Francesca's has some of the best empanadas in town and their aioli needs to be bottled and sold. The sweet plantain and cheese is my favorite. But I decided to branch and try some other. I also ordered one seafood and one cheese pizza empanada the seafood one was my least favorite. The cheese pizza was good but the sweet plantain and cheese will forever reign supreme in my book. Food is reasonably priced, well packaged and great customer service. You should definitely check them out. read more

See all

Cute spot! Even better is the fact that it's right down the street from me. I was headed to a game night and everybody was bringing an International dish. I googled empanadas near me and Franchesca's had the highest rating. I walked in and the environment was welcoming. They have a high bar/counter and about 5 tables. There were a few people eating, but there's plenty of room. I ordered about 20 empanadas. 5 of the shrimp empanadas, 5 beef, 5 shredded beef & potato, 5 chicken & potatoe. You can get the empanadas in either white or corn flour and they have vegan options. Your order comes with picante, aioli, and 3 pepper sauce. The sauces are really good as well. I got to my friends and the empanadas were a hit. Everybody enjoyed them. I'll definitely order from there again. read more

See all

Amazing empanadas!!!! 10/10 would recommend for anyone looking for a quick meal or snack. They have extra seating in the back as well (perfect for warm weather!) read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

This spot is really slept on. They've added a really cute outdoor patio, and their food is as good as ever. A few drinks, a ton of empanadas, and some time in the shade is just what I needed. They're so kind too! read more

I've been buying empanadas from here since it first opened. Sometimes pickup, sometimes delivery, once at a local political event, but never in- person. I plan to change that soon and update with pictures. The employees are super friendly, the storefront is adorable and very clean - I'm excited for the upcoming extension! The empanadas are out of this world, and I'm saying that as someone who has eaten them all over Argentina. They are always hot, fresh, and delicious. The menu is always expanding, they have dessert empanadas I have been waiting to try. read more

I ordered from this place all the time through DoorDash. I haven't been to the actual location. I usually get the shrimp empanada. That's the best one. It's so good! Try it with their aïoli sauce. The staff is very friendly and answer questions, whenever I call in over the phone about my DoorDash order. Love this place.. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Shrimp 3 Empanadas with Aioli Sauce - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Tried four empanadas: chicken and corn, chicken and potato, ham and cheese, and crab. Overall, pretty solid! I'm not the biggest empanada fan in general, but I think these held up pretty well. They were fresh out of the oven, hot and crisp. The meat in all were quite tender My favorite was probably the ham and cheese. The cheese literally melted in my mouth. You get what you expect. For around $4 each, it ended up being about $20 total, which felt affordable for what we got. The place itself has a chill, cozy café setup with a few small tables. If you head all the way to the back, there's even some really peaceful outdoor seating tucked away. From an empanada standpoint, I'd give it a solid 8/10. Definitely worth the stop for a quick, tasty bite. read more

I 've been here a few times and it's always such a great experience! The food is flavorful, the staff is friendly, and the venue is pleasant. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Tamal, empanada and passion fruit juice. - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Tasty! Not the best I've had but tasty. I enjoyed both empanadas but not enough to try them again. On my first visit I asked for the fan's favorite. The very kind lady behind the counter mentioned maybe 4. I chose 2. I went with the Chicken and Corn and the Creole + Crab and Shrimp. The wait time was last than 10 minutes. When she called my name she said we labeled them for you so you'll know which is which. I said great, thank you. I couldn't wait until I got home to try them because they smelled so good. I took the chicken and corn out the bag first. Took a bite, it was the creole, bummer but cool, except it didn't taste creole, I didn't taste crab, I knew there was shrimp because I saw them but it didn't taste very "creole". More like shrimp, peppers and tomato sauce. Bummer. The chicken and corn was tasty, but nothing made me want to try it again. Nice place, nice people, just not my place. read more

