From Pop-Ups to Brick and Mortar: Amy’s Pastelillos is Opening a Takeout Spot in Fishtown
Some Puerto Rican seasoning is coming to Fishtown. Since 2018 entrepreneur Amaryllis (Amy) Rivera Nassar has been selling one of Puerto Rico’s most iconic foods, the pastelillo. What began as a tribute to her mother with pop-ups throughout the city has now transcended and become a brick and mortar.
Amy’s Pastelillos is poised to open a takeout only location on March 7th at 11 am that will be located at 2001 Memphis Street in Fishtown (site of the old Andy’s Chicken).
Amy’s Pastelillos will be open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The menu will feature an array of rotating pastelillos, including staples such as shredded chicken; guava BBQ pork; ground beef picadillo; and soy chorizo and potato. A pastelillo is a small turnover made with a thin dough that is crimped at the edges and then fried. Rice bowls with proteins like stewed chicken, and rotating specials such as ropa vieja (shredded beef), and pernil (roast pork), will be offered, as well as fried cheese with guava-citrus dipping sauce, and tostones nachos. Menu prices will range from $4 to $15. All side will be vegan and gluten-free, and there will also be two vegan and vegetarian pastelillos on the menu at all times, as well as one vegan rice bowl.
Additionally, Nassar will have a small curated retail section offering Puerto Rican items including books, kitchen tools, and other gifts, as well as bottles of her hot sauce, La Parchita – a passion fruit, mango, medium hot sauce, which compliments her food.
“It’s been an amazing journey to work with so many local businesses who have supported my concept from Day 1,” said Nassar. “There is a long list of people to thank who all gave me a chance to do my thing the way I wanted to. Then there are my customers who have become my friends — the ones who have made treks around the city to find and support me — people who just show so much love. It’s humbling. I’m grateful and thankful for those who show up with kind words, stories of nostalgia, and laughs. I’ve met so many great people throughout this journey, and I’ve heard a ton of reminiscing stories about how important our food is to our culture, our families, and those in the diaspora. I’m ready to welcome everyone to my little kitchen – my own space where we can continue to gather.”
Nassar has popped up and partnered with such local brands as Paffuto, Garage, Herman’s Coffee, Queen & Rook, Philadelphia Latino Film Festival, Taller Puertorriqueño, Mural City Cellars, Hale & True, Juana Tamale, Middle Child, Forin, Bean2Bean, Sri’s Company, Kampar Kitchen, Brewery ARS, and more.
Living in Fishtown with her husband and two children, Nassar said it was important to open her shop and begin the next step of her brand in her own neighborhood where she has already laid down her roots — where she and her family spend most of their time.
“This is a small shop, but it’s so big for me,” she said. “It’s a way to build my mother’s legacy. She was an amazing cook who cooked for the masses before passing away in 2016. Her gift was in the kitchen, and she fed so many people in our community. While she wasn’t known for pastelillos, her specialties were her sorullos (corn fritters), arroz con gandules (rice and pigeon peas), and her healing sopa de bola (chicken and plantain dumpling soup). I want to keep my mom’s legacy going by continuing to feed people in my humble kitchen. I want to share this with the neighborhood and beyond, and also show my daughters the value of hard work along with the importance of holding onto a piece of our culture. This small footprint is a token for my kids, my nieces, and nephews. It’s important to me to make sure we keep my mom – their abuela – alive in this way. This is something they can share as we continue to propel and preserve our culture.”
