El Tesoro is making a major transition in the Lee + White development, relocating from their long-term pop-up in Wild Heaven Brewing to an 8,600-square-foot space in the 1036 Building. The space was previously occupied by Best End Brewing. The El Tesoro team is planning to make the transition in March.
“We decided the timing was right and the location was right — since it’s only 1,000 feet from where we are — to just go ahead and move and take control of our whole destiny, retaining that vibe we had at Wild Heaven,” owner Alan Raines told What Now Atlanta. “It was a natural evolution.”
This location will mark El Tesoro’s third full-fledged brick-and-mortar location. Other locations include the original location in Edgewood, which has been operating for more than five years, and another previously announced location slated to open this spring in the South Downtown development.
The forthcoming space at Lee + White will offer a large bar, indoor and outdoor seating, a patio along the Atlanta Westside BeltLine and large TVs for sports viewing. It will offer both a casual and elevated atmosphere for customers to enjoy.
The menu includes classic Mexican fare, including tacos, burritos, tamales and mulitas. Raines shared that the spot will allow for some menu expansion as well as some new specials. The beverage program will center around margaritas made with fresh juices as well as mezcal-based drinks.
“El Tesoro has become a go-to stop for authentic Mexican food, and their growth is great news for Lee + White and the West End neighborhood,” Leo Wiener, president of Ackerman Retail, said in a release. “We’re looking forward to their expansion bringing even more energy to Lee + White while giving visitors another option for hanging out, eating great food and enjoying this vibrant district.”
The new location at Lee + White marks a key expansion for the El Tesoro brand, providing more ways to grow through additional space.
“We’ve been very successful in our collaboration with Wild Heaven West End, with so much goodwill from the local residents, and now we are both ready for the next phase,” Raines said in the release. “We’re excited to expand into a permanent space at Lee + White that gives us the opportunity to grow for years to come. It almost seemed like more space than we need right now, but zooming out into the future, we’ll have the flexibility to host a wide range of meetings, activities and even weddings, as well as be a gathering place for the West End neighborhood, sporting and other events.”
The announcement from El Tesoro comes shortly after Wild Heaven Brewing announced plans to bring iconic Atlanta brand EATS back to the city as a part of their West End location in Lee + White. EATS, which shuttered during the fall, will take over as the food element for Wild Heaven as El Tesoro moves to its own space in March.
