Ozzy Llanes, the founder and CEO of acclaimed Latin sandwich shop and cafe Cubanos ATL, plans to open three more locations this year – including Roswell, South Downtown’s Hotel Row, and the BeltLine – each of which will be slightly larger than the current storefronts, offering a chance to showcase more from the brand’s namesake culture.
“We’re doing new concepts now,” Llanes tells What Now Atlanta. “We’re keeping what we’re good at, we’re always going to stick to our sandwiches and our coffee and all those things, but we are going a little bit bigger.”
Llanes goes on to explain that each new iteration of Cubanos ATL will include a larger seating arrangement while fostering an atmosphere that guests want to spend time in, with a full liquor bar, wine, charcuterie boards, and sangria.
“We’re not going to have waiters, or rice and beans or any of that. We’re going to keep the food pretty close to us,” says Llanes. “But it’s kind of more like a place you can listen to music [such as Spanish guitar and old school trios] now, and bring a little more of the cultural aspects to the stores.”
Whereas Llanes hopes to open the Roswell location this June, the Hotel Row outpost, which will be located at 211 Mitchell St, is still about seven or eight months out. Meanwhile, lease negotiations are still taking place for the BeltLine space.
“It’s so hard for me to express how I really feel because every part of the city of Atlanta has been amazing to us. They’ve been patient, giving us room to figure things out and see what works and what didn’t,” says Llanes. “Which is why we really want to evolve our concept a little bit more, so we can keep showing you a little bit more of the culture, not just sandwiches – everything we have now is just showing you the food. We want to show you a little more of the whole vibe; from the music to the drinks to the customer service, and of course the food.”
