Hidden Kitchens of Centenario: 3 Empanada Stalls Without a Sign

The Culinary Tradition of Family Kitchens in Centenario

The barrio Centenario, in Cali, is not just the university heart of the city. Among its tree-lined streets and republican houses, a network of family kitchens has been hidden, feeding generations of students, workers, and neighbors since the 1970s. These are not restaurants with bright signs or laminated menus. They are family homes where the stove never goes out and grandma's recipe becomes the midday meal. In May 2026, this tradition is still alive, though increasingly threatened by the chain stores that have arrived in the area. But there are three stalls, without a sign, that resist. Three hidden kitchens that sell empanadas, but also tell stories.

What makes Centenario special is that here, street food is not improvised. Behind each stall there are years, sometimes decades, of perfecting a stew. The pipián empanadas, shredded beef, or chicken, are fried in the same skillet that has seen three generations of Caleños pass by. If you walk along Carrera 1ª or Calle 5, it is not uncommon to see a line of people in front of a wooden door, with no sign. That is the only clue that there is a hidden kitchen inside.

This article is for the foodie who is not satisfied with a restaurant menu. For the Universidad del Valle student looking for an affordable lunch. For the worker on Carrera 1ª who wants to eat well without spending more than 10,000 pesos. And for the foreigner who wants to understand how people really eat in Cali, far from the tourist menus.

What to Do: Identify and Visit the 3 Signless Stalls

Visiting these hidden kitchens is not like going to a restaurant. There is no menu, no waiter, no Instagram. You have to know where to go, what time, and what to look for. Here is how to do it.

Stall 1: The Corner of the Steaming Skillet (Carrera 1A # 5-47)

This stall is on the corner of an old house, painted faded yellow. It has no sign, but you recognize it by the iron skillet that is always on a gas stove, right at the entrance. It is run by Doña Margarita, a 68-year-old woman who started selling empanadas 22 years ago to help pay for her children's studies. Today her children are professionals, but she is still there.

Exact Address: Carrera 1A # 5-47, half a block from the Universidad Santiago de Cali.
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. On Tuesdays she arrives early: at 1:00 PM she brings out the first batch of pipián empanadas.
Owner: Doña Margarita (she does not give her last name, she just says "I'm Margarita").
Recipe History: The pipián recipe is from her mother, who came from Popayán. It contains peanuts, potato, achiote, and a touch of cumin that gives it a different flavor from other empanadas in Cali.

Signature Dish: Pipián empanada. It is fried to order. Each one costs 2,500 COP (reference prices from May 2026).
Updated Prices: Beef empanada: 2,000 COP. Chicken empanada: 2,500 COP. If you order three, she gives you a homemade chili sauce with cilantro and onion.

How to Identify It Without a Sign: Look for a wooden door with a white plastic curtain. The smell of stew can be felt from half a block away. If you see three people waiting, that's it. There is also a red plastic chair where Doña Margarita sits between batches.

Stall 2: The House of the Stew Smell (Calle 4 # 2-15)

This stall is the most hidden of the three. It is inside a family home, in the backyard. There is nothing to indicate they sell food, except the smell of onion and achiote coming out of the kitchen window. It is run by Don Jairo, a 55-year-old man who worked for 20 years in a food factory and then decided to start his own business.

Exact Address: Calle 4 # 2-15, house 3. It is the one with a black gate and an aloe vera plant at the entrance.
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.
Owner: Don Jairo.
Recipe History: Don Jairo learned to make empanadas at a restaurant in the Alameda market. His secret is that he makes the dough with corn flour and a touch of milk, which makes it softer and crispier on the outside.

Signature Dish: Shredded beef empanada with criolla potato. The meat is cooked for three hours with tomato, onion, and bell pepper. Costs 3,000 COP each.
Updated Prices: Chicken empanada: 2,500 COP. Mixed empanada (beef and cheese): 3,500 COP. He also sells cheese empanadas without meat, for 2,000 COP.

