Azotea Cantina opens in Atlanta's Atlantic Station

Azotea Cantina, on 18th Street at Atlantic Station, is a Mexico City-inspired restaurant owned by Diego Velasquez. He’s the Colombian-born founder of Tacos & Tequilas Mexican Grill — with locations in Buford, Cumming, Buckhead and Midtown, plus catering and food truck operations.

With the more inventive Azotea, Velasquez said he “wanted to color outside the lines a bit, so we’d stand out.”

To that end, he brought in culinary consultant and chef Kevin Maxey, whose resume includes stints at Tom Colicchio’s Gramercy Tavern in New York, and Craft restaurants in Dallas and Atlanta. More recently, Maxey was vice president of Ford Fry Restaurants, and the driving force behind the Tex-Mex concept Superica.

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Some two years ago, Maxey was getting ready to open an Atlanta restaurant of his own. But several delays, and then COVID-19, made him rethink his plans. That’s when he decided to “start a consulting company for real,” he noted last week, during an interview at Azotea.

As it happened, Maxey ended up taking on more and more responsibility for Azotea, including training staff, implementing accounting systems, creating the menu, helping with the beverage program, and finally, overseeing the interior design.

“It kind of turned into a pretty big project for me,” Maxey said. “I had a hand in just about everything. But it’s been great. It really has.”

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With all the changes at Atlantic Station, including razing buildings that once housed restaurants such as Rosa Mexicano and Strip, Azotea Cantina is located in an inviting new two-story space along the grassy expanse of pedestrian-friendly “Atlantic Green.”

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The restaurant’s contemporary design blurs indoors and outdoors, with rows of garage doors, a patio that hugs the Green, and an open-air rooftop with a full bar and views of the Atlanta skyline. Several local artists created interior and exterior murals and signage, along with photographs, and custom lighting and finishes.

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“The garage doors came with the space, so that drove some of the design,” Maxey said. “And the restaurant is kind of long and skinny, so that influenced the bar. The name, Azotea, is rooftop in Spanish, so that was Diego’s thing when he saw the space. He had this vision of it being really colorful, modern and hip. But it’s really an upscale taqueria with an optimistic beverage program.”

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At the top of the menu, look for house-made chips and dips, with seasonal salsas, clever takes on guacamole, and two queso variations. Chilled and raw dishes include an Ahi Tuna tostada, and the Tostada de Pulpo, with grilled Spanish octopus, avocado, and salsa matcha. There are a number of vegetable options, too. And a signature Azotea Salad, with a choice to add grilled shrimp, chicken or steak, or pork carnitas.

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Tacos are the mainstay of the menu, served three per order on fresh corn tortillas. Current selections range from the “Suadero,” with slow cooked prime brisket, peanut-arbol chile salsa, and pico de gallo; Baja Fish, with tempura cod, pico de gallo, shaved cabbage, and morita mayo; and Spice Roasted Cauliflower, with roasted sweet potatoes, toasted pumpkin seeds, and garlic aioli.

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“It’s mostly a gluten-free menu, and it’s pretty easy to make most of these dishes vegan, as well,” Maxey said. “There’s a small section of entrees, with a fish, a shrimp, a chicken, a pork, and steak. All the tacos come on corn tortillas, which I think defines the menu. It’s definitely, decidedly Mexican, and like Mexico City, as opposed to Americanized Mexican. It’s approachable, but we wanted it to be a higher level of attention to detail.

“We sourced some corn tortillas that I think are really unique. We found a woman who was making tortillas with fresh masa, made with nixtamalized corn. It’s really hard to do that in a restaurant, because there’s no preservatives in those tortillas. They have about a three-day shelf life. But it’s all about the texture and flavor.”

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As far as beverages, you’ll find a well-curated drink list, with lots of variations on margaritas, and hefty cocktails, such as the Cherry Bomb, with Ancho Reyes, El Jimador Blanco, and cherry Heering, as well as a dozen beers, and a concise wine list. In addition, there’s a separate list with some 17 mezcal selections, 40 different tequilas, and six flights.

“Mezcal is one of those things that once you break through, and get used to it, it’s incredible,” Maxey said. “I can’t stop drinking it, now. There’s a whole lot to figure out in that world.”