Today we’d like to introduce you to Manuel Marini Sr.
Hi Manuel , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Story of The Original Marini’s Empanada House
In 1971, a young couple from Mendoza, Argentina — Manuel and Leonilda “Pelusa” Marini — brought their dreams, recipes, and spirit of hospitality to Houston, Texas.
They began humbly, in a tiny shack on Lyndon and Fannin Street, nestled in the heart of the world-renowned Texas Medical Center. At first, they made Alfajores, Argentina’s beloved shortbread cookies filled with dulce de leche and dusted with powdered sugar.
One day, a well-known Houston restaurateur, Mr. Katz, asked if they could make small, cocktail-size empanadas for him. That simple request changed everything. It was the beginning of a journey that would make Marini’s a household name in Houston — the first to introduce authentic Argentine empanadas to the city.
The Marinis soon moved from their tiny shack to a small building at 2339 Bissonnet, near West University. When Channel 13 aired a special feature about their little restaurant, the response was overwhelming — so much so that police had to direct traffic outside their doors. Back then, they offered just five flavors of empanadas. Today, their menu boasts over ninety, each one hand-crafted with the same love and tradition that started it all.
As word spread, they relocated again — this time to a charming converted house at 1517 Westheimer in the Montrose District. It became a Houston institution. But then came Good Friday, a day that changed everything: the restaurant caught fire, and the family lost nearly everything.
Still, Manuel and Pelusa refused to give up. While rebuilding, Pelusa continued her pastry business, and Manuel — always a man of vision — became a pioneer in Houston’s Spanish-language television, serving as a local anchor and community voice.
A few years later, the Marinis reopened their beloved empanada house — this time in the Galleria area off Richmond and Sage, where old friends and new fans once again filled the tables with laughter, music, and the aroma of home.
As their family grew, so did their legacy. One of their sons opened Marini’s Empanada House in Katy, and later, they found a new home in the Westchase District and Energy Corridor at the Crillion Shopping Center — a space that continues to welcome loyal customers who have been visiting since the 1970s and new generations discovering them for the first time.
Over the decades, The Original Marini’s Empanada House has been featured on countless platforms — including being twice spotlighted on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.”
Now, more than fifty years later, Manuel and Pelusa, still active in their mid-80s, continue serving the Houston community with the same warmth, authenticity, and love that defined their beginnings. With five children, sixteen grandchildren, and thirteen great-grandchildren, the Marini family proudly carries forward a legacy that has become part of Houston’s culinary and cultural history.
From a tiny shack in the Medical Center to a Houston tradition that spans generations — the story of Marini’s Empanada House is a testament to faith, family, and flavor.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a rollercoaster ride of ups and downs but one that we do not regret.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Original Marini’s Empanada?
We are a family owned and operated business that specializes in handmade Empanadas.
We have a variety of over 90 different flavors (savory and sweet)
What sets you apart from others?
* We are the pioneers of the Empanadas and have been serving the handcrafted pies for over five decades
* We are a true family legacy -Every empanada that leaves our kitchen carries the warmth of three generations.
* We have Authenticity that you can taste-
*We have variety and creativity without limits we believe that you can hold a world of flavor inside the crispy golden crust
* We are a Houston Icon- We have been a part of Houston’s cultural fabric for the last fifty years.
What are you most proud brand wise? Our legacy- a dream that became Houston’s history. what began as a small dream between two young immigrants has now been a part of Houston history fifty years later.
What do you want our readers to know about your brand, offerings, services, etc? We want them to know that every empanada we make carries over five decades of family, flavor and faith. We want them to understand that our brand is built on authentic Argentine roots but shaped by the Houston community. Most of all, we want people to know that when they walk through our doors, they are not just guests they are part of our family’s story.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Visit and share the experience. Tag post and tell others about us on all social media platforms. Order for family and office events
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theoriginalmarinis.com
- Instagram: marinis_houston
- Facebook: The Original Marini’s Empanada House