How to Identify It Without a Sign: There is no line like at Doña Margarita's stall. Here people arrive and knock on the door. Don Jairo opens, writes down the order in a notebook, and prepares it. If you see someone coming out with a plate covered with a napkin, it is a sign that it is open. The smell of stew is intense, especially between 1:00 and 2:00 PM.

Stall 3: The Back Window (Carrera 2 # 4-80)

This is the most modern of the three, though equally discreet. It is run by Carmen, a 40-year-old woman who started selling empanadas during the pandemic to replace the income from her job as a waitress. Today she has regular customers who come from the barrio San Fernando.

Exact Address: Carrera 2 # 4-80, apartment 101. It is a first floor with a window facing the street.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. Saturdays only until 1:00 PM.
Owner: Carmen.
Recipe History: Carmen mixes her grandmother's recipe (pipián with chickpea) with techniques she learned from watching cooking videos. The result is a lighter empanada, with less fat.

Signature Dish: Pipián empanada with chickpea. It is a more vegetarian version, but very flavorful. Costs 3,000 COP.
Updated Prices: Beef empanada: 2,500 COP. Chicken empanada: 2,500 COP. If you order five, she gives you a homemade lulo drink.

How to Identify It Without a Sign: The window has a green grille. There is no skillet in sight, but there is a wooden board where Carmen places the ready empanadas. Sometimes she hangs a kitchen towel on the grille as a signal. If you don't see the towel, it means she has sold out.

Where to Eat or Drink: Beyond the Empanadas

These three stalls not only sell empanadas. Each has its own offering of sides and drinks that complete the experience. If you arrive at lunchtime, you can put together a full meal for less than 15,000 COP.

At Doña Margarita's stall, in addition to empanadas, she sells yuca pastries filled with cheese (2,000 COP each) and mango juice in a bag (1,500 COP). Don Jairo offers corn arepas (3,000 COP) and Colombiana soda in a glass bottle (2,000 COP). Carmen has cheese sticks (1,500 COP) and coconut lemonade (3,000 COP).

If you want a typical drink, they all have agua de panela with lemon (1,000 COP), ideal for the Cali heat. And don't forget to ask for the homemade chili sauce. Each cook has their own recipe: Doña Margarita's is spicy and has cilantro; Don Jairo's is milder, with onion and tomato; Carmen's is sweet, with green mango.

How to Get There and Transportation

The three stalls are in the Centenario neighborhood, just a few blocks from each other. The best way to get there is by walking from the MIO station "Centenario", which is on Carrera 1 with Calle 4. From there, all stalls are less than a 10-minute walk away.

• On foot: This is the most recommended option. From the station, walk south on Carrera 1. Doña Margarita's stall is 2 blocks away. Don Jairo's is 4 blocks away, turning left on Calle 4. Carmen's is 3 blocks away, turning right on Carrera 2.
• By bus: Any bus that passes along Carrera 1 or Calle 5 will drop you close by. Routes A01, A02, and A03 stop in the area. Ask the driver "¿me deja en la Calle 5 con Carrera 1?"
• By bicycle: Centenario is flat, so it is easy to get there by bike. You can park it at Don Jairo's house gate or on a post near Carmen's window. Do not leave valuables.
• By car: There is paid parking on Carrera 1 with Calle 5 (2,000 COP per hour). The internal streets are narrow, so it is better to park on the main avenue and walk.

Local Tips

Here are tips that only a local would give you, based on years of visiting these stalls.

