APPLETON – After closing in December for renovations and expansion, Antojitos Mexican Kitchen and Cantina is ready to reopen.
On Monday, Antojitos (204 E. College Ave.) will officially reopen for dinner service and unveil changes made to the building's interior.
One of the major renovations will be tearing down the wall that separated Antojitos from the building next door, formerly home to Tina Marie's Unique Boutique, to make the entire space one space. This gave us space to seat up to 100 people with the addition of a bar and dining room. Further renovations include a new lounge and waiting area, additional bathrooms and a completely updated kitchen.
The entire renovation cost $1.2 million.
Co-owner Fernando Almanza said the new lounge space can be used for large gatherings such as book clubs and social gatherings. You can also enjoy a meal in the lounge, order a drink and relax.
more:This downtown Appleton eatery will be closing for a short period of time as it expands into the space next door, The Buzz.
In addition to the new space, the food and drink menu has also been updated with some new recipes. A new addition to the menu is Kreiuda. This traditional Oaxacan dish is similar to a tostada, consisting of large, thin fried tortillas topped with refried beans, meat, lettuce, avocado, Oaxaca cheese, and salsa.
Almanza, who runs the restaurant with her sister Veronica Banda, said her goal was to hire 10 to 15 new staff for the expansion, and she has successfully achieved 90 percent of that goal.
Hours will be adjusted during the first week of Antojitos' return, with the restaurant open from 4pm to 9pm from March 18th to 21st, and from 11am to 10pm on March 22nd and 23rd. However, it will be closed on March 24th. .
We will return to normal business hours after that week. Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
“We ask that our customers be patient as this is a brand new restaurant,” Almanza said. “She only needs a month to fix everything.”
Contact Jelissa Burns at 920-453-5107 or jburns1@gannett.com. Follow her at @burns_jelissa on X (Twitter) or her burns_jelissa on Instagram.
