Casa Iberica - Fitzroy

When I need Latin American pantry items, Casa Iberica is the first place I go to. They have all the ingredients that I grew up with and have trouble finding in Melbourne. They also make delicious empanadas that cater to both meat eaters and vegetarians. I highly recommend this place.

I visited Casa Iberica today to purchase ancho chillies. While I was there, I decided to buy a beef empanada and a cheese and spinach empanada to microwave at home. When I went to pay, the man informed me of a $20 EFTPOS minimum, which meant I had to return the cheese and spinach empanada as I did not have enough cash. Despite being 15c short, the man was understanding and allowed me to proceed with my purchase. I believe he could have made more money from me without the EFTPOS minimum. I originally planned to enjoy my empanada the following day, but I ended up eating it when I got home due to hunger. Opting for the baked empanada over the fried one, I found the pastry to be slightly chewy, likely due to microwaving. However, the filling was just as tasty and flavorful as I remembered from Argentina, with a generous amount of spice and the essential inclusion of egg. The staff member was friendly, and I look forward to trying more empanadas during my next visit. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo.

The food at this restaurant is amazing, but the service is severely lacking. The staff appears to barely tolerate customers and are not friendly. They seem more focused on chatting with their friends in Spanish than on providing good customer service. It was a very disappointing experience.

A family-run business for over forty years, Casa Iberica is a little deli on the corner of Johnston and Spring streets in Fitzroy crammed with food goods from Spain, Portugal

I’m planning on feeding a number of people a Mexican feast in the next couple of weeks, and needed to find somewhere in Melbourne that stocks ancho chillies, chipotle chillies in adobo, tomatillos and a few other things...