MACON, Ga. — Yollah ya’ll! That's what the sign says that people will see when they walk into a new Latin American-inspired restaurant at 894 College Street in Macon.
The building, located right before the College Street bridge next to Tattnall Square Park, is now home to Yollah Social Kitchen + Garden.
“We’re excited about what’s going on,” said owner Dawn McCullar.
She wants people to have a different experience each time they step foot inside the restaurant.
“You come in, you see all the excitement, you’ll smell the food itself,” she said.
The space is decorated in pastel colors, and it’s full of Latin-American art and inspired pieces. Even the cups used for the house-made craft cocktails are from Paraguay.
There's a viewing window inside the restaurant, so people can watch the Mexican-imported tortilla machine at work, as well as main dining area and a private dining room for special events. The tables are made with repurposed wood from a 100-year-old farmhouse.
There's garden area out back, which will have outdoor dining, a fire pit, stage, bocce ball and cornhole boards.
“I think music, food and drinks go together and you can’t have one without the other,” she said.
All of the food is made in-house, even the flour tortillas and sauces. McCullar says she prides the restaurant on having fresh food.
“We have an open kitchen, which is really nice. You get to see the chef at work. We have a dynamic chef and a dynamic team,” she said. “The flavors will take you away.”
Yollah is a tapas-style restaurant. It has a wide variety of foods on the menu from tacos, empanadas, and pincho skewers to whole roasted chicken, churros, and casseroles.
The restaurant will also have wrapped pork and collared greens, which McCullar calls “Cuban Cigars.” They’ll be served in real Cuban cigar boxes, too.
“All of our proteins and vegetables are cooked over a wood fire,” she said. “It gives it another dimension for the food.”
Macon's College Street now home to new Latin-American inspired tapas spot
As for drinks, people can expect to see some classic standbys, like an old fashioned, and some Latin drinks, like a paloma.
“I have a cart, an ice cream cart, that I got from Mexico as well, and so it’ll be available out and so there’ll be pops for children and then there’ll be pops for adults too. Frozen pops,” she said.
McCullar is a first-time restaurant owner. She says she grew up cooking and her passion is what inspired her to open up a new spot. The name, Yollah, is a word another word for a strong, fun-loving, Latin woman. She says it's a refection of herself.
They’re opening for curbside pickup on Friday. McCullar says the curbside menu is different from the dine-in menu, because it will have dishes that are specially selected to travel well. The dine-in menu will be available when they open for that in about four weeks.
Yollah is also offering take home DIY taco kits and take-home casserole dishes that people can pop in the oven and eat at home.