3 days ago
Owners of Ajja, Centro and Locals Seafood to collaborate on new Raleigh restaurant
The owners of some of Raleigh's favorite culinary institutions are teaming up on a new restaurant in the Oakwood neighborhood.
Why it matters: The new unnamed concept is a collaboration between Cheetie Kumar and Paul Siler, the owners of Ajja; Angela Salamanca and Marshall Davis, who are behind Mala Pata, Centro and other restaurants; and Justin Pasfield, a partner in Locals Seafood and Person Street Bar.
Driving the news: The group signed the lease on the restaurant space at 1000 Brookside Dr. last week, Kumar told Axios.
While renovations have already started, the group did not have a concept or name yet to announce, she added.
Zoom in: The 3,500-square-foot space, formerly home to Otomi Comida y Cocteles, has seen several restaurants cycle through in recent years.
Otomi opened and closed there in 2024.
Before that, it was home to Brookside Bodega, which had replaced Falafel & Co. in 2022.
What to expect: While exact details on what the new restaurant will serve are not yet known, the group said in a statement to expect a "multi-concept operation that appeals to the family-centric neighborhoods the location will serve."
Between the lines: This isn't the first time that many of these partners have collaborated.
The recently opened Mala Pata was born as a collaboration between Locals Seafood and Salamanca and Davis.
The connection is evident across the restaurant's menu, which combines Latin American staples and fresh masa with seafood freshly caught off the North Carolina coast.
