Former booksellers to make restaurant debut with Mediterranea.
Co-owners Gerard Nudo and Gary McElroy are teaming up to bring Mediterranea, a gluten-free restaurant and bakery, to 330 Ormond Street SE in the Grant Park neighborhood.
Nudo and McElroy previously operated Rizzoli Bookstore in New York. McElroy was the general manager while Nudo worked in sales and marketing at Rizzoli Publications.
“We were looking for a change in direction in our careers, and since we’re both culinary school grads and Rizzoli is one of the premier cookbook publishers, we feel we’ve always had one foot in the food world,” Nudo told What Now Atlanta (WNA) in an email Tuesday.
The Ormond Street structure, owned by Grant Park resident and developer Philippe Pellerin, has been unoccupied since 1992 and will bring in four new businesses including the forthcoming restaurant and Laura Goddard Style.
“We feel the building is very much a part of the historic fabric of the neighborhood and that appeals to us. And it has the right developers/owners,” Nudo added.
Mediterranea will open in January and feature, “healthy, farm fresh, gluten-free fare” including vegetarian and vegan options. An onsite bakery will also produce gluten-free baked goods.
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