Profile

Since 1975, Ruben’s has been the go-to takeout counter for empanadas. Each one is hand-wrapped and baked in a small Brooklyn factory, then delivered in warm, daily batches to all the Manhattan display cases. While 22 varieties pack the menu, some with health-friendly touches like broccoli and ricotta wrapped in whole wheat dough, the three most popular players tend to favor carnivores: beef (seasoned with raisins, onions, cumin, and cinnamon), spicy chicken (with touches of tomato sauce and cilantro), and Argentinean sausage (a beef-pork blend with a nice sour kick of red wine sauce). You can sit in these little cafes if you want, but Rubenesque fans prefer their empanadas heated in-house and taken to-go. — Laurel A. Fantauzzo