each is pocketed in a unique flaky & buttery pastry that puts them over the top! Wow, can't wait to go back!

These are still to this day my most favorite empanadas! I have tried hard to find one that'll top it with no success. I always try to go to the SF location when I'm in that area, and now I'm so excited that there is one in Napa too! What a treat. The pastry itself is phenomenal. Different from most in that it's not dense, but rather light and flaky. The filling is always flavorful and delicious, whether it's the mushroom, the spinach and cheese, the carne, etc. There hasn't been one that I haven't enjoyed yet (but I still gotta get through the rest of the menu lol).

Pollo (chicken) empanada - $6.50 - 4/5 Banana y Dulce De Leche empanada - $3.50 - 4/5 The puff pastry is buttery and flaky.  Flavors are good.   Wished the empanadas are larger for the price. This review is for last week of July 2021. The service was not great. The female employee seemed grumpy. No hello, no thank you.

Incredibly delicious and flaky crust. Tried the banana dulce de leche and it was perfect! Need to go back and try the savory ones.