PuffPies

08/30/2026

It’s 2pm, we’re closed until Tuesday! If you want more we’re down at until 6pm!

08/29/2026

EMPANADAS ARE WAITING FOR YOU! Come find us at Festival of Nations this weekend!

🗺️ Download a high resolution map at festofnations.com and find us on the ORANGE PATH on the map.

📍Festival of Nations St.Louis, Tower Grove Park
Saturday 10-7
Sunday 10-6

Our location will be open regular hours as well!
6915 Gravois Ave
Tuesday-Sunday 7am-2pm
Closed Mondays

08/24/2026

A few unfiltered moments. We are overwhelmed with gratitude. Thank you again and again to KSDK News and International Institute St. Louis

08/24/2026

José and the empanadas were live on KSDK this morning! Endless thanks to KSDK News International Institute St. Louis 🙏 See everyone next weekend at International Institute's Festival of Nations !!

Festival of Nations returns to Forest Park next weekend with art, m...

08/18/2026

This limited-time empanada filled with Cuban-flavored shredded beef has become our new obsession. Have you had one?

08/09/2026

Wait… have you seen him roll the dough?

08/04/2026

We are truly humbled and grateful for the warm welcome the community has shown us since our opening. Thank you to St. Louis Public Radio for the opportunity to share our family’s passion. Special thanks to Jessica Rogen, Paola Rodriguez, and everyone at St. Louis Public Radio

08/04/2026

Thank you, Jessica Rogen, Paola Rodriguez, and Charlotte Keene of St. Louis Public Radio, for coming out, spending time with us, and capturing our story so thoughtfully. For a small family business like ours, this was truly special. We’re very thankful.

PuffPies has opened in Princeton Heights, bringing Chilean-style empanadas, Basque cheesecake and Puerto Rican coffee to the neighborhood.

For Jose Olivares, empanadas are about family.

“I’m from Chile, right? So empanadas for us are very important,” he said. “Every party I remember going [to], you have empanadas there.”

His mom made a lot of those empanadas. So during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his wife, Tera, had the idea to start a business, Olivares called his mom for her recipe.

He and his wife started making empanadas for friends, then began selling them at the Festival of Nations two years ago and at other events. Customers would ask where they could buy them outside of the festivals, but Olivares didn’t have an answer. Now he does.

Late last month, Olivares finally opened PuffPies.

Read more about PuffPies and see the latest St. Louis-area restaurant openings and closings from July 2026 below. ⬇️

07/28/2026

Everyone at PuffPies is so grateful to Ms. Pat Eby for this beautiful piece. It means a lot that you took the time to tell our story. Thank you for the kindness and the great writing!
St. Louis Magazine

PuffPies (6915 Gravois), the new South City shop specializing in Chilean-style empanadas, didn’t need a grand opening to make an impression. Despite a quiet debut on July 19, the family-owned shop sold out on its first day. Here’s what to know before you go. The Menu Unlike empanadas from other ...