The owners behind Buford Highway Venezuelan restaurant Arepa Grill will open a full-service location in the former Casa Robles space on Oak Street in Roswell. Arepa Grill should open in Roswell by late June.
Pedro and Claudia Cardenas, who own two Buford Highway locations of Arepa Grill at Plaza Fiesta and in Doraville, will expand the menu further in Roswell.
Drawn to its diversity, the couple says Roswell provided an opportunity to upgrade to a full-service restaurant. Here, they plan to serve cocktails and dive deeper into Venezuelan cuisine on the menu.
In addition to arepas, cachapas, and Venezuelan sandwiches, look for weekend brunch and entrees taking inspiration from Venezuela’s Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese immigrant communities. Expect dishes such as paella, gazpacho, and a Spanish omelet or Spanish tortilla. Served at room temperature, the quiche-like dish includes eggs and potatoes.
“We want to highlight that our inspiration comes from the culinary influence of Spanish cuisine and other European flavors. After World War II, European immigrants arrived who shared their culinary techniques, ingredients, and flavors with us,” Pedro Cardenas says.
The couple plans to refresh the interior decor and add more lounge seating to the covered patio.
Casa Robles, owned by the team behind Roswell restaurants Table and Main and Osteria Mattone, closed last year less than two years after opening on Oak Street. Before that, the space was home to The Whiskey Project.
Ryan Pernice said at the time that the decision to close Casa Robles came down to a lack of diners. Pernice didn’t elaborate on whether the lack of diners was due to foot traffic and street visibility on Oak Street or some other contributing factor. Oak Street is located just south of Roswell’s bustling dining district on a side street off of the main artery into downtown and the city hall complex.
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