Belén de la Cruz runs an empanada empire, serving 13 varieties of the Argentine staple at five eponymous locations around metro Atlanta. She also caters, serving charcuterie boards, pastries, and cakes with a South American flair. When you visit Argentina, you’ll see all these foods, but you’ll also find more gourmet options, including entrana (skirt steak), choripan (chorizo sandwich), and milanesa (breaded cutlet). It’s this type of dinner fare that she seeks to share with Atlantans with the opening of Belen Bistro + Market in Decatur Square.
“I’m thrilled to keep sharing our Argentinean flavors. We work hard not to Americanize them,” says de la Cruz, who moved to Atlanta a decade ago. “The menu is very simple and fresh with a gourmet twist. There are no preservatives. That’s how we like to eat in Argentina.”
Photo by Nigel Marson
Photo by Nigel Marson
Although the bistro will serve empanadas as an appetizer, they will be fried, rather than baked as they are at Belén de la Cruz. Other menu items include ravioli (ham and cheese, butternut squash, or spinach), baked brie with a honey crust, and beet salad with hardboiled egg and Greek yogurt.
The wine offerings are half Argentine with most of the others stemming from Chile or Spain. The reserve list features special blends from Catena Zapata and El Enemigo, plus Bordeaux and California.
“The wine list is firmly rooted in Argentina’s terroir, featuring standout Malbecs, Torrontés, and regional Chardonnays from Mendoza and beyond. With each category—reds, whites, rosés, and sparkling—anchored in Argentine vineyards, the list celebrates local craftsmanship while offering select global labels that complement without overshadowing,” says partner and wine director Martin San Cristobal.
Courtesy of Belen Bistro + Market
Cocktails include Time to Fernet, paying homage to the beloved national flavor, in addition to regional classics (think pisco sour, caipirinha, daiquiri, and mojito). “The Mendoza Sour, crafted with Malbec, is a standout fusion of wine and mixology,” he says. “Together, these menus offer a deeply cultural and refreshingly modern expression of Argentina—one glass at a time.”
Photo by Nigel Marson
Located in the former Boho115 space, the three-story restaurant seats 75 with a 15-seat bar and a small patio. Look for elements of wood and leather balanced with greenery. The menu features a wax stamp, popular in Argentina.
The market will allow guests to bring home a taste of Argentina, with specialty goods and dry chimichurri, cookies, frozen empanadas, and chorizo.
“We care about the details,” de la Cruz says.
Courtesy of Belen Bistro + Market
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