Thursday, December 2, 2021

[EXCLUSIVE] Peruvian Chicken Chain Viva Chicken to Enter Metro Atlanta

A Charlotte-based fast casual restaurant chain plans to bring its Peruvian cuisine to metro Atlanta in 2022.  Viva Chicken, which specializes in Peruvian rotisserie chicken, plans to open its first Atlanta area location in Kennesaw.  The restaurant operator recently finalized a lease on a 3,200 square foot space in Barrett Corners, a new strip center being developed in place of the former Sweet Tomatoes at 1125 Ernest Barrett Parkaway.  Viva Chicken's Kennesaw location will pair it with previously announced eateries Five Guys and Maple Street Biscuit Company.  

Viva Chicken co-founders Bruno Macchiavello and Randy Garcia

The new Kennesaw location will likely be the fifteenth overall for the chain which operates twelve existing locations in North and South Carolina as well as a single unit in St. George, a city in southwestern Utah.  A new Viva Chicken is slated to open later this month in Summerville, South Carolina, in the greater Charleston vicinity.  

Chef Bruno Macchiavello, a native of Peru, and business partner Randy Garcia, opened the first Viva Chicken in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte in 2013.  The restaurant, which builds on Macchiavello's family recipes, is most known for their pollo a la brasa, or rotisserie chicken, which is marinated in a Peruvian spice mix for 24 hours before being cooked in a handmade charcoal-fired oven imported from Lima, Peru.

Diners can select a quarter, half, or whole chicken, each accompanied by a variety of sides ranging from sweet potato fries and plantains to chicken soup and canary beans. The restaurant also prides itself on offering several house-made sauces such the mild aji amarillo sauce, the hotter huacatay sauce (with mint, cilantro, and jalapeƱo), and the spiciest of all, gringo killer, with red Peruvian hot pepper.  The restaurant also offers several sandwiches, salads and bowls in addition to a kids' menu.  

Dessert options include a churro (where 50 cents from each sale are donated to No Kid Hungry) and tres leches, in addition to house-made drink options such as herbal limeade and Chicha Morada (with Peruvian purple corn, cinnamon, clove, pineapple, apple, lime.) 

Earlier this summer, Viva Chicken unveiled the first major brand refresh in the company's history.  

The restaurants' hallmark orange remains, although its logo has been refreshed with a modern, edgy typeface — all in capital letters. The “I” in the logo is now topped by a chicken head.  The refresh, which is meant to prepare the brand for future growth in the southeast and beyond, also carries over to the restaurant's menu boards, door logos, employee uniforms and to-go packaging. 

Have you ever been to Viva Chicken?  Are you excited for the opening of Viva Chicken in metro Atlanta?  Where in metro Atlanta would you like to see Viva Chicken open next?

Please share your thoughts below.  

6 comments:

BigRedDogATL said...

I wish them well. There have been a couple of chains that have tried to sell grilled chicken and even Piri Piri chicken in the metro Atlanta area. Those chains all failed eventually.

I really wish that El Pollo Loco would give it another try in Atlanta.

Anonymous said...

agree. I think Sinaloa Pollo on Buford Highway has done ok, and when I'm in Los Angeles, I notice that they love all of these chicken places, but Atlanta is not a big grilled chicken town.

Anonymous said...

The food is amazing - cannot wait for them to open!! I hear other locations are in the works also :)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous, regarding Pollos Asados Autentico Sinaloense, please post an address, as they do not have a formal website.

But, if I have the correct place, the4 menu looks very good!

Anonymous said...

Dec 5, yes it is it Pollos Asados Autentico Sinaloense, they're on Buford highway, maybe 1/4 to 1/2 mile ITP on the left if heading south, just before Pinetree Plaza. They have a good meal deal: grilled chicken with tortillas, beans and rice, maybe it's $20, but it's a good amount of food. We haven't been in a while. We more frequently get Korean fried chicken from Hello Chicken, which is maybe the next building or so north of it.

Anonymous said...

Tried this for the first time..it was incredible, the food was excellent the staff was very courteous. HIGHLY RECOMMEND EVERYONE TRY THIS PLACE

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