Johnny Liu, the restaurateur behind Cafe at Pharr and Cultivate Food and Coffee, recently filed a building permit for a new Buckhead concept dubbed Madre Coffee and Cantina, which will be located in suite 150 at 3350 Peachtree Road NE as part of a a substantial redevelopment effort, including a garage deck expansion, a renovated lobby, expansive outdoor space, and a brand new conference center, recently completed by owner Cousins Properties.
Liu did not immediately return a request for comment.
It’s unclear what the concept will offer, however, a rendering in the building permit reveals an open kitchen, raised seating, as well as both booth and traditional seating, all of which will be housed in roughly 2,000 square feet of space.
Liu’s parents Mike and Shirley opened the first Cafe at Pharr three decades ago as a confectionary that specialized in cakes, pastries, and other baked goods, however, according to the website, “Despite their best efforts, the business was frustratingly slow.” As such, Mike pivoted, eschewing the sweets he had pinned his business on for “healthy sandwiches and salads,” effectively kick-starting the restaurant’s success, which has since grown to five locations under the stewardship of Johnny, who took over operations in 2002.
Capitalizing on his growing name recognition, Johnny then opened Cultivate Food and Coffee in 2019 as a “trend-forward brunch and coffee concept built on a foundation of fresh from scratch farm-to-table culinary principles, truly world-class customer service, and an aesthetically positive experience for all customers,” surrounded in an atmosphere that’s a “hip blend of a European café, art gallery, and the Great Gatsby era,” as the restaurant is described on its website.
