Maria Empanada is set to open a storefront inside Denver Union Station on October 9, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner from the kiosk that once housed Baumé – A Dessert Bar. It will be the fast-casual chain's fifth brick-and-mortar location around Denver, adding a full menu of empanadas, homemade salsas, coffee and other drinks to the station's food lineup.
The new spot marks a shift for the Argentine-inspired chain, which had previously supplied empanadas through Pigtrain Coffee Company as a wholesale account inside the station, according to The Denver Post. Now it's stepping into its own storefront, joining Olive & Finch and Ultreia among the dining options at Union Station. City Street Investors, which operates Pigtrain Coffee Company, Terminal Bar and other restaurants inside the station, opted to sell Baumé's desserts and pastries through an existing concept rather than keep the standalone kiosk running, per the same report. Pat McHenry said he contacted only Maria Empanada about the available space, the outlet notes.
From Garage Empanadas to a Transit Hub Storefront
Founder Lorena Cantarovici owns Maria Empanada and said opening at Union Station represents an important presence for her restaurant, the Post reports. Cantarovici immigrated to Denver from Argentina in 2000 with just $300, initially baking empanadas out of her garage before landing her first commercial business loan from the Colorado Enterprise Fund in 2014 to move into a South Broadway storefront. She had previously worked as a bank executive in Argentina before relocating to Denver to learn English, according to the fund's small-business spotlight.
The recognition kept coming. Cantarovici was named Colorado's 2017 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and Zagat later named Maria Empanada one of the 12 hottest bakeries in the country.
A New Storefront, Plus Licensed Locations
Once Union Station opens, Maria Empanada will add a storefront to its portfolio. The chain also has licensed locations at Denver International Airport, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Dick's Sporting Goods Park and Centennial Stadium, where Denver Summit FC plays until its own stadium is completed, per the Post.
Cantarovici said expansion is Maria Empanada's priority, and that the concept fits different kinds of locations because empanada costs and overhead are affordable, the Post reports. The chain prioritizes smaller restaurant footprints, which helps explain why a compact transit kiosk works for the brand even as it scales into stadium concourses and airport terminals.
New Bundles Aim to Speed Up the Line
Maria Empanada is also rolling out new empanada flavors and has introduced bundles pairing empanadas with its house-made salsas, according to the Post. A two-empanada bundle sells for $11, a three-empanada bundle runs $15, and customers can add a non-alcoholic drink for an extra $2. Cantarovici said business has been challenging in 2026, and that the bundles and new flavors are meant to help customers make decisions faster and improve ticket times, per the same report.
She also framed the Union Station opening as part of downtown Denver's broader comeback, the Post notes. One planned change near the transit hub is Call Your Mother's planned bagel shop on nearby Wewatta Street.
Renovations and a Mixed Safety Picture
Union Station itself has seen heavy investment in recent years. It's operated by the Union Station Alliance, a consortium including City Street Investors and Sage Hospitality Group, which led a $54 million historic renovation in 2014 and completed an extensive refresh of the Great Hall and the Crawford Hotel in July 2024 to mark the site's 10th redevelopment anniversary, according to Mile High CRE. The outlet also reported that Baumé, the kiosk Maria Empanada is taking over, opened at the beginning of 2025 and was run by City Street.
