Atlantic City Development Corp. and Chelsea Economic Development Corp. have announced the area’s 3rd annual Empanada Challenge, to be held throughout the month of September among 10 restaurants in the city’s Chelsea neighborhood. A celebration and announcement of the winner will take place at a special event Oct. 1.
The contest was created in 2020 during the pandemic to encourage support of Chelsea’s local businesses while highlighting cultural diversity among Chelsea’s many neighborhood multicultural restaurants.
The Empanada Challenge contestant restaurants reflect the flavors and customs of El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, Honduras and Colombia. These local businesses are well known in the Chelsea neighborhood and the organizers are hopeful the 3rd annual Empanada Challenge will introduce people from throughout the region to the International Food District of Chelsea.
Empanada voters simply need to buy and taste an empanada from two or more (or all 10) of the participating restaurants anytime during the month of September, then cast their vote for their favorite at ChelseaEDC.org. Information about the restaurants and their unique empanadas are also on the site.
Participating restaurants include Boom Food Market, Mr. Taco, El Gran Chalan, El Patron Restaurant & Bar, Mexico Restaurant & Bar, Queens, Rincón Catracho and Sabor Salvadoreno. Also new this year are contestant restaurants Sabor Latino II and Nicole’s Corner Store.
A celebration will mark the end of the contest, where the winner will be announced, from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 1 at the C.R.O.P.S. Market@Chelsea in O’Donnell Park Memorial Park. New this year is an Empanada Passport offering customers the opportunity to win a signature 2022 Empanada Challenge T-shirt by sampling empanadas from all participating restaurants.
