Titi's Empanadas

"A family-run empanada spot from Williamsburg, known for 'New Yorkified' empanadas with flavors like chopped cheese." - Emma Orlow

"This casual shop from the same people as Cachapas y Mas makes some really excellent empanadas—perfect to walk around with. Choose between corn, flour, or plantain flour for your shell—just make sure you get at least one pabellón. The plantain flour shell sweetens up the mixture of stewed beef and beans just enough with some caramelized banana flavor. Titi’s is right around the corner from L’Industrie, making for a great backup option if the line is too long." - willa moore, neha talreja, bryan kim, will hartman, sonal shah

"The empanadas at this Williamsburg spot from the Cachapas y Mas team are made of either corn, wheat, or plantain flour, and there’s not a miss on the menu. The wheat ones are fluffy and homey, the corn ones are crunchy and aromatic, and their plantain flour empanadas are some of our favorite handheld bites in the city. Especially the pabellón, with stewed beef, beans, and cheese. For some creamy goodness, get yourself a papa con queso, in which the line between whipped potatoes and cheese becomes impossibly blurred. From Thursday to Saturday, they’re conveniently open until midnight." - will hartman, willa moore, molly fitzpatrick, monica prestia

"Little treats don’t have to be sweet. Especially when they’re from Titi’s, a Williamsburg spot from the Cachapas y Mas and Dyckman Dogs family, that focuses solely on empanadas. In this pricey corner of Williamsburg, a spot where you can buy two empanadas and a drink for around $10 would be notable regardless of quality. But at Titi’s, there’s not a miss on the menu. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte The empanadas here are made of either corn, wheat, or plantain flour dough, each with its own flavor and texture. They’re always reheated for you, as opposed to being held in a warming drawer. And there are at least a dozen varieties of dough pockets, as well as some sandwiches and cachapas on the menu. The small restaurant, which is open until 12am on weekends, has a couple of seats, where you can sit and eat next to old newspaper clippings of Andy Pettitte, a photo of Keith Hernandez, or a broken guitar. Whatever you do, take some empanadas to go—they are one of the world’s great walking foods, after all. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Pabellon If you’re only going to get one empanada at Titi’s—a strategy we condemn, and frankly, the thought of this upsets us—it should be the pabellón. The dough is made of plantain flour, and the caramelized banana-adjacent flavor comes through to sweeten up the mixture of stewed beef, beans, and cheese. photo credit: Kate Previte Rabo Beefy and rich, this stewed oxtail with peppers is wrapped in a flaky wheat flour shell, and should be the foundation of any full meal you have at Titi’s. photo credit: Kate Previte Papa con Queso If you came to Titi’s on the hunt for pure creaminess, then the papa con queso is an absolute must. The filling looks as deliciously oozy as cheese pizza in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon. photo credit: Kate Previte Espinaca y Queso We love it when an espinaca y queso empanada is more or less filled with creamed spinach, and Titi’s nails theirs. Just in case you’re craving creamed spinach but don’t want to spend one million dollars at Peter Luger around the corner, Titi’s espinaca y queso will hit the spot." - Will Hartman

"Titi’s is an empanada shop that offers a modern take on Venezuelan empanadas, incorporating various influences and unique fillings such as oxtail and jerk shrimp. Opened by Jesus Villalobos in January, it aims to appeal to a younger crowd while maintaining a connection to traditional roots. The shop also features other homemade pastries and has a strong social media presence." - Emma Orlow