Empanola is taking its empanadas downtown, with a new Central Business District outpost set to open inside the Holiday Inn at 203 Carondelet Street, where a soft opening is expected by mid‑May. The spot will feature the full Empanola menu and a beefed‑up coffee program aimed squarely at early‑morning commuters and hotel guests looking for more than lobby drip.
Co‑owner Jimena Urrutia told What Now New Orleans that the new shop is geared toward hotel guests, the surrounding business crowd and tourists, noting that it sits “very close to Bourbon and Canal streets.” Renovations are already in motion, and the team is targeting mid‑May to have the doors open, she said.
From market stall to multi‑site brand
Empanola started out as a stall at St. Roch Market and has since grown into a small local empire across New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. As listed on Empanola, the company now operates locations on Freret Street, Magazine Street and St. Ann Street, along with Gulf Coast outposts in Biloxi and Destin.
Scale and expansion
What Now New Orleans reports that Empanola invested in an industrial production kitchen three years ago and currently turns out around 15,000 empanadas each week to keep its own stores and franchise partners supplied. The outlet also notes that the company has signed a franchise agreement in Birmingham, Alabama, and is fielding interest from Washington, D.C., and Texas, as the owners work to grow the brand while holding the line on quality and service.
Targeting offices and events
Empanola lists wholesale pricing and a $150 minimum for catering orders, with both pickup and delivery options for offices and larger gatherings. The company offers trays that can be served hot or baked on site, tailored to meetings and parties, in a catering and delivery push that mirrors the chain’s emphasis on feeding groups as well as walk‑ins.
Where it lands
The new CBD shop will set up inside the Holiday Inn Club Vacations New Orleans Resort at 203 Carondelet Street, putting Empanola within an easy stroll of the French Quarter. The hotel lists the Carondelet address on its site, giving the bakery direct exposure to tourists while also positioning it to catch the slowly returning downtown workforce in need of a handheld lunch or a quick coffee fix.
