Fellini's, La Fonda Owners Planning Four Restaurants for East Lake

Clay Harper and Mike Nelson, owners of Fellini's Pizza and La Fonda Latina, are planning a few new restaurants for East Lake at the corner of Second Avenue and Hosea Williams Drive. First on the agenda is a third location for their barbecue restaurant, The Greater Good. The original Greater Good opened in Tucker in 2012, and a Buckhead outpost followed in 2013.

Harper and Nelson will open three more eateries across the street from the planned Greater Good, which will take over an old gas station space. They will modify an existing building to open two restaurants with outdoor seating, and then build out a smaller restaurant. Details on the concepts have not been announced.

"We are excited about the opportunity to bring a thoughtful mix of local, independent restaurants to the neighborhood," Harper said in a prepared statement. "We completely embraced the philosophies of the East Lake Foundation and see this as much more than a business opportunity, and see this as a chance to be a part of an effort to bring real positive change to our community."

The C.F. Foundation, and organization that has been working to revitalize East Lake since 1993, purchased the land in 2005 and is in the process of selling to Harper and Nelson, along with partners Nathan Bolster and Jay Martin. Construction on The Greater Good Barbecue is expected to begin "over the next couple months."

"C.F. Foundation, Inc. is delighted to make the sale to two in-town restaurant operators who have more than 30 year of experience," Rick Bent, C.F. Foundation VP of real estate and development, said. "This investment will provide East Lake residents with a much needed destination for good, affordable, interesting food and drink."

Harper and Nelson currently operate seven Fellini's, five La Fonda, and two Greater Good locations throughout the Atlanta area.