See all

Okay first of all, the empanadas are made fresh to order so there is no concern for getting one that's been sitting around for awhile. Second of all, oh my gosh. The plantain and cheese empanada is one of the best things I've ever eaten and the spinach and ricotta was a close second. I also tried a corn one, chicken and potato, which was admittedly heavy on meat and short on potato for someone who doesn't love meat but it definitely gave you your money's worth. I'm partial to the flour ones but the corn ones are solid especially if you can't have gluten! I got three which was a good size for a meal but I could've eaten one more if I was particularly hungry. So much delicious food for such a reasonable price. Highly recommend!! read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Plantain and cheese, spinach and ricotta and corn chicken and potato. Brought home as takeout - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Love this place - friendly staff, super cute patio in the back, the cafe drinks are underrated. Excellent empanadas and the sauces are amazing. 10/10 Chipotle Empanada is my favorite read more

Great vegetarian empanadas! Tried several of the veggie empanadas including spinach & ricotta, plantain/cheese, eggplant, sweet potato and veggie and the guava and cheese! They were all pretty good and pretty affordable ($3-4 for each). Our favorite was the spinach and ricotta and the eggplant!! Looking forward to trying more! We parked around the corner and went in to pick up our empanadas, which was easy and seamless! They are on a lot of the delivery apps as well. The inside of the place is really cute though, has a nice vibe to sit & eat! read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Inside - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

These are my favorite empanadas in Baltimore! Try the plantain and cheese empanadas and natural hibiscus tea drink, super tasty. This place is super cute and cozy and the staff is very friendly. read more

This place delivered Baltimore charm, with a splendidly upkept rowhouse, which was visited by a tour group while I was there (apparently there's something interesting out back). The normality of the place also stood out, with the people working there casually conversing with customers in mildly politically incorrect ways with no masks on. The menu is varied and the benefit of basing a cuisine around small finger foods is that it's easy to mix and match what you want. They also have an extensive vegan menu. I thought about getting a nice and healthy quinoa bowl, but settled on some flaky, delicious empanadas. My sweet plantain and cheese empanada was composed largely of mashed plantains, while a spinach and ricotta one was quite indulgent. Dipping sauces were included. The strawberry Nutella dessert empanada had a filling of preserved strawberries with Nutella freshly drizzled on top. I would come back regularly if I was around. read more

See all

If YOU want the best empanada in town... YEAH THIS IS THE SPOT! The service was fast and friendly and my empanadas were warm and tasty. I do recommend ordering more than you think you need as the empanadas are small. I ordered the chicken and beef but to me the beef was better. It's a really small cafe on the inside so just make sure to be aware in a busy day it may be best to order to go! Loved it here read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - menu - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Absolutely delicious food, this is a gorgeous hidden gem in Baltimore City. The food is affordable and well made. The service is fast and smooth, the staff is so friendly and welcoming read more

See all

I decided to stop through since I was in the area and wanted to try something different. I called in my order and was told 20 minutes. I arrived 20 minutes later and my order wasn't ready. It took about another 15 minutes, but the lady behind the counter was very nice. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, because they were out of the torta sandwich. I got home and everything looked good. The flavor was great, but the only thing I didn't like was the sandwich was hard. Not in a burnt way tho so I'm not sure if that's just how the sandwich is supposed to be made. Besides that everything was cool. I probably won't order that again, but will go back for the empanadas and to try something else on the menu. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Pineapple Coconut Caramel Apple strawberry Nutella shredded chicken with corn chicken & potatoes buffalo chicken - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Great location good services nice owner Fast services too Will go again And next to a great doctor office too Rayman read more

Found this place on Yelp! We ordered the passion fruit juice, which is freshly squeezed daily (and you can tell). It's so refreshing, and you can tell there's no added sugar. For food, we got the chicken tamale and the following empanadas: - Buffalo chicken white flour - Sweet plantain and cheese - Shredded chicken and potato Everything was made to order (took maybe 10-15 min) but absolutely phenomenal. I've never been a huge empanada person, but this place may have changed my mind. I will definitely be coming back and highly recommending them to everyone! read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Empanadas and Chicken tamale - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Hands down some of the best empanadas I've had 10/10! Savory or sweet, the empanadas are packed fully with the filling of your choice. I've had the guava & cheese, beef and chicken empanadas, and they were delicious. The empanadas are made fresh for each order. This is a quaint spot with some indoor seating, as well as, a small outdoor patio area. They also serve coffee, fresh juices, sandwiches, entrees, etc. (and some vegan options as well). I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try! read more

