Fishmonger, the acclaimed seafood joint from local restaurateurs Skip Engelbrecht and Nhan Le, as well as head Chef Bradford Forsblom, took to its Instagram page yesterday, Mar 9, to announce its third location – the former La Fonda space at 1025 Howell Mill Rd NW.
Opening sometime between mid May and June, this outpost will serve as a safe harbor for two years, before Fishmonger permanently drops anchor in the newest phase of Star Metals.
“We knew the westside was the right move to go next, just because of the traffic over there, the foot traffic, everything that’s going on, everything getting developed – it’s just a great area,” Engelbrecht tells What Now Atlanta.
The Fishmonger team has actually been in talks with Star Metals for some time, however, given the development’s focus on larger buildings, nothing really met the smaller restaurant’s needs. So when Star Metals acquired the La Fonda building from owner Clay Harper, it seemed a natural fit.
“They don’t really want [La Fonda] sitting empty for two years, while they’re breaking ground, getting ready for the other projects,” says Engelbrecht, which will include an apartment complex where the building currently resides. “So it was sort of like, hey, let’s get you in here and when the other spot opens, we’ll get you in there. So it just made sense for us to get started.”
According to Eater Atlanta, which first broke the news yesterday, Fishmonger’s two-year digs will “resemble its Kirkwood counterpart in terms of food and cocktails,” with “a large patio seating up to 85 people,” and additional inside seating for 60 “between tables, the raw bar, and the cocktail bar.”
Needless to say, with less than a year of operation under their belt, Fishmonger has enjoyed incredible success, cultivating a level of brand recognition that’s virtually unmatched in the food and beverage industry.
“It’s been overwhelming, how supportive everyone’s been. Fishmonger’s like our new baby, and she’s a big fat baby, she’s grown real fast. And we’re really excited to be in that area and we just can’t wait for it,” Engelbrecht says, before adding, “Now hiring!”
