The 100% vegan empanada shop will offer empanadas in flavors that represent cultures from around the world.
An all-vegan empanada shop is set to open in Lincoln Park offering an unconventional plant-based take on the popular South American delicacy and it has been billed the first of its kind in America, if not the world.
The shop, known as Fons, will open in the coming weeks in place of Lito’s Empanadas who have moved into a larger location on Clark Street and specialize in Argentinian-style empanadas.
With the vacancy opening up, husband-and-wife co-owners Daniel Briceno and Daniela Crespo saw an opportunity to make their dream a reality and open up a place offering empanadas “made 100 percent from natural plant-based sources.”
Fons will offer an array of 12 different plant-based empanadas inspired by classic dishes from cultures from around the world.
The Cuban-style Ropa Vieja is made with shredded jackfruit in a chia dough while the Mexican-inspired Tinga is made with simmered onions and jackfruit in a chipotle and garlic sauce in carrot dough.
There will even be an Italian-inspired Margherita empanada made with their vegan “fozzarella” which, like all ingredients used at Fons, is made in-house.
The husband-and-wife duo hail from Merida in Venezuela. Daniel Briceno, originally a mechanical engineer in Venezuela, moved to New York where he worked in a vegan mini-chain. As an experienced plant-based chef Daniel will handle all food operations at Fons while his wife Daniela, an architect and graphic designer, will take charge of the branding.
According to Briceno, “our main focus is to create and wrap a patchwork of different cultures and flavors from around the world that create the enormous diversity here in the US. Every country has its own type of empanada … and we want to have that diversity of culture in our Fons.”
You’ll be able to buy empanadas individually or as a build-your-own Fonspack of 6, 12, 24, or 36. Fons will also have a full espresso bar and serve tea, coffee, and fresh-squeezed juices. All empanadas will be freshly baked and available to eat at Fons’ outdoor seating or for takeout, pick-up, and delivery.
[Featured image from Instagram / @havingfons]