[ALERT] Trendy Oaxacan Restaurant Joining Lulah Hills Project in Decatur

Apparently, where there is smoke, there is fire.  A couple of months after hearing rumblings that a second location of  Oaxacan restaurant Cuevacía was planned for Lulah Hills, a lease has officially been signed.  

On September 30, Atlanta-based restaurant group Spur Hospitality announced that they are officially bringing their Oaxacan-inspired immersive dining experience, Cuevacía, to the forthcoming Lulah Hills mixed-use development in North Decatur. 

The new Cuevacía will occupy a freestanding, 2,600-square-foot jewel box space at the heart of the project, marking Cuevacía’s second location since opening at Colony Square in Midtown this past January.    

"The name Cuevacía combines Spanish words meaning “empty cave” or “empty tomb” drawing from a story of sacrifice, renewal, and hope—one that has long shaped cultures and the way we care for one another. The restaurant expresses this spirit through the art, tradition, and soul of Mexican cuisine, welcoming guests to be served, nourished, and restored in a warm, design-forward space inspired by the concept of an empty cave and the villages, landscapes, and stonework of Oaxaca."  

"Cuevacía at Lulah Hills will have a similar aesthetic and feel as the Colony Square location, incorporating the same meandering hallways, intimate caves, arches, and hidden surprises that transport guests to old-world Mexico. It will be two stories and include floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the streetscape. New to this location will be an interior water feature surrounded by a cactus garden, second-floor cuevas (cave-style booths), and a fully covered patio with fans and heating elements, as well as a walk-up to-go window." 

"The restaurant’s scratch-made menu emphasizes fresh, hand-pressed tortillas and house-made moles. Signature dishes include Tetelas, Chilaquiles, Tres Leches, and Huachinango Oaxaqueño. Complementing the cuisine, Cuevacía offers a world-class mezcal program, curated cocktail culture, and a diverse collection of Spanish and Latin American wines."  

The restaurant will serve lunch, dinner and weekend brunch and is slated to open in late 2027.  

Property owner Edens (who also owns nearby Toco Hills) largely demolished the former North Dekalb Mall in 2024 to create Lulah Hills, an open-air, walkable community featuring 320,000 square feet of retail, restaurants, and entertainment, 1,700 multifamily units, 92 townhomes, and two acres of public green space. 

Cuevacía joins a roster of businesses committed to the project, including Anthropologie, Design Within Reach, Firepit Pizza Tavern, Foxtail Coffee Co., Herman Miller, Honeysuckle Gelato, LaserAway, The Les Mains Nail Bar, L.L.Bean, Refuge Coffee Co. (already open) and Solidcore.  

An existing Publix supermarket in Shamrock Plaza on the other side of North Druid Hills Road is expected to relocate to Lulah Hills in 2027.  The only remnants of the former North DeKalb Mall are Marshalls and AMC Theatres, both of which continue to operate today.  

Cuevacía at Lulah Hills will be the fourth restaurant location in Spur Hospitality’s growing portfolio, joining Cuevacía at Colony Square, Saints+Council at Colony Square, and the upcoming Saints+Council at Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, which is expected to open late in the first half of 2027. 

Are you excited for the addition of  Cuevacía to Lulah Hills?  What are your thoughts on the announced tenants coming to Lulah Hills?  What other businesses would you like to see open in Lulah Hills?

Please share your thoughts below.