Empanada Restaurant To Open Wednesday In Hatboro

HATBORO, PA — A restaurant set to open Wednesday in Hatboro will offer something new for local food lovers, while reviving a favorite from the past as well.

Hungry Moon Foods will open at 11:30 a.m. at 36 S. York Rd. That's the former location of Village Pretzels.

The restaurant's featured item will be empanadas, the classic, half-moon shaped Latin American comfort food. The family-owned restaurant leans on recipes from Francisco Cabrera, whose Argentinian mother introduced him to the dish.

But along with traditional Latin fare, the restaurant also will be bringing back soft pretzels, which were a staple at the location since Village Pretzels opened in 1972.

Francisco and wife Cecilia Jaramillo moved to the United States 12 years ago to be with their children, settling in Collingswood, N.J., where they ran a restaurant called El Sitio. While steak was the main attraction, the family says its empanadas quickly became a customer favorite.

When their son moved to Hatboro, they decided to follow. They say Hungry Moon will specialize in finger foods.

The restaurant's empanadas will expose locals to a variety of Latin American flavors, but also incorporate American favorites, including pulled pork, buffalo chicken and cheesesteak.
"It’s a delicious combination of both cultures that gave us courage to take it to the next level to increase empanada production and create partnerships with markets, breweries, wineries, and coffee shops," the family told Patch in an email.

"Our food is healthy, homemade and can be freshly baked to enjoy now, or you can take it and bake it later in the comfort of your own home."

Hours at Hungry Moon Foods will be 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.

Here is a sampling of menu items Hungry Moon shared with Patch:

• White Corn Empanadas: White corn-dough empanadas stuffed with beef, carrots, peas and rice filling
• Plantain Empanadas Plantain-dough empanadas stuffed with cheese and herbs
• Argentinian Style Baked Empanadas: Wheat-flour empanada with multiple options as stuffing such as beef, chicken, buffalo chicken, pulled pork, feta and spinach, cheesesteak and bacon, egg and cheese
• Pan de yuca: Yuca-flour bread stuffed with cheese, also known as Pan de Bono or Cassava cheese bread
• Soft pretzels. Regular soft pretzel, garlic and parsley soft pretzel, mixed seeds soft pretzel, or cheese soft pretzels