Acadiana restaurateur Ruben Chavez is regularly revitalizing old restaurant spaces with new concepts, often Tex-Mex themed. However, one of his latest efforts involves converting a former Chili’s location in Lafayette into a large café with a covered patio. According to permit documents filed with the Lafayette Consolidated Government, Chavez is looking to build a roof on the building he owns at 3905 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. in Lafayette. The roof would be for a coffee shop with a patio, the documents said.
The former Chili’s has been vacant since the franchise for that location moved down the road six years ago. Land documents indicate that a company registered to Chavez bought the property in late 2020 for $1.4 million. It is located across the street from another Chavez-owned restaurant, El Paso Mexican Grill.
