Serenidad, the newest concept from acclaimed Atlanta chef Deborah VanTrece, has closed in the Cascade Heights neighborhood after less than six months.
Oreatha’s at the Point, the restaurant that VanTrece opened in the area in March 2022 along with Cascade Heights developer Shea Embry, remains open.
Josh Swinney
Josh Swinney
VanTrece addressed the closure in a statement shared with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
When I decided to open two restaurants in historic Cascade Heights, it was made out of a love for – and connection to – the neighborhood. I lived in Southwest Atlanta at one point in my life, as did many of Atlanta’s most famous residents, including civil rights hero John Lewis, Mayors Maynard Jackson and Shirley Franklin, Ambassador Andrew Young, baseball legend Hank Aaron, and civic leader Thomas W. Dortch, to name a few.
I am excited to remain a part of Cascade Heights’s revitalization, as many new developments are taking hold that will contribute to the neighborhood’s transformation.
Among the new developments coming to Cascade Heights are two new Latin-focused restaurants. I am thrilled that this neighborhood is attracting new businesses. That was our goal. But I also believe that building a “dining destination” will take all of us working together and providing the diversity that today’s diners are looking for. So rather than compete with our neighbors, I’ve decided to close Serenidad and replace it with a new and unique restaurant inspired by my earlier life abroad.
In the meantime, I would like to thank this extraordinary community for continuing to support Shea and me as we continue to invest in Cascade Heights.
Ben Gray
Ben Gray
VanTrece said she would announce a new concept in the coming weeks, with plans to open by the spring.
Serenidad, which opened in October 2022 at 2317 Cascade Road SW just down the street from Oreatha’s, featured a Latin soul food menu executed by executive chef and partner Whitney Thomas.
VanTrece said she’d been wanting to do a Latin-inspired restaurant for a while, after spending years traveling through Mexico and countries in Central America, South America and the Caribbean during her career as a flight attendant.
Dishes included elote ribs, a Cuban sandwich, smoked chicken and short rib tacos, asado negro beef short rib Tomahawk, smoked Kan Kan pork chop, and paella shrimp and grits.
The full bar offered a cocktail list developed by beverage director (and VanTrece’s daughter) Kursten Berry, who also serves as the beverage director for Oretha’s at the Point and is set to open her own cocktail bar, Dulcet, in Cascade Heights.
In addition to Oreatha’s and Serenidad, the VanTrece Hospitality Group also includes Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours in West Midtown.
VanTrece, the author of “The Twisted Soul Cookbook: Modern Soul Food with Global Flavors,” was recently named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Best Chef: Southeast category.
A representative for the restaurant group did not immediately respond to the AJC’s request for more information.
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