A new tapas bar from Atlanta chef Hector Santiago is coming to Ponce City Market this summer.
La Metro will channel the energy of Spanish cities like Madrid, León, Barcelona and Bilbao, according to a news release.
The restaurant is Santiago’s second concept located in the community hub’s Central Food Hall – the first being the sandwich bar El Super Pan – and joins his other restaurants El Burro Pollo, a Juarez-style burrito shop in Midtown, and El Super Pan at The Battery Atlanta.
Dishes from the day’s menu will be displayed behind a glass partition. Guests will order at the counter then dine at tall tables or on the “patio” fronting the Central Food Hall. Full service will be available at the bar. Diners can also order a to-go box of a variety of small bites.
The menu will feature fresh, cured and tinned seafood; many veggie-centric dishes; charcuterie and cheese; several meat and rice dishes; and more. There will be individual bite-size snacks called Pintxos, a tapas section, and bigger plates called Raciones.
As for beverages, there will be a heavy emphasis on Spanish cava, wines and ciders, as well as selections from Portugal and the States. Spirits will include staples in Spain, like sherry and vermouth, and classic cocktails will have a Spanish spin. Beer will be sourced from local Atlanta and Spanish breweries.
Design elements will include whitewashed wood with accents of greens, blues and pinks, stained glass, and an old wooden liquor display.
“I fell in love with Spain and its vibrant food, wine and culture many years ago,” Santiago said in the news release. “At Ponce City Market, we’re in the middle of town where it’s always bustling, and you can feel the energy inside the building. When coming up with the idea for this restaurant, a fun tapas bar felt like the right fit.”
A Puerto Rican native, Santiago attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He moved to Atlanta in 2001 and opened Pura Vida in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood. The tapas-style restaurant was open for 12 years.
While serving as chef/owner of the restaurant, Santiago was named a James Beard Foundation “Best Chef of the Southeast” Semifinalist three times, Star Chefs Rising Star of Atlanta, and contestant on Bravo’s Emmy-winning “Top Chef Las Vegas.”
In 2015, he opened El Super Pan at Ponce City Market, followed by a second location at The Battery in 2018. Santiago opened sister concept El Burro Pollo as a food stand at The Collective Food Hall in Midtown Atlanta’s CODA Tech Square in March 2020.
