5. Empanada (Cuba/Dominican Republic)/Beef Patty (Jamaica)
Empanadas are said to have originated in Portugal, and Argentinians will claim they do them best, but whether in Santo Domingo or on the streets of Bushwick and Washington Heights, it’s Dominicans who’ve turned these shell-shaped, meat-filled pastries into the ultimate after-midnight snack. And we can’t forget the Jamaican equivalent to the empanada, the beef patty. Although typically purchased in bakery shops, these spicy, gooey, meat-filled pastries are the official snack food for Jamaicans on the go, especially when sandwiched between two slices of coco bread.