Ayman Kamel of 5Church fame is bringing Latin Fusion cuisine to Midtown, at 33 Peachtree Place, in spring 2023, and you’ll be able to follow your nose to the corner of West Peachtree and Peachtree Place.
“In front of the restaurant, there’s a space where we’ll be able to do paellas and pig roasts,” owner Ayman Kamel told What Now Atlanta. “So, when you’re driving down West Peachtree, you’ll be able to smell the specials.”
The 5Church brand was founded in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2012 and opened its first Atlanta restaurant, 5Church Midtown, in 2016. Kamel and his wife loved Atlanta so much that they relocated here, and he eventually separated from the Charlotte group. Today, he runs 5Church in Midtown and Buckhead, as well as Virtue Rooftop.
“This is going to be a totally different concept from 5 Church Midtown or our seven-month-old Buckhead location,” says Kamel. “Latin America has an amazing cuisine. It’s not going to be a Mexican restaurant—although Mexican food is incredible, and we will always feature a dish or two from Mexico.”
“But we will also bring in other cuisines, for example, Nicaraguan nacatamales, which are very different from Mexican tamales. Peruvian food is incredible, but not very famous in Atlanta yet, so we want to show off some of those dishes here.”
Research for the new restaurant included trips to Mexico City and Buenos Aires, Argentina. “We plan to have a very intimate wine list featuring the wines of Argentina and Chile,” says Kamel. “We’ll also offer more than 50 brands of tequila, which will hopefully include our own label, as well as a selection of cocktails.”
The 5,700-square-foot space will be more intimate than the expansive Midtown location, with room for private and corporate events, as well as space for live music. Valet parking will be available. “We want to offer Atlanta a whole experience,” Kamel continues. “The ambiance is energetic, and we have amazing light fixtures and art. There will be live music every night, but not like a club with nonstop dancing. We want to be mindful for people there to enjoy their food.”
Director and 5 Church Executive Chef Rodney Smith is interviewing three final candidates for the chef position, “and all of them are fantastic,” says Kamel. “We will give them 100% total control and creativity to offer Latin fusion cuisine with a twist.”
The dining room will seat around 100 people, with room for more on the climate-controlled patio. “We’ll be sure to share renderings with What Now Atlanta in a couple of weeks,” Kamel promises. “We can’t wait to open. We think Atlanta patrons will want this concept in other neighborhoods.”
The new modern Latin concept from K5 Hospitality will be replacing Babalu Tapas and Tacos in the luxury Nine 15 Midtown development, joining Ponko Chicken, Which Wich, and Dancing Goats.
Editor’s note: this article was updated to correct the spelling of Ayman and to clarify that the new restaurant will not be a 5Church.
