Cielito Lindo

An empanada can drastically improve a no-good, very-bad day, or turn a pretty good day into a very excellent one—and if you’re around Crown Heights, that empanada should come from Cielito Lindo. The counter-service Mexican spot on Nostrand Avenue has a full menu, in case you need some solid steak tacos or a breakfast burrito, but it’s the empanadas that make it a standout neighborhood spot. They’re hot and flaky, and expel just enough grease onto the wax paper bag that you know you’re in for a treat. Plus, they come with both red and green sauce. If slow, thoughtful sauce sampling is important to you, there are a few tables inside where you can eat, dip, and ponder what a world without food-filled pockets would even look like.

photo credit: Willa Moore