If you are searching for the best tarta de espinaca near me in the UK, there is one useful thing to know first: the exact Argentine-style, full-size spinach tart is not commonly sold under its Spanish name in Britain. You are more likely to find the same family of flavours as a spinach and ricotta empanada, creamy spinach empanada, spinach tart, spinach-and-feta tart, or occasionally pascualina.
Current menu checks found particularly close Argentine-style options in London at Porteña and De Nadas, while Casa Argentina sells frozen spinach empanadas for home cooking and delivery across much of mainland Britain. Waitrose also currently sells a spinach, ricotta and feta tartlet, although it is a British retail product rather than a traditional Argentine tarta.
Information and prices checked: 17 September 2026. Menus, stock and prices can change, so check the latest listing before making a special journey.
| Verified option | What you get | Where | Price checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portena Shop | Argentine spinach and ricotta empanada | Borough Market, London | Current official market page does not display a price |
| De Nadas Empanadas – Stoke Newington | Baked creamy spinach empanada with béchamel and peppers | Stoke Newington plus several other London branches | Boxes of 3 from £10.25 |
| Casa Argentina ONLINE | Frozen Argentine-style spinach empanadas | Croydon collection and delivery to much of mainland UK | £15 for six |
| Waitrose | 90g feta, spinach and ricotta puff-pastry tartlet | Check local store or online availability | £2.25 |
What Is Tarta de Espinaca?
Tarta de espinaca simply means spinach tart. In Argentina, it is normally a savoury meal rather than a sweet tart.
There is no single filling that every cook must follow. One recipe published by Argentine pastry brand La Salteña uses spinach, onion, leeks, eggs, cream and grated cheese in pastry. The spinach is cooked briefly and drained before the filling is mixed, then the tart is baked in a 22 cm tin at 180°C.
That gives you a useful picture of the dish: plenty of green vegetables inside pastry, usually held together with egg, cheese or another creamy ingredient.
An empanada de espinaca is related but not identical. Instead of one large tart that is cut into slices, an empanada is a small individual pastry folded around the filling. Because Argentine restaurants in Britain sell far more empanadas than full-size spinach tart, empanadas are often the easiest way to find the flavour you are looking for.
A British spinach quiche is different again. Quiche normally has a more obvious egg-and-cream custard. A supermarket spinach-and-feta tart may use puff pastry and Mediterranean-style cheese. These can still be tasty choices, but they should not be described as traditional Argentine tarta de espinaca when they are not.
Where to Find Good Tarta de Espinaca or the Closest Match
Porteña at Borough Market: a strong Argentine-style match
At Borough Market, Porteña specialises in Argentine street food. The market’s current official trader page specifically lists a spinach and ricotta empanada among its fillings, alongside beef, ham and cheese, and mozzarella and tomato.
This is a good place to start when your search for the best tarta de espinaca near me really means, “I want authentic Argentine spinach and cheese inside pastry.”
The important distinction is size. You are buying an empanada rather than a slice from a large spinach tart. The combination of spinach, ricotta and Argentine-style pastry, however, is much closer to the original food tradition than a standard supermarket quiche.
Porteña is at 7A Stoney Street in Borough Market. Its official market listing currently gives opening hours of 9am–10pm Tuesday to Saturday and 9am–4pm Sunday, with Monday closed.
De Nadas: creamy spinach empanadas at several London shops
De Nadas is useful because spinach is not an occasional special hidden on an old menu. Its current menu lists a Creamy Spinach empanada made with spinach, béchamel and peppers. The company says its empanadas are hand-shaped and baked rather than fried.
At the time of checking, De Nadas had shops in Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Stoke Newington, Bethnal Green and Kew Gardens. It also offered London delivery and collection. Boxes started at £10.25 for three empanadas.
This version may appeal if you prefer a softer, creamier filling. Béchamel changes the texture compared with a spinach-and-ricotta filling, so the two shops are not selling exactly the same product.
Again, this is an empanada rather than a full tarta. That difference matters if you are specifically trying to buy a large pie for a family meal.
Casa Argentina: a Practical Option Outside Central London
If you cannot find a good Argentine bakery nearby, buying frozen spinach empanadas can be easier than travelling across a city.
Casa Argentina’s current product page lists a pack of six Argentine-style spinach empanadas for £15. Each is listed at 70g, with a filling made from steamed spinach, white onion and a béchamel-style mixture containing milk, butter, flour and nutmeg. The company states that spinach makes up 70% of the filling.
Casa Argentina says it delivers to most of mainland England, Wales and parts of Scotland, with some areas excluded. Its physical retail location is on Sumner Road in Croydon.
