Courtesy of Nowak's
Nowak’s steakhouse has been a staple in Morningside since 2018. Now, owner Blaiss Nowak, son of Hal Nowak (Hal’s the Steakhouse), is converting the restaurant into a Mexican cantina. The team is swapping out some of the artwork and lighting and launching a menu of tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, nachos, and more. When will it debut? On Cinco de Mayo, of course. The Sandy Springs location will remain a steakhouse.
“The neighborhood wanted something more casual, so we decided to give it to them,” Blaiss Nowak says. “It’s about getting high-quality ingredients at a very fair price. It’s family oriented.”
Nowak’s Cantina will serve dinner, as well as lunch every Friday through Sunday. No reservations will be accepted. And for those who crave a Nowak’s steak, a single cut remains on the menu, topped with queso. “We want to support the people who have been eating here forever and still want to be able to get one of our steaks once in a while,” Nowak explains.
Courtesy of Nowak's
Mia Prieto, formerly of Caramba Cafe, consulted on the food and beverage menus, settling on a lineup of drinks including a pepperoncini margarita, Spicy Mama (ghost pepper tequila, lime, agave, and jalapeno), and Pina Amalga (tequila, pineapple, lime, and egg white). “It’s everything you’d expect from a traditional Mexican restaurant,” Nowak says.
He and Eyal Reisin (Churchills), a partner in Nowak’s, are developing another restaurant together—this one in Buckhead in the former Rock ‘N’ Taco space. Called Beso, which means “kiss” in Spanish, it will serve Mexican small plates with a “sexy casual” vibe. Expect Mexican pizza, empanadas, ceviche, tacos, street corn, and bowls with fresh vegetables and seafood. For dessert, there will be a family-style chocolate bowl filled with ice cream, sorbet, fruit, and cheesecake bites, called La Bamba.
Beso will be cocktail focused with 12 on the menu. Some, like Pina Amalga, will be repeats of those at Nowak’s Cantina, while others are unique, like the Tijuana Crossing (Reposado tequila, sweet vermouth, and maraschino cherry liqueur). Wine and beer will come from Mexico, and North and South America. Look for it to open in early summer.
Courtesy of Nowak's
