Joseph Rosales has been in the restaurant industry for more than 25 years with several restaurants in southern Florida. Later this year, he hopes to open a new restaurant in Sandy Springs, called Finka Latin Kitchen & Bar. Finka is a sister restaurant to Mambo’s Cafe in Alpharetta, which will open a second location in The Exchange, at 2529 Buford Dr in Buford sometime next year. Rosales told What Now Atlanta (WNA) of the cafe’s success, which won awards for best Cuban cuisine, along with his upcoming restaurant.
Finka Latin Kitchen & Bar has plans to open at 5975 Roswell Road NE in the Hammond Springs Shopping Center. The location was previously Cafe Sunflower, a vegetarian restaurant. The opening will depend on how long renovations take, but Rosales expects it to open by around December or early January.
Rosales said that Mexican food is predominant in the area, so his Cuban and Peruvian restaurant is expected to be a unique find once it is open. “The city of Sandy Springs doesn’t have what I do,” Rosales told WNA. “Peruvian food and Cuban sandwiches.” The community may not know what they’re in for, something Rosales is enthusiastic about.
The location has him very excited as well, being in the middle of an “up-and-coming” neighborhood with a lot of foot traffic. Rosales has always loved this location. “I’m very excited to be a part of the Sandy Springs community,” he said. Menu items will include Cuban and Peruvian food with a few tapas dishes from Spain. Expect ceviche, lomo soltado, paella, and Japanese-like sushi rolls that are Peruvian influenced.
If all goes well, the Finka Latin Kitchen & Bar owner hopes to open up a second location in a year or so in the Inman Park area, and his sister eatery Mambo’s Cafe is in talks to open its next location in 2021.
(Edited for clarification: Mambo’s Cafe is opening a new location in Buford)
Great news!! Do you know how I could contact Joseph Rosales?