El Tesoro will open a new 8,600-square-foot restaurant at the Lee + White development in Atlanta's West End neighborhood in March, expanding from its current location within the Wild Heaven Brewing facility. The move represents significant growth for the Mexican restaurant, which will now operate three full-service locations in Atlanta, including its original Edgewood spot and a forthcoming South Downtown location scheduled for spring 2026.
The expansion into the 1036 Building, previously occupied by Best End Brewing, provides El Tesoro with permanent space that includes a large bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and big-screen TVs for sporting events. Owner Alan Raines emphasized the long-term potential of the new space, noting it will allow the restaurant to host meetings, activities, weddings, and serve as a gathering place for the West End neighborhood and event attendees.
"We've been very successful in our collaboration with Wild Heaven West End, with so much goodwill from the local residents, and now we are both ready for the next phase," Raines said. "We're excited to expand into a permanent space at Lee + White that gives us the opportunity to grow for years to come."
The new location will maintain El Tesoro's family recipe favorites including tacos, burritos, tamales and mulitas, along with fresh juice margaritas and an extensive mezcal program. Like the upcoming South Downtown location, the Lee + White restaurant aims for a casual but elevated experience beyond the standard taqueria format.
Leo Wiener, President of Ackerman Retail, which represented owners Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners in the lease transaction, highlighted the restaurant's importance to the development. "El Tesoro has become a go-to stop for authentic Mexican food, and their growth is great news for Lee + White and the West End neighborhood," Wiener said. "We're looking forward to their expansion bringing even more energy to Lee + White while giving visitors another option for hanging out, eating great food and enjoying this vibrant district."
The expansion occurs within the broader context of Lee + White's transformation from former warehouse row to mixed-use destination. Acquired by Ackerman & Co. and MDH Partners in 2019, the 442,562-square-foot development features Atlanta BeltLine frontage and has added a food hall, creative office space, healthcare providers, trade schools, retail, and the "Great Lawn" central gathering space. The development is accessible via the nearby West End MARTA rail station and will benefit from the planned MARTA station at Murphy Crossing, which will be a short walk via the Atlanta Westside BeltLine.
In related developments, Wild Heaven Beer has announced that Eats, a popular meat-and-three restaurant that closed its Ponce de Leon location in October, will replace El Tesoro within the Wild Heaven tap room. Wild Heaven has purchased the Eats restaurant brand and is targeting a March opening as well. The Lee + White food hall currently features 16 eateries including Cielito Lindo, Costa Coffee, and other local and regional concepts, with one full-service restaurant space and one food stall still available for lease. For more information about the development, visit https://www.leeandwhiteatl.com.
