New Oaxacan-inspired restaurant serves up stunning atmosphere

ATLANTA - The words "cueva vacía" translate to "empty cave" in Spanish. But put those words together, and they become a place filled with food, fellowship, and phenomenal ambiance.

We’re talking about Cuevacía, the one-of-a-kind Oaxacan-inspired restaurant which joined Colony Square’s culinary lineup earlier this year. Created by William Pitts (the founder of Colony Square’s Saints + Council), Cuevacía draws culinary and design inspiration from Mexico’s pre-Hispanic era, focusing on from-scratch food honoring the legacy of the country’s Indigenous Peoples. For example, dinner entrées (called "Platos Fuertos" on the menu) include the Mole Negro con Pollo (a half chicken with Oaxacan black mole), Tamal Oaxaqueño (banana leaf-wrapped tamales with poblanos), and Pato Sellado con Nopal (search duck breast and grilled cactus!). 

But it’s really in the ambiance that the "cueva vacía" makes sense. Pitts says the stone walls, dim lighting, and intimate booths are meant to evoke the experience of eating inside a cave. The restaurateur actually transformed the 2,000-square-foot space from one level to two, creating an upstairs dining room and a lower-level cocktail lounge connected by a striking staircase. 

Cuevacía is currently open for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch daily. It’s located at 1201 Peachtree Street Northeast, in Midtown Atlanta’s Colony Square (next to Brown Bag Seafood Co.). For more information on the restaurant, click here. And click the video player in this article to check out our morning inside Cuevacía, exploring the space and getting a delicious first taste of its unique menu!