Clifton Square added a new restaurant this month, and its owners are local celebs

By Denise Neil – The Wichita Eagle (TNS)

Dec. 26—Wichita can now get nationally-televised Argentinian empanadas nearly anytime it wants to — without having to track down a food truck.

Earlier this month, Carolina Brandan and Chad Freeman opened their first brick-and-mortar version of their Argentina’s Empanadas in the tiny building on the west edge of College Hill’s Clifton Square that in the past has been home to places including Fresh Roast Coffee Co., The No Bake Cafe and ICY-T.

Now, the shop is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays selling single empanadas and empanadas by the dozen. The business also has a special that includes two empanadas, one drink, a bag of chips and a dipping sauce for $12.50.

You might remember that Argentina’s Empanadas’ owners appeared earlier this year on “The Great Food Truck Race” on Food Network and came in third. Since then, demand for their empanadas — which are meat pies stuffed with sweet or savory fillings — has increased, and the couple has even been able to update the food truck to a sleeker model.

Their new shop is extra tiny and for now has only a few places for customers to dine in, but they’ll have to do so standing. That will change in the spring, though, when the owners will add outdoor picnic tables.

They’re also still contemplating another upgrade that would add a deck for seating on the top of the little building. The only obstacle to that plan is restrooms: The owners aren’t sure where they’d put them. They plan to “circle back” on that topic in the spring, Freeman said.

The couple prepares the empanadas for the College Hill location at a commercial prep kitchen it has in Andover then transports them to the shop daily.

So far, Freeman said, the stationary business has been popular.

“It’s been wonderful,” he said. “The community and College Hill community has been incredible, which comes at no surprise. We knew this area was perfect for our next move.”

Brandan and Freeman started their business at home at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, selling Argentinian empanadas stuffed with fillings like beef, chicken, caramelized onions, smoked ham and more. They quickly learned they needed a commercial kitchen to legally operate and moved their operations to the kitchen of Reverie Coffee Roasters.

Then, in the spring of 2022, they started selling empanadas from the Anchor Meat Market at 1113 E. Douglas — a setup they knew was temporary. The couple was recruited for “The Great Food Truck Race,” hosted by celebrity chef Tyler Florence, by producers, who somehow found them and messaged them on Instagram. They were eventually cast and filmed the race — in which several teams of food truckers travel around the country and compete to sell the most from their trucks at each stop — for seven weeks starting in January.

The show aired from the end of June through mid August on Food Network.

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