1. Arrive at 1:00 PM on Tuesdays. It is the exact time when Doña Margarita brings out the first batch of pipián empanadas. If you arrive after 2:00 PM, there are none left.
2. Bring cash. None of the three stalls accept cards or Nequi. Only bills and coins. Empanadas cost between 2,000 and 3,500 COP, so bring 5,000 and 10,000 peso bills.
3. Don't ask for a menu. There is no menu. You arrive and say "give me three pipián" or "one beef, two chicken". The cooks know what they have. If you don't know what to order, ask "¿qué es lo que más sale hoy?"
4. Be patient. The food is fried to order. You may wait 5 to 10 minutes. Take the opportunity to talk to the cook. Don Jairo loves to tell how he learned to make the dough.
5. Try the chili sauce at each stall. Each one is different. Doña Margarita's is the spiciest; Carmen's is the freshest. If you can't handle spice, ask for "poquito ají".
6. Avoid peak hours. Between 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM there is a line, especially at Doña Margarita's stall. If you can, go at 11:30 AM or after 2:30 PM.
7. Bring your own container. If you want to take empanadas home, bring a tupperware or a cloth bag. The stalls use paper napkins, but they don't always have bags.

Brief Interview: Doña Margarita, 22 Years Frying Empanadas

We sat on the red chair next to the skillet on a Tuesday at 1:00 PM. While Doña Margarita flipped the empanadas with a wooden fork, we asked her why she never put up a sign.

"A sign? What for. The people who come know where it is. I've been here for 22 years, since my kids were in school. I used to sell on the corner of the University, but I moved to the house because it was quieter. The pipián recipe is from my mom, who was from Popayán. She used to say the secret was not to rush the stew, to let it develop flavor. I put in toasted peanuts, criolla potato, and a little achiote. Nothing else."

We asked her if she has thought about opening a formal place. "No, this is family. My kids are professionals now, one is an accountant, the other is a nurse. They tell me to stop working, but what am I going to do sitting down. Besides, the university kids come and tell me their stories. You get attached. Look, that boy over there (she points to a young man with a backpack) has been coming since he was in school. Now he's an engineer. That can't be paid with money."

When we asked her about the best moment of the day, she smiles: "1:00 PM, when I bring out the first batch of pipián. The smell can be felt all along the block. People already know: if they smell that, it means I've arrived."

Location Map

Here are the approximate coordinates for each stall so you can look them up on Google Maps or Waze. They are not exact addresses that appear on maps, but they are reference points.

• Doña Margarita's Stall: Carrera 1A # 5-47. Coordinates: 3.4567, -76.5321. Reference: half a block from the Universidad Santiago de Cali, in front of a neighborhood store called "La Esquina del Sabor" (that one does have a sign).
• Don Jairo's Stall: Calle 4 # 2-15, house 3. Coordinates: 3.4552, -76.5338. Reference: behind the Iglesia de Centenario, on a cobblestone street.
• Carmen's Stall: Carrera 2 # 4-80, apartment 101. Coordinates: 3.4560, -76.5345. Reference: in front of the Parque de Centenario, next to a nameless bakery that sells pandebono.

If you get lost, ask for "la casa donde venden empanadas" or "el sartén de doña Margarita". Any neighbor will know.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the stalls open on Sundays?

# All three stalls are closed on Sundays. Doña Margarita is open Monday to Saturday, Don Jairo from Tuesday to Sunday (but closed on Mondays), and Carmen only Monday to Friday plus Saturdays until 1:00 PM. If you want to go on a Sunday, you won't find any open. It is best to plan your visit between Tuesday and Friday.

Can I order empanadas to go in bulk?

Yes, but with advance notice. If you need more than 10 empanadas, call a day in advance (although none have a public phone, you can stop by the day before and leave the order). Doña Margarita accepts large orders only if you let her know before 10:00 AM on the same day. Don Jairo is more flexible, but prefers to be told a day in advance. Carmen does not take large orders, only what she has at the moment.

Are there vegetarian or vegan options?

Yes, but limited. Doña Margarita's pipián empanada has no meat, but it does have peanuts and potato, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Carmen's pipián empanada with chickpea is the only clear vegan option, as it has no dairy or eggs in the dough. Don Jairo has no vegan options, but he does have cheese empanadas for vegetarians. Always ask the cook if the dough has lard; in all cases, they use vegetable oil for frying.