Baltimore’s food scene has expanded with the arrival of The Empanada Lady and its owner, Elisa Milan. Their variety of empanadas and drinks have garnered notoriety across Baltimore and amassing a following of over 22,000 on Instagram @the_empanda_lady. During my visit to Milan’s restaurant, I asked her what inspired her to open The Empanada Lady, and if it was something spontaneous or something she had always envisioned. “The Empanada Lady has lived many lives,” she said. Milan relayed how The Empanada Lady allowed her to create opportunities and be able to help those in her community, while also establishing a profitable restaurant in an area that lacked a lot of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.
Exposing the Culture
Milan’s heritage—which comes from her Puerto Rican mother and Black father—have allowed her to connect to people in the Baltimore area through her food, especially the large Puerto Rican community inside the city. “I think exposing the culture has the most direct impact because there aren’t a lot of Puerto Rican restaurants, and there’s a large Puerto Rican community in Baltimore. But we’re so spread out [that] I don’ think everybody’s aware of what that culture looks like, feels like, and tastes like.” She also mentioned another important aspect for her: being in the position to hire “black and brown people” to help them provide for themselves and their families.
The Empanada Lady has created a space for more representation and diversity in the restaurant industry, and for individuals seeking an opportunity. This dynamic reflects her background and desire to embrace her culture which has directly impacted her success through the food she creates. I asked Milan how her Puerto Rican and Black heritage shaped her success in bringing fresh, bold, and unique flavors to the Baltimore food scene. “It’s definitely my grandmother’s recipes—the empanadas–what got us here. It was all her, and the coquito is all her. Those are the two biggest staples.” Clearly, those two staples helped propel The Empanada Lady’s name within the community.
However, it’s not just limited to her grandmother’s recipes. “We’ve expanded so much,” Milan said. Conveying how both familial and workplace bonds allow innovation to take place, she added “A lot of my chefs are making the recipes. Some if it’s their family’s, or things we’ve created just to provide an experience.” This provides a unique and always satisfactory experience for their customers. It also ensures that everything is always fresh and cooked to order to meet high standards and demand of their food, especially their empanadas. “Every day we’re rolling to keep up with demand. Everything’s ordered fresh, everything’s cooked to order” Milan said. It takes time and dedication like this to maintain the high quality of food she puts out every service.
When to Make the Jump
This high-quality service doesn’t just stop with the food. The same effort is directed towards their bar as well. Going as far to squeeze their own juices (such as lemon or lime) and make their own syrup in house. Milan’s commitment has garnered her a flourishing establishment she believes will expand into other ventures as well. “I definitely want to expand,” she said. “I can see The Empanada Lady with franchise food trucks; I can see The Empanada Lady with just a cocktail experience. I can see The Empanada Lady in food halls, and definitely more locations, especially outside of the state.”
With her current experience, I asked what advice she would give to aspiring restauranteurs. First, she told me, “it’s real, it’s rough, it’s hard. “Know that you want to do it…love it. Don’t make a big jump if you don’t love it. Don’t make your jump for profits, don’t make your jump for notoriety. Make your jump because you love it, and then everything else will be worth it.”
Milan perfectly summarized what it means to have a true passion and striving to see your vision through. Be willing to make the necessary sacrifices and pursue your dreams for the right reasons. If you live or find yourself in the Baltimore area, do yourself a favor and visit The Empanada Lady. They’re located at 10 South St, Baltimore, Maryland.