Burger Tap in Morningside has closed. The restaurant, opened late last year by the founder of Yoforia, never really caught on, and I'm told the space is already being reconcepted. I only visited the restaurant once, but it seemed as though it was almost a hybrid of the now defunct Wonderful World Burger & Fry and YEAH! Burger.
The prices were high considering the portion size, but I'm sure plenty was spent on the buildout. The space was previously Caramba Cafe which subsequently reopened downtown at the Pencil Factory lofts.
Burger Tap closed after dinner service Friday night, and as of Saturday, paper covered the windows with signage for "Waffold" gourmet waffle sandwiches Coming Soon. The Burger Tap website was taken down as of Saturday night, but their Facebook page remains live, but not updated since late June.
The (shuttered) restaurant's public relations firm, Atlanta-based M-Squared, references Burger Tap's success in a "case study" on their website. The most memorable quote from this is:
"Thanks to Burger Tap’s smooth opening and early success they plan to quickly expand throughout the southeast and beyond."
Clearly whatever early success the restaurant may have enjoyed quickly disappeared given the restaurant is now closed, a little less than seven months after opening.
I attempted to reach Burger Tap by phone regarding "Waffold" but although the phone is still active, repeated calls went unanswered.
It's my understanding that JP Kim, formerly of Yoforia and one of the co-creators of Burger Tap, will be involved in this latest concept. A little research indicates that Kim, a California native, may intend to recreate an established California-based waffle concept known as "Bruxie."