Pronto Provisions
el sur empanadas logo
  • By admin
  • / July 2, 2025

El Sur brings the authentic flavors of Argentina to the heart of San Francisco, with each empanada handmade daily using locally sourced ingredients and family recipes.

El Sur is the passion project of Marianne Despres, a first-generation American with roots in Argentina and France, who left her corporate life to study as a chef at Le Cordon Bleu and work in top kitchens such as Potel et Chabot and The French Laundry. After running a successful catering business in the Bay Area specializing in fine French cuisine, Marianne realized she most enjoyed cooking and sharing the food she grew up with, specifically the empanadas from her childhood.

“With El Sur, I wanted to create a company that was a true reflection of my personal history and experience,” she says. “I grew up making and eating empanadas with my family, including my mom, grandmothers and aunts. Every filling in an El Sur empanada is rooted in that history, inspired by a person, a place, or an experience that holds meaning. It’s incredibly meaningful to bring that story, crafted into every empanada, to travelers from around the world.”

El Sur started as a beloved Bay Area food truck and has since grown into a recognized purveyor of artisanal, Argentinian-style empanadas across the region. El Sur put great care into developing a menu to please a variety of palates. Their empanadas are celebrated for their rich fillings made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients from Northern California, then gently folded in delicate handmade pastry and baked until they are warm, flaky and golden. Three flavors of empanada are now available at Pronto SFO locations, including the vegetarian Verde empanada, the Champiñones empanada made with a mushroom medley, delicate spices and provolone, and the Breakfast Verdura empanada made with eggs, braised greens, potato and goat cheese.