Best Creamy Corn Cheese Empanadas Across the US

Josephine's Special Empanadas

City of Industry, CA

“Josephine's Special Empanadas represents a remarkable immigrant success story, founded by Josephine Tallungan in 2002 as a solution to provide for her family after being laid off. What began with selling chicken empanadas in parking lots has evolved into a thriving minority-owned, woman-owned family business that has become the first Filipino establishment in the City of Industry/Rowland Heights area. The bakery specializes in Filipino-American inspired baked goods, particularly their signature empanadas that blend traditional Filipino flavors with modern techniques in perfectly portioned hand-held pastries. Each empanada features a golden, flaky crust filled with savory ingredients like seasoned beef, tender chicken, creamy mushroom, or their unique creamy corn cheese for vegetarian customers. Beyond empanadas, the bakery offers traditional Filipino sweets including bibingka in regular, ube and pandan flavors, and serves champurado and arroz caldo on weekends. The establishment's mission goes beyond just selling food-they aim to establish Filipino flavors as an integral part of Asian-American food culture while honoring the family's heritage and their mother's original recipes.”