Robin Godwin: ‘DMV Empanadas’ Coming to Cross Street Market

Baltimore farmers’ market-staple DMV Empanadas is opening its first brick-and-mortar location in the city at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill. DMV Empanadas takes over a space Ono Poké vacated last year.

Bolivia natives Marco and Nacho Amaraz started DMV Empanadas six years ago. Marco Amaraz had a house cleaning service and said he was tired of being around all the chemicals, so he decided to use his mother’s chicken empanada recipe and set up at local farmers’ markets around the Washington, D.C. area.

DMV Empanadas opened its first brick-and-mortar location three years ago in Gaithersburg. In addition to the location in Cross Street Market, DMV Empanadas is currently working on opening a location in Rockville and one in a food court in Silver Spring.

Baltimoreans may be familiar with DMV Empanadas from the 32nd Street Farmers Market, Fell’s Point Farmers Market, and Baltimore Farmers’ Market.

“We have a lot of fans over here, but not a physical location,” said Marco Amaraz. “When we saw this opportunity [at Cross Street Market], we grabbed it.”

DMV Empanadas offers 23 different flavors of empanadas that are a mix of Bolivian, American, and Maryland flavors. Fillings include chicken, beef, BBQ pork, spicy pork, spinach and cheese, Old Bay shrimp, cheeseburger, and more.

Each empanada comes with regular or spicy sauce.

Marco Amaraz said the Gaithersburg location serves as the commercial kitchen where they make the dough, fillings, and empanadas before they are sent out to farmers’ markets and other locations. He noted making the dough is a three-day process.

The Amarazs use a custom-made empanada machine from an Argentinian company that imprints the name of the filling on the empanada dough.

DMV Empanadas now makes 10,000 empanadas a week and hopes to up that to 15,000 by the summer.

At Cross Street Market, the empanadas will be reheated and served.

Most empanadas are $4. Customers can save $2.50 if they order six or $5 if they order a dozen.

Along with empanadas, DMV Empanadas will serve bowls that include two empanadas and sauce on top of salad or rice; churro donuts; tres leches; and rice pudding.

Drinks will include Mexican soda Jarritos, house-made lemonade, and juices.

DMV Empanadas also offers catering.

Marco Amaraz said they hope to open in the next two weeks as they get through final inspections. DMV Empanadas will likely be open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 8pm.