Empanadas can be found in nearly every Latin American country, and so can their deeply partisan fans. When the Colombian owners of Empanadas Del Parque opened what they’d hoped would be a sort of United Nations of empanadas last winter, they learned firsthand that one man’s meat pie was another’s poor substitute. “The difficulty was in trying to please everybody,” says Patricia Bernard, who runs the business with her brother, Jaime Bermudez, and sister, Luz Helena Bermudez, both of whom have channeled years of Manhattan catering experience into churning out nineteen varieties of fried empanadas from a Corona kitchen. After encountering initial resistance, they sacrificed attempted authenticity for full-blown creative license, stuffing their spongy corn-flour and flaky white-flour pies with untraditional ingredients like shrimp, cod, spinach and ricotta, and the ever-popular trinity of ham, pineapple, and cheese. Made to order and served with a spicy avocado sauce, the empanadas ultimately won over a loyal Latino clientele. (The location, four blocks from the soccer fields at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, can’t hurt.) On hot days, locals huddle over the freezer case, excavating dollar ices and ice creams made from tropical fruits like soursop, guava, avocado, and mango. Judging by their popularity, the Lemon Ice King of Corona might finally have some competition.

Empanadas de masa de maiz
Corned Flour Empanadas

Carne / Shredded Beef – $1.25
Carne y Queso / Ground Beef and Cheese – $1.25
Pollo / Shredded Chicken – $1.25
Pavo / Shredded Turkey – 1.25
Chicharron / Chopped Pork – $1.25
Pescado / Fish – $1.25
Camarones / Shrimp – $1.75
Brocoli y Mozzarella / Broccoli and Mozzarella – $1.25
Pesto / Fresh Mozzarella, Tomato and Pesto Sauce – $1.25

Empanadas de masa de harina de trigo
White Flour Empanadas

Carne / Ground Beef – $1.50
Pollo / Ground Chicken – $1.50
Pavo con Queso / Turkey and Cheese – $1.50
Queso / Cheese – $1.50
Jamon y Queso / Ham and Cheese – $1.50
Hawaina / Ham, Mozzarella Cheese and Pineapple – $1.50
Mañanera / Breakfast Empanada: Ham, Bacon and Cheese – $1.50
Espinaca y Queso Riccota / Chopped Spinach and Ricotta – $1.50
Vegetales Mixtos / Mixed Vegatables – $1.50
Maduro y Mozzarella / Sweet Plantain and Mozzarella – $1.50

Organica: Masa Integral Organica
Whole Grain Empanadas

Carne / Ground Beef and Mixed Vegetables – $1.75
Pollo / Ground Chicken and Cheese – $1.75
Vegetables / Spinach, Broccoli and Cauliflower – $1.75
Queso y Jalapenos / Cheese and Jalapenos – $1.75
Tuna – $1.75

Empanadas para Postre
Dessert

Arequipe con Queso / Carmel and Cheese – $1.10
Bocadillo y queso / Guava and Cheese – $1.10
Bocadillo, queso y maduro / Quava, Sweet Plantain and Cheese – $1.10
Nutella Chocolate and Sliced Bananas – $1.25
Helados Caseros de Frutas Tropicales / Traditional South American Ice Pops – $1.25

Empanadas Del Parque
5627 Van Doren St.
Corona, NY
Tel (718) 592-7288