Chef Andres Kaifer’s upcoming tapas concept at Optimist Hall will honor his great grandmother. Marina’s Tapas will dish up authentic Spanish tapas beginning in midsummer.

“We just we felt like it was a void and something that the city was ready for, and the city would appreciate,” Kaifer says. “Ultimately, we let the space speak to us.”

Kaifer, who is chef/owner, and managing partner Alex Bridges were looking to expand their restaurant portfolio. The duo has owned longtime restaurant Customshop in Elizabeth since 2022.

They were presented with an opportunity to take over the 500-square-foot Velvet Taco space within the food hall at Optimist Hall. The Dallas,Texas-based concept closed that spot in December after four years to focus on opening full-size restaurants in the Charlotte market.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to be able to go and do something cool in a space that’s very popular, very well known,” Bridges says. “That could be good brand recognition for something that could eventually become a brick-and-mortar down the road. I think we’re ready for it and I think we can do it. So why not?”

For Kaifer and Bridges, the location will put the spotlight on the food, with less worry about the overall environment. Think simple, quick and delicious food, Kaifer says. Marina’s —named for his great grandmother, Marina Martinez — honors the women in Kaifer’s life who taught him the importance of bringing people together through great food; his early food memories include cooking with his mother…

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