The owners behind Latin American restaurant Calle Latina are bringing a new concept to Avondale Estates. Santo Cantina & Cocina will open at 31 N Avondale Rd. The location was previously home to Good Karma, a coffee house that closed in February of this year, and includes a patio space.
Located at 406 Church St in Decatur, Calle Latina is owned by Michael Condon and Paul Vinces. The brightly painted storefront restaurant opened in 2013 and quickly became a local favorite. The restaurant offers typical Latin street food eats such as ceviche, plantains, empanadas, arepas, and tacos. Guests are invited to top it all off with handmade salsa, an agua fresca or a delicate dulce. An extensive beer, wine, and cocktail menu is also available.
Calle Latina is unique in that its chefs are Latina women who are inspired by recipes that use readily available ingredients that have been passed down from their mothers and grandmothers. To respect that tradition, the restaurant prides itself in using simple, seasonal foods from local farms and vendors.
Catering services and regular happy hour specials featuring live music are also offered.
Owner Paul Vinces said new restaurant Santo will open in mid-November. “In two or three weeks, but it’s kind of hard to say with the labor market,” Vinces said in a call. “We’re ready to open, just looking for people.”
A website has been set up for the restaurant and a recent Facebook post announced Santo is looking for kitchen staff and servers, asking those interested to email their resume.
Although it is being called a “sister location” of Calle Latina, the food and drink offering will be different. While the former focuses on Latin American street food, Santo will be a creative Mexican restaurant and include Tex-Mex favorites. But the focus will be on original dishes as Vinces noted that chefs are currently working on the menu.
The restaurant’s 500-square foot patio space includes a roof and two 20-foot heaters to keep guests warm in the winter.
Note: This article has been updated since its original publication to include comment from the owner.