See all

The chipotle pork empanadas are phenomenal. Crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. This paired with the Passion Fruit tea made it a perfect summer meal! read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Chipotle Pork Empanadas and Chicken and Beef Tamales - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Small empanada shop in highland park area. Street parking only. This shop is small and has a few bench tables for eating in store. Probably not be good for a big group of friends unless you do takeout. They fry them to order so expect to wait 15-20min for your order if it's not busy. I tried multiple flavors including white flour chicken and corn, corn flour beef and potato, and seafood shrimp empanada. Overall the flavors were good, I liked the chicken and corn flavor the best. It also comes with 2 salsas which is nice. You need a minimum of 3 empanadas for a meal, but likely more if you are hungry. At almost $5 each, it can get pricy, I would recommend checking out their Tuesday 3 empanada special, currently it's $9. read more

I grabbed a few items from Franchesca's Empanadas via a delivery app and was fairly satisfied! I was excited to try it out because of the corn based options on the menu (for anyone who avoids gluten, this is always a relief). Especially since I love empanadas and it's been one of the harder things to give up. I ordered the pupusa with beans and cheese, the GF shredded chicken and potatoes empanada, and the GF cheese empanada. Much to my dismay, when the order was delivered, it was clear that only one empanada was actually gluten free as requested. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it must be an error on the third party delivery app and not the staff's fault. The empanada that I could eat was the chicken and potato and it was delish! The papusa was pretty good too but honestly, I've had better before. I'd probably give Franchesca's another shot and maybe choose to order in person to avoid further errors in the future. read more

Came here after several people recommended it. The cafe is really cute and well maintained. There is some indoor seating and one table outside, most people seem to grab and go. We tried a couple of their empanadas - all freshly made and super yum! I would recommend trying a variety. The only one I wasn't a big fan of was the plantain and cheese combo. Didn't really hit the spot for me. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Went as a party of 7 and we shared a ton of dishes - everybody liked all of them. I particularly liked the pupusa and pork based empanadas. Everything came straight out of the oven. The staff are absolutely lovely! My husband has also had their food delivered and said it holds up well. We will be repeat customers for sure! read more

My husband and I stopped in today for the first time and were thoroughly impressed! From the exterior of the restaurant to the customer service and food, everything was excellent! The restaurant itself is super cute and welcoming. The simple yet clean design is very inviting. They also have many plants around as decor. We sampled several of the empanadas to include pepperoni/pepper, buffalo chicken, spinach and ricotta, chicken and apple pie. All of them are recommended! I had not had pupusas in years so I ordered one with cheese and pork. I forgot how delicious they are. I wish I ordered more. I got the passion fruit juice which was very fresh. I don't find passion fruit juice very often so it was a nice treat. The customer service was excellent. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and the menu was explained when we had questions. We opted to have some of our meal at the table and took the rest to go. Everything was packaged nicely and the empanadas were all labeled so you knew what was what. We also had the guacamole which came with empanada chips. They weren't crunchy like a typical tortilla chip but it worked..they were good. The guacamole was definitely fresh and I wouldn't be surprised if it was made to order. Unfortunately I don't live super close but I sure wish I did. I highly recommend visiting this restaurant and giving them a try! read more

