Cuban sandwich shop Cubanos ATL is partnering with a popular spot for empanadas and baked good to open its fourth location.

Cubanos ATL will open May 25 at 1050 E. Piedmont Road in Marietta. The space is already home to Belen De La Cruz Empanadas & Pastries.

Cubanos owner Ozzy Llanes said the partnership was born partly out of necessity due to the real estate shortage and rising rents.

“On top of the already high labor and food costs the restaurant industry has been seeing, I knew I would have to get creative if I planned to open another location successfully,” Llanes said in a prepared statement.

Llanes leveraged his friendship with fellow immigrant restaurateur Belen de la Cruz, owner of the eponymous Marietta bakery. Both concepts will operate out of the same retail space and will share operating expenses. The pair met on social media in 2020 when they were both in the process of opening their restaurants.

220428 Johns Creek, Georgia: The empanadas are stamped with the various fillings offered to customers at Belen de la Cruz. The AJC visits and profiles Belén de la Cruz at her shop (bakery) in Johns Creek, Georgia that specializes in her delicious empanadas as well as other baked goods and sweets for the series Atlanta Culinary Journeys. Photo taken Thursday April 28, 2022. slug 051722ATLCULINARYJOURNEYSBELENDELACRUZ (CHRIS HUNT FOR THE ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION)

Credit: CHRIS HUNT

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Credit: CHRIS HUNT

Cubanos ATL, which serves Cuban sandwiches and coffee drinks, has existing locations in Sandy Springs and Cumming.

In addition to its Marietta location, Belen De la Cruz, which serves a variety of empanadas, charcuterie, cakes and pastries, has a flagship shop in Johns Creek. Both Cubanos and Belen also have stalls in the Chattahoochee Food Works food hall in West Midtown.

De la Cruz called the arrangement “a win-win business model for both brands. We plan to use this partnership as a pilot with potential growth together in the future.”

Belen de la Cruz and Cubanos ATL’s Marietta location will be open from 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays.

1050 E. Piedmont Road, Marietta. 678-540-8145. belendelacruz.com, cubanosatl.com

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