There is one small detail worth checking when cooking them: the current product page gives slightly different oven timings in two places. One section says 20–25 minutes from frozen at 180°C, while another says 15–20 minutes. The safest approach is to follow the instructions supplied with your actual pack and make sure the centre is piping hot.
Waitrose Feta & Spinach Tart: Easy to Find, but Not Argentine
For shoppers who want an actual tart shape rather than an empanada, Waitrose currently lists a 90g Feta & Spinach Tart for £2.25.
It is made with puff pastry and contains spinach, ricotta and feta, with nigella seeds on top. The ingredient list gives spinach at 12%.
It is a reasonable convenient substitute, especially for lunch, but the flavour profile is different from a traditional Argentine tarta de espinaca. Feta, puff pastry, nigella seeds, sumac and other seasonings move it toward a Mediterranean-style pastry.
Availability will also depend on the individual store and delivery postcode, so it is worth checking stock before travelling.
How to Tell Whether a Spinach Tart Is Worth Buying
A good spinach tart should taste mainly of spinach rather than pastry or cream. Cheese should add richness without completely covering the vegetable flavour.
Moisture is especially important. Spinach holds a surprising amount of water. La Salteña’s recipe cooks it briefly and then drains it before adding it to the filling. That helps explain why a well-made spinach tart should hold together instead of leaving the pastry wet underneath.
The pastry should also give some contrast to the filling. Whether the shop uses a thin Argentine empanada dough, shortcrust or puff pastry, it should not be raw or soggy at the base.
For takeaway food, freshness matters. A spinach pastry that has just been heated or baked will normally have a crisper shell than one that has spent a long time in a closed container. If you have the choice, ask when the next batch is coming out.
Finally, check exactly what you are buying. A menu simply saying “spinach tart” does not tell you whether the filling contains ricotta, feta, mozzarella, cream, egg, béchamel or other ingredients.
Search Terms That Work Better Than “Tarta de Espinaca” in the UK
British restaurants and bakeries may sell what you want without ever using the Spanish name. Searching for spinach and ricotta empanada, spinach empanada, Argentinian empanadas, Argentinian bakery, spinach and feta tart, spinach tart, or pascualina can uncover more choices.
For pascualina, read the description before ordering. It is a related South American savoury pie, but recipes and vegetables can vary.
Adding your town, neighbourhood or postcode usually produces more useful results than the words “near me” when you are researching before travelling. It also makes it much easier to compare restaurant menus rather than relying only on map listings.
Vegetarian, Vegan and Allergy Questions
Spinach does not automatically make a tart vegan. Traditional and modern versions commonly contain cheese, milk, butter or eggs.
For example, Waitrose’s current tart contains wheat, milk and egg. Casa Argentina’s spinach empanadas contain wheat and dairy, and the company says they are produced in a facility that also processes egg and sesame.
De Nadas also publishes an allergen matrix and states that its kitchen handles dairy, wheat gluten, egg, mustard and sulphur dioxide, with possible traces of several other allergens from suppliers.
UK rules require food businesses to provide allergen information for regulated allergens, including for loose restaurant, takeaway and bakery foods. The Food Standards Agency guidance was updated on 17 July 2026 and says allergen information must be available for both prepacked and non-prepacked food.
If you have a serious allergy, do not judge safety from the dish name alone. Ask the business about the current recipe and cross-contact before ordering.
So, What Is the Best Choice Near You?
For the closest currently verified Argentine-style spinach pastry in central London, Porteña’s spinach-and-ricotta empanada is a straightforward place to start. De Nadas is particularly convenient when one of its five London locations is closer to you and you prefer a creamy spinach filling.
Outside that area, Casa Argentina offers a practical way to get Argentine-style spinach empanadas delivered to much of mainland Britain. If authenticity matters less than finding an inexpensive spinach tart nearby, Waitrose’s feta, spinach and ricotta tartlet is another currently verified option.
If what you really want is a large, traditional tarta de espinaca to cut into slices, call Argentine delis and bakeries before visiting and ask specifically for “tarta de espinaca” or a spinach-based pascualina. That avoids travelling for an individual empanada when you expected a whole pie.
Sources
- Borough Market — “Porteña,” current trader page: Borough Market — Porteña
- De Nadas — official menu, prices and London locations: De Nadas Empanadas — official website
- Casa Argentina — “Argentine Style Spinach Empanadas x 6”: Casa Argentina — Spinach Empanadas
- Waitrose & Partners — “Feta & Spinach Tart 90g”: Waitrose — Feta & Spinach Tart
- La Salteña — “Tarta de espinaca”: La Salteña — Tarta de Espinaca recipe
- Food Standards Agency / GOV.UK — “Allergen guidance for food businesses,” published 2 April 2020, updated 17 July 2026: GOV.UK — Allergen guidance for food businesses