Best Central American restaurant in Mesa

Republica Empanada is a Latin American restaurant specializing in South American-style savory empanadas. It offers a variety of empanadas, as well as other dishes, representing the different regions and tastes of Latin American comfort food. The restaurant is located in the Southside Heights Neighborhood of downtown Mesa, Arizona, on the NE corner of 1st Avenue & Hibbert. The menu at Republica Empanada features a selection of shareable appetizers, including tostones and maduros, which are thick slices of unripened and sweet slabs of plantains, respectively. The restaurant's empanadas are made with wheat flour and are stuffed, crimped at the edges, and fried. Republica Empanada also serves a limited selection of wines and local bottled beers, in addition to its own sangria and margaritas. The restaurant is open from 10:30 AM to 10:00 PM on Friday, 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on Saturday, and 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM on Monday through Thursday. Republica Empanada is closed on Sundays. The restaurant offers dine-in, outdoor seating, and in-store pickup, and has a price range of $$. It is recommended by 94% of reviewers and has a rating of 4.4 on Yelp.