Azotea Cantina has brought a lively and modern Mexico City street atmosphere right into Midtown Atlanta with two floors of space for food, friends, and fun! Alejandra Dunphy (A-D) Design Studio, Fernando Garcia of FG Architecture, and owner Diego Velasquez teamed up with David Chiem at Office Creations to create an artfully designed restaurant, featuring bold murals, wide garage doors, a stunning rooftop patio, and an abundance of seating indoors and outdoors.
When asked about the beginning of the design, Alejandra Dunphy of A-D Studio said there were a few concepts, but the one in particular won out. “I called it ‘City Lights’ because I wanted to bring that Mexican street taco experience into Atlanta but in a more curated space," she said.
To emulate the vibe of an evening stroll through Mexico City, Alejandra brought in hanging metal pendant lights that hover over the booths like streetlamps in the night. Between the rows of booths, enormous planters were installed for a biophilic touch and a bit of privacy. This section of the restaurant also features tiles that appear to belong to an exterior façade, further establishing the feel of being outdoors while sitting comfortably inside.
The tropical leaves sway in the bustle of this lively eatery just opposite the bar which features a mosaic of beautiful tiles at its front. Mosaics and murals can be found all over the space, much like how they can be found all over Mexico City. The team found local artists Lela Brunet and Janice Rago to fill the walls of Azotea with towering painted flowers, leaves, and patterns in bold tropical colors.
When asked about challenges they ran into while imagining this gorgeous restaurant, Dunphy said the main one was maximizing seating both indoors and outdoors. With such a prime location and exciting concept, Azotea was destined to be a hot spot. The terrace was originally meant to be a space for enjoying happy hour and allowing for a bit of flow in the space, but with the increased demand for outdoor seating many restaurants are seeing, it became the ideal space for more tables and chairs. The terrace is connected to the inside by wide garage doors that can open and close depending on weather for a bit of additional airflow into the building.
The upstairs patio has lots of room solo para adultos (for adults only) according to a cheeky sign on their stairs where you can enjoy a drink and a meal under one of their wide canopies full of string lights. There are lots of tables and steel open frame chairs, as well as some cushioned couches for a super casual vibe.
Of course, at the core of the restaurant is their Mexican fusion style menu. Kevin Maxey, chef and consultant on the project, has created a selection of fresh corn tortilla tacos. With carne asada, fried chicken, and grilled Portobello on the list, there is a taco meant for your taste buds. Treat yourself to a sampling of three salsas as an appetizer and enjoy one of their delicious margaritas frozen or on the rocks.
If you are in the Atlanta area, Azotea is the perfect stop for a lunch with friends or an evening out. They’re located at 245 18th St NW, Suite 5300 and open at 11am every day.
If you’re looking for furniture for a project in Georgia, get in touch with our partners at Joel Robinson Associates, who did amazing work on this project in conjunction with Office Creations. JRA won’t just give you access to great furniture like our products at Grand Rapids Chair, but they’re also there to help with designing, planning, and coordinating.
Want to see another gorgeous project in Atlanta? Check out this blog on Recess in Krog Street Market!
Photography by Alex Arnett