Cuban Sandwich Shop Cubanos ATL Continues Atlanta Expansion With Two More Locations

Ozzy Llanes plans to open a third location of his popular Cuban sandwich shop Cubanos ATL at Chattahoochee Food Works, the forthcoming food hall backed by Andrew Zimmern and Robert Montwaid in Underwood Hills. A fourth location is also in the works for Roswell.

Llanes just signed a lease at the Works development food hall taking shape along Chattahoochee Avenue and hopes to open the Cuban sandwich stall by summer. The first restaurant stalls inside the 31-stall food hall begin opening this spring. Cubanos ATL joins nine previously announced stalls at Chattahoochee Food Works, including a location of Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream, Thai food stall TydeTate Kitchen, Graffiti Breakfast, and Lebanese barbecue stall Babakabab.

Cuban-born Llanes moved to Atlanta from Miami over a decade ago and admits he spent years searching for a “descent” Cuban sandwich here. He opened the original Cubanos ATL in Sandy Springs in August 2020. The takeout-only Cuban sandwich shop, located in the parking lot of a small retail plaza on Roswell Road, resides inside a tiny house Llanes designed and built himself. Cubanos ATL quickly gained a following, with lines often snaking around the parking lot during lunch.

In December, Llanes announced plans to open a second location in another custom-built tiny house in Cumming, Georgia, at Cumming Marketplace. However, he tells Eater those plans changed due to permitting issues with Forsyth County.

“They didn’t allow tiny houses, so we’re opening a brick and mortar [in the former Southern Filling Station],” Llanes says. “Same concept — all to-go. Everything is done, just waiting for the health department permit.” He hopes to open that location in early April.

Llanes recently reached an agreement with a property owner in downtown Roswell to open a fourth location of Cubanos ATL later this year behind former live music venue Gypsy Rose on Alpharetta Street. He’s currently awaiting approval from city of Roswell to build the tiny house restaurant.

Cubanos ATL features just three sandwiches on the menu: a traditional Cuban called El Miami; the El Tampa with roast pork, ham, salami, pickles, and Swiss cheese; and the El Pollo chicken sandwich mixed with aioli and topped with pickles and Swiss cheese. All sandwiches are created using family recipes and come served on La Segunda Central Bakery bread — the oldest Cuban bread maker in the United States. In addition to sandwiches, Cubanos ATL serves breakfast and Cuban coffee and coffee drinks.

1235 Chattahoochee Avenue NW, Atlanta.; 964 Alpharetta Street, Roswell. cubanosatl.com.

• Second Tiny House Location of Cuban Sandwich Shop Cubanos ATL Opens Next Year [EATL]
• Cubanos ATL Sandwich and Coffee Shop Opens Inside a Tiny House in Sandy Springs [EATL]
• Food Stalls Begin Opening Soon at the Andrew Zimmern-Backed Chattahoochee Food Works [EATL]