My Grandma’s Empanadas a hidden jewel in Warner Robins

If you can get to Warner Robins for lunch, do it and do it early. My Grandma’s Empanadas, a small luncheria across from Robins Air Force Base, is a little jewel and is packed by noon. If you wait until after noon, you risk them running out of the empanadas you wanted to try.

With its beginnings at the local farmers market, My Grandma’s Empanadas (you can shorten it to “Grandma’s” when you ask friends to go with you) continues its relationship with local growers and artisans like Marview Farms, Breedlove, Rust’d Plow and the delicious Silly Goat. Everything is fresh, as local as the season permits and delicious. Oh, and cheap.

Empanadas — little fried pies — are just $3 each, so get as many as you need to fill up. Our favorites were the spicy beef ones, the Marketfresh with spinach and local feta, and the spicy ground chicken. The bean ones were a little dry and could benefit from a liquid binder.

The sweet Pumpkin, S’mores and Guava pies are definitely worth a try, made, respectively, with organic pumpkin; organic marshmallows and chocolate; and organic cream cheese, guava and strawberries. I’d love to see them branch out into peach and apple fried pies, maybe featuring whatever is growing locally.

If you want something healthier than fried pies, try their stuffed avocados, wedge salad or stewed chicken soup with rice and dumplings. Each is small but also less than $5.

For something completely different, try the Arroz con Guandu, which is rice and peas in coconut milk and tomatoes, for $2.75.

The corn empanadas and yuca carmiñolas are like papusas — fritters stuffed with beef and then fried for $2.75. The Rikki Roll for $2.25 is a small rolled and fried beef and cheese taco. Try all three plus the flour empanada of your choice for $9.99.

The space is cute and the atmosphere is fun. Bring a big group, get a dozen empanadas for just $30, and find your favorites for your next visit.

Read more reviews of local restaurants

This story was originally published March 29, 2017 at 8:56 AM with the headline "My Grandma’s Empanadas a hidden jewel in Warner Robins."