New Empanada Restaurant For Riverwest

Pedro’s, the popular South American food truck, will open its first brick-and-mortar location at 701 E. Keefe Ave., former home of Riverwest Filling Station.

Pedro Tejada, who owns the food truck, would open La Cocina Del Sur Empanada Bar, giving the mobile operation a more permanent home. The step would allow Tejada to serve customers all year-round, rather than being confined to Wisconsin’s five — give or take — fair-weather months.

The news is bittersweet, as it marks the end of the Filling Station’s nearly 10 year tenure in the Riverwest neighborhood. The globally-inspired gastropub announced in July that it would close for the remainder of the summer.

In the interim, a take-and-bake empanada business, La Mendocina, used the restaurant as a commercial kitchen space.

Filling Station owners Bryan and Miriam Atinsky confirmed Wednesday that the business is now permanently closed, saying they are proud of what the restaurant brought to the community and grateful for their loyal customers.

“When I think about the Riverwest Filling Station, I think about something that was beautiful,” said Miriam Atinsky. “We saw a lot of kids growing up, we saw people on their first date coming back for their proposal and getting married and, you know, bring their kids here. It was more than just a restaurant. It was a beautiful community.”

The Filling Station leaves behind a legacy of introducing to-go beer growlers to the region. In the process of opening the business, Bryan Atinsky negotiated with the city to change rules in order to offer growlers. This to-go option is now widely available throughout the city thanks to his success.

The couple said they are happy to see a new, community-oriented business take over the space.

“I feel like it’s going to be a great add to the culinary scene in Riverwest,” Bryan Atinsky said.

“I think it’s going to be a very nice place, and it’s going to have the same feeling and vibe that was there before,” Miriam Atinsky added.

The couple lives above the restaurant space, and say it has always felt like an extension of their home. They will be close by as Tejada prepares to launch his business.

Tejada is also a Riverwest resident, but that’s not where his story starts.

Born and raised in Ecuador, Tejada grew up helping out at his dad’s French restaurant, working his way through the ranks from dishwasher to manager. He also owned a couple of coffee shops before moving to the states.

When he moved to Wisconsin, Tejada brought a taste of home to the streets of Milwaukee, operating a food cart focused on empanadas.

“One of the biggest icons of South American street food is always an empanada,” he said. “You’ll find in every culture from Mexico all the way to Argentina, you know, every case is different.”

As the business grew, he added a second cart focused on arepas. In 2020, he upgraded to a food truck.

The truck, known for its appearance at local festivals and farmers markets, will continue to operate alongside the new restaurant, which is expected to open in late 2022 or early 2023. Aside from its public appearances, the truck is available to cater private events.

The menu at La Cocina Del Sur Empanada Bar would start small with staple items from the truck. Down the line, Tejada said he plans to incorporate tapas and small plates.

The drink menu would be a fusion of South American wine and local beer. There would also be a cocktail menu with South American-inspired drinks.

Though Tejada is accustomed to serving throughout the city, he said he thinks Riverwest will be a good fit for a more permanent location.

“Every time we serve around here has been really good,” he said. “The clientele and people appreciate us here.”