This afternoon in signage updates

Pinch interrupts our afternoon programming to let us know that new (and additional!) signage is going up now on the NW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue for Empanada Mama...

The quick-serve Empanada Mama location opened for business here in October. Despite a few stools inside, it's mostly a to-go operation... which the new signage notes.

Meanwhile, across 14th Street, Panda Express is still not open.

Updated

Here's another shot via EVG regular Daniel Efram...

Empanada Mama debuts on 14th Street and 1st Avenue

The quick-serve Empanada Mama location opened for business this past Friday on the NW corner of First Avenue and 14th Street. (We've been tracking the progress here since May.) 

Here's a look inside (before it opened for the day) ... there are two self-ordering kiosks...

There is also a cashier taking orders, so that option of paying by cash is available. 

During this initial soft-opening phase, the outpost is open from noon to 10 p.m. daily. Eventually, they will keep hours of 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. 

This is the fourth NYC space for Empanada Mama, which Socrates Nanas launched in 2005.

Papaya Dog closed here last fall, ending a 16-year-run of slinging cheap eats from this corner.

Empanada Mama makes it signage-on-the-plywood official on 14th and 1st

As we've been reporting back to May, an Empanada Mama outpost is opening on the NW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue. 

As the above photo via Pinch shows, Empanada Mama has put out its first signage on the space ... some wheatpaste branding on the plywood.

No word yet on an opening date on what will be the fourth EM in the city, including one at 95 Allen St. on the Lower East Side.

Papaya Dog shuttered here last fall, ending a 16-year-run.

Previously.

Pretty much a full reveal at the incoming Empanada Mama

Workers removed the plywood from the storefront on the NW corner of First Avenue and 14th Street yesterday ... showing off the new outpost of Empanada Mama.

We first reported in May that the quick-serve restaurant with an outpost on Allen Street was opening here. 

Papaya Dog shuttered here last fall, ending a 16-year-run.

Thanks to Sawyer Mitchell for the photo and to Steven and Pinch for keeping an eye on the space!

Seeing (Empanada Mama) red on 14th Street and 1st Avenue

Workers put a coat of red paint on the storefront on the NW corner of First Avenue and 14th Street yesterday. (H/T Pinch and Peter!)

And those workers continue to tell inquisitive passersby that the space will soon be home to an Empanada Mama. (We first reported this in May.)

We still haven't seen any official coming-soon signage just yet. This would make for the fourth EM in the city, including one at 95 Allen St. on the Lower East Side.

Papaya Dog shuttered here last fall, ending a 16-year-run.

P.S.

The Panda Express still wasn't open as of yesterday across 14th Street.

Reader report: Empanada Mama opening at the former Papaya Dog space on 14th and 1st

Multiple readers tell us that Empanada Mama is opening an outpost on the NW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue (the former Papaya Dog space). 

A worker at the under-renovation space told EVG regular Pinch that an an "empanada" place is opening here... a commenter went on to specify that it will be an Empanada Mama, which, if true, will make the fourth location in NYC, including the one at 95 Allen St. 

Papaya Dog shuttered here with 0.0 warning last fall, ending a 16-year-run of slinging cheap eats from this corner.

Katz's is now the last business on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard

The one level row of storefronts on East Houston between Ludlow and Orchard are now business-free with the exception of Katz's.

Empanada Mama is the last to bow out...


[Photo via @fnytv]

They aren't going to far away as the sign notes — 95 Allen St., as first reported by BoweryBoogie.

So everyone else, including Ray's Pizza, Bereket and Lobster Joint, among others — have closed or moved to make way for Ben Shaoul's new development... Oh, there it is!



Shaoul's latest is a 10-story building with 83 residential units spread out over 95,000-square feet... plus 13,500 square feet of ground-floor retail.

Katz's, who sold their air rights to help make this happen, isn't going anywhere.

H/T EVG reader Chris F.

Empanada Mama coming to East Houston

Empanada Mama is the latest eatery to give 189 E. Houston at Orchard a go... this address has been a carousel of concepts in recent years, most recently the short-lived Masala Twist and Kung Fu Bing ... Anyway, this one sounds pretty promising... and this will be the second Empanada Mama location — the other is on Ninth Avenue in the 50s... it's co-owned by the founder of Mama’s Empanadas in Queens ...

You can find their menu here.