See all

Bottom line up front: THIS PLACE IS THE BOMB. The woman owned staff is friendly and the restaurant (though small) is clean and creatively decorated. But if you are like me you don't go to a restaurant to see the insides you go to eat the food. Let's get to the food Suspense.............. Are you still with me? Empanada are a food group I have not had much experience with. Although I like everything about the theory around them I have not had many on my life. So the chance to eat at a place that specializes in empanadas was the only way to experience what they are all about. I ordered six total empanadas 4 being the standard beef filed, one chicken and corn, and one beef and potato. I grabbed the beef filed right out of the bag on my way to the car and found that the filing was very hot and was the perfect blend of ground beef and spices. Combined with the fried crust this would be a tough act to follow, or so I thought. Next up was the chicken and corn. The shredded chicken and sweet corn was extremely flavorful with a hint of seasoning. It was again perfectly fried and combined with the provided hot sauce was delicious. I seemed to luck out as I tried each one because the beef and potato was my final choice and was by far my favorite. It combined shredded beef and potatoes along with a hint of spices. The fried outer shell had a crunchy texture and was something I could see myself making a 45 minute drive to eat again real soon. Overall this woman owned and operated business is one of the hidden gems in Charm City. The menu is fresh and the food makes a statement. There is metered parking all over the neighborhood and the area is clean and safe. On top of that the food is top notch. Take it from this yelper, give them a shot, you will not be disappointed. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - The bomb.com - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

Wonderful empanadas!! We ordered a few when we picked up my Yelp award (yeah!!!) and they were amazing! Just so good. We got a variety. Beef, beefless, gluten free corn and cheese, spinach ricotta, shrimp, and a cassava roll. They were all super good!! The cassava was sweeter than I expected. It was just about our dessert. The beefless has corn and a very home cooked flavor. Loaded with flavor. The spinach ricotta was also a favorite. A lot of spinach! The pupusa was good too but I liked the empanadas better. The sauces were also fresh and delicious I would definitely order again! We did take out and It was super easy and everyone was super nice. read more

See all

Franchesca's has been on the list for a while, and I finally got out there this weekend. While small, the place is super inviting and clean. I'm not dining out yet, so it was takeout for me anyway. I went with the following empanadas: Shrimp: was pleasantly surprised with the sauce inside, great flavor. Paired with the 3 pepper sauce. Yum!! Crab: nice amount of crab meat inside, paired with the aioli. Caramel Apple: oozes out in the best way, delish! Apple pie: I ate together with the caramel apple, and could distinguish them too much, which was fine because they were both great. I know the apple pie is vegan though. I also got the cassava roll with cheese which is a MUST!! So glad I ate half in the car to get the full experience without reheating. Definitely worth a trip!! read more

See all

Simple, flavorful food from a shop that is perfectly neighborhoodly. They've expanded their menu, many delicious sounding options. I casually asked if I could get empanadas to go to heat at home...and yes you can! Game changer....freshly made, to cook when I was ready to eat:) The veggie one with kale, cabbage, carrot (I think) was the best...balance with the flaky crust and crunch on point. Beefless ground was savory and satisfying. The shredded chicken w/corn was good also. The red beans had sweet potatoes and was bowl-licking good! Go, order what appeals to you...and enjoy! read more

See all

The service was phenomenal. The cashier recommended that I try the sweet potato empanada. It was truly amazing. I ordered more to go. I also tried the vegan beef empanada, and it was pretty good as well. I am looking forward to trying all of the vegan options, and I did get everything to go because it was just that good. read more

Another example of why we love Baltimore. Excellent food and variety, great ambiance, and wonderful staff. Certainly will be coming back read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Seating area - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

About a 1-1.5: Definitely surprised with the high rating of Franchesca's, which piqued my interest and lured me into checking them out while in the area. The menu offers white flour and corn flour empanadas, pupusas, tamales, cassava rolls, quipe, sandwiches, bowls, and vegan options. I ordered a variety to go: +Buffalo Chicken Dip (white flour) empanada +Ham & Cheese (white flour) empanada +Cheese Pizza (white flour) empanada +Pepperoni & Peppers Pizza (white flour) empanada +Spinach & Ricotta (white flour) empanada +Shredded Chicken with Corn (white flour) empanada +Sweet Plantain & Cheese (white flour) empanada +Shredded Beef & Potatoes (corn flour) empanada +Shredded Chicken & Potatoes (corn flour) empanada +Guava & Cheese dessert empanada +a Cassava Roll (filled with cheese) Honestly, I was not a fan of any of the items - they just didn't taste good. While I appreciated that some of the empanada exteriors were crispy, the fillings were super bland, or the combination of the flavors had an off-putting taste to them. Some of the empanadas didn't seem to be drained properly; others seem to not have been freshly made. I did have to wait a while for my order, so them not being made fresh on the spot, I was curious with the wait time. I wish I had the same delicious experience that others have had! Staff was friendly, and the place had tables and some counter seating available. Limited street parking around the area. +not-so-great empanadas T____T +limited street parking around the area read more

