Best Empanadas for Delivery in Buenos Aires

Never having lived in the center of a big city, I’m still tickled by the concept of delivery.

I place my order on an app, pour a glass of wine and then, like a friend I’ve always wanted, someone on a motorcycle arrives 30 minutes later with my food in hand. But not all deliveries are created equal.

Buenos Aires has a widely used delivery app, PedidosYa. You can log in by connecting to your Facebook account and place your orders using a card or cash upon delivery.

Probably about once a week, my roommates and I order from Mostachole, a delivery-only empanada restaurant with an array of gourmet, savory stuffed turnovers.

Empanadas, popular in many South American countries, are made by folding dough over a stuffing, which may consist of meat, cheese, veggies or other ingredients. Mostachole offers numerous empanadas containing cuts of beef. We are in Argentina, after all. Language insight: The word empanada comes from the Spanish verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Just like I like all my food products.

The five-bite pastries range in price from $36 pesos to $41 pesos — not the cheapest empanada option but worth the extra pesos. The minimum cost for an order is $250 pesos, which means you and yours will just have to order a fair amount of flavors.

Following are my three Mostachole must-orders. Buen provecho!

Mostachole

The Mostachole deserves to be the restaurant’s trademark empanada. Honey-mustard glazed carrots balance smoked bacon in each sweet/salty bite. Mozzarella and gouda cheese lend a smooth, creamy texture.

Champi

This one is a winner. Salted mushrooms with shallot onions, plus a provolone and blue cheese sauce, make for a gooey filling. Spinach adds a bit of chewiness.

Yopo

The Yopo is something special: grilled chicken with a curry cream sauce and parmesan. In a city where spicy food is hard to come by, this little pastry offers a flavor fix.

Loyal as I am to Mostachole, I once tried to go to the actual restaurant site, only to find the dining space stacked high with boxes. Through a small window, a chef told me I should go home and place my order. Thirty minutes after arriving to my house, I heard the motorcycle out front.