A new tapas bar channeling the liveliness and energy of Spanish cities like Madrid, León, Barcelona and Bilbao is about to open at Ponce City Market.
Chef Hector Santiago will officially open La Metro on Oct. 30, 2024. The restaurant is Santiago’s second concept at the destination’s Central Food Hall, joining sister restaurant El Super Pan.
Dishes from the day’s menu will be displayed behind a glass partition, and guests will order counter service-style. Full service will be available at the eight-seat bar, alongside specially curated tapas boxes featuring a variety of small bites available to-go.
Brian Carson will serve as chef and general manager. The menu will feature fresh, cured and tinned seafood, veggie-centric dishes, charcuterie and cheese, several meat and rice dishes, and more. The restaurant also plans to introduce a “Tapamakase” experience that will offer guests the ability to book an exclusive chefs table for four in the kitchen. Set to launch later this year, the prix-fixe menu will offer tapas omakase-style.
Jose Pereiro, most recently the beverage director for Storico Fresco, has been tapped to lead behind the bar, where guests can expect a heavy emphasis on Spanish cava, wines, local Atlanta and Spanish beers, ciders and more. Cocktails will include a La Metro signature, the Mercado Sour with pisco, raspberry liqueur, amontillado, lemon and egg white.
The space will include design elements like lime-washed walls, Spanish and Ziellege tiles, reclaimed wood, accents of greens, blues and pinks, stained glass, and an old wooden liquor display.
“I fell in love with Spain and its vibrant food, wine and culture many years ago,” Santiago said in a news release. “At Ponce City Market, we’re in the middle of town where it’s always bustling, and you can feel the energy inside the building. When coming up with the idea for this restaurant, a tapas bar felt like the right fit – a perfect place to channel the urban atmosphere of Madrid.”