Ok. I found this spot looking for gluten free options on yelp near Greektown in Baltimore and I've found a new place to return to. I ordered cheese, shrimp and crab empanadas and an apple one with gluten free corn meal crust. They are tiny bit mighty! The shrimp are combined with a tomato based sauce which were very good. Above all I loved the cheese empanadas. They have online ordering and even let you know when your order is ready for a quick dash in to pick up and begin eating. read more

Very good Empanadas. But Order online. When you call, they have music blaring, won't turn it down and you have to repeat everything 2-3 times. read more

The staff was friendly and patient. I tend to be indecisive, which i know can be annoying. We ordered the chicken and corn, ground beef, ham and cheese and apple pie empanadas. I don't have a favorite. They were all delicious. I forgot to take pictures before eating them but I can't wait to go back for more. read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Dining counter - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Food is fresh and made to order. The customer service is amazing! The atmosphere is super quaint and casual. I've been here several times within the past few weeks and it has yet to disappoint read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - Dominican Steak over Cassava rolls - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

See all

i was passing by the area and so searched fir a good place to eat and this place popped up so i decided to try it out i ordered the spinach empanada, the queso empanada, the veggie empanada and the cassava roll. the queso empanada was really good, the spinach and veggie were decent and the cassava roll was alright. there were salsas provided with it but they were either too sweet or too spicy for me (a bit more variety in salsas would be better) the empanada tasted fresh with a nice crust and decent filling. overall a great place to enjoy empanadas read more

Franchesca’s Empanadas Cafe - 3 Empanadas - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

I still love the food but had a meh experience when ordering from Uber Eats. They put the food in a paper bag and then a plastic bag which resulted in everything kinda steaming and the empanadas loosing all crispiness. That was fine, but I also ordered a tamale and when trying to choose pork as the flavor Uber eats added $4 making it almost an $8 tamale. I removed the pork option assuming they would just give me pork or chicken but a totally plain tamale showed up. When looking at the website this is an option, so it's really just an update to how things are input in Uber eats that needs to be fixed it seems like (either separate line items or making the addition 50 cents instead of $4). I'll definitely still order from franchescas, just don't recommend getting it as delivery. read more

See all

Ok, I'm a bit hyperbolic in my reviews, I'll admit it. However, when I say these are the best empanadas I have ever had in my life, I truly mean it. I chose their 3 for $8 deal and figured I'd still be hungry afterwards. I hadn't eaten all day, and prior to this experience at Franchesca's, I'd hardly consider empanadas a full dinner (finger food, the pre-pre appetizer maybe?). Well, Franchesca's proved me wrong. These babies are HUGE and stuffed, coming with three delicious dipping sauces. It was hard narrowing it down to just three, but I went with the ground beef, buffalo chicken and shredded chicken. First bite into the buffalo chicken and I was goner, absolutely done for. I knew I was trapped in the best of ways. The skin was crispy and flaky, but not hard in a way that it would break up upon first bite. It's like the rare perfect pillow: great hold, firm, but soft in the middle. One order was not enough - it was simply too good. I chose ham & cheese, pizza & another buffalo chicken this time 'round (I guess you can tell what the clear must-try flavor is). Of course, I was eating with my eyes, so I had to take 'em to0go afterall. Air fryer crisped them right back up, sooooo gooooood. The staff here is so amazing, thank you Valerie for all the help! read more

See all