Bolivian Llama Party Is Serving the Best Salteñas in NYC

When it comes to finding comfort food with a story, Bolivian Llama Party in New York City delivers an experience unlike any other.

Known for their salteñas — a Bolivian take on a beef stew-filled empanada — this family-run spot is more than just a restaurant; it’s a slice of home for the Oropeza brothers, who are on a mission to share the flavors of Bolivia with the city.

Co-owner David Oropeza recalls his early connection to salteñas, a weekend tradition introduced by his parents, Bolivian immigrants who arrived in the U.S. with only fifty dollars to their name. “My parents would celebrate Thanksgiving, but at the same time, they wanted to give us a taste of the culture of where we came from,” David explains. “They would always come out here on the weekends because salteñas are a weekend thing. It’s actually a brunch item, believe it or not. You eat it during the morning time only.”

David and his brothers launched Bolivian Llama Party in 2012 as a humble pop-up with a mixed menu and only one Bolivian item: the salteña. But a trip back to Bolivia sparked their vision. “We went on a salteña culinary tour,” David recalls, noting how they sampled different versions of the dish. “We loved the dough from this place. We love the filling here. A little too sweet here. Too much cumin, too much oregano, maybe sugar could be a little up.” The trip opened their eyes to the creative possibilities: “We realized when we went to Bolivia that the salteñas are a format. It’s up to the person making the salteña … the person that creates them to decide what they want to go inside.”

The magic of a salteña lies in its meticulous preparation. “The dough is actually surprisingly made from pizza flour,” David says, “so it has like a bread-like consistency. And like I said, it’s seasoned. It has a sweet taste.” Inside, the filling is made from a rich consommé simmered with cow foot, Bolivian chilies, and spices for hours, creating a gelatinous broth that infuses every bite. “Once that consommé is created, we add the seasonings … that takes another eight hours continuously cooking, concentrating the flavor,” David explains. “Once it gelatinizes, we’re able to scoop it and fill it into the salteña, seal it up, braid it, bake it, enjoy it.”

So, how do you eat a salteña the right way? Alex, one of the other Oropeza brothers, shares his technique: “Take your little napkin around it. Do a little shake … You want the filling to mix … when you shake it, you hear the juiciness.”

For Julian Mu, a food enthusiast who’s visited countless NYC eateries, the salteña at Bolivian Llama Party is a standout. “It’s just the most unbelievable couple of bites that you can get,” he says, describing the experience of biting into the stew-filled pastry. “Even though this is potentially my, like, 15th, 20th, 25th salteña I’ve had, I think every salteña is still unique in itself.”

For David, each salteña served is more than a meal; it’s a chance to share his heritage. Sometimes, being the only Bolivian restaurant in the city comes with expectations.

“Being the only Bolivian restaurant is a double-edged sword. You are the only representation of a cuisine,” David says. “You can’t make everyone happy.” Still, he adds, “It’s nice to give people a place to meet and talk and see other Bolivians.”

Every salteña served at Bolivian Llama Party carries years of tradition and flavors that speak to the soul. For anyone seeking a taste of Bolivia or simply the best bite of comfort food in the city, Bolivian Llama Party’s salteña is the meal that keeps people coming back.

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