With roots already deep in St. Louis’ restaurant scene, Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas will open in Benton Park this year

A familiar name in the St. Louis restaurant biz is headed to Benton Park. 

Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas is set to open at 2730 McNair Ave. this September. The restaurant comes from married couple Coby Arzola and Derek Fatheree. If the last name Arzola sounds familiar, you probably found yourself at the now-shuttered Chuy Arzola’s at least once. And in good news for fans of the late restaurant, former owner Eddie Arzola – Coby’s father – will be on deck to help run the new concept. 

Arzola and Fatheree always wanted to get into the restaurant business together, but it did come a little faster than originally anticipated. The couple moved to Benton Park a year ago and quickly fell in love with the neighborhood, plus the 950-square-foot space – formerly home to Ernesto’s Wine Bar – came up for sale. And with both of their careers being stable, the two decided it was time to take the leap. 

“We just got to the point of having an opportunity to do something a little different,” Arzola says. 

And with Eddie Arzola, just barely 60, still extremely passionate about food and with no personal plans to slow down, everything came together. 

“My dad was absolutely up for it,” Arzola says, adding that his father will take on the role of general manager and operating partner.

The restaurant will specialize in, you guessed it, fajitas and Margaritas, which is what Chuy Arzola’s was particularly known for. The seasoned meats available as fajitas will also be featured in other dishes such as burritos and quesadillas. 

“It’s what we’ve grown up with, it’s what we know,” Arzola says. 

Above all, the couple hopes that the restaurant will become memorable because of its hospitality, the same way that many went to Chuy Arzola’s because of the innate warmness of Eddie himself. And hopefully, once it all gets up and running, Arzola and Fatheree can watch the restaurant’s success at a safe distance. 

“Derek and mine’s hope is over the course of time, we’ll just be the couple of guys walking our dog by the restaurant to say hi to people,”  Arzola says with a laugh. 

Arzola’s Fajitas & Margaritas, 2730 McNair Ave., Benton Park, St. Louis, Missouri, eatarzolas.com

https://www.feastmagazine.com/st-louis/article_c84e3352-de88-11eb-8542-4ffc056707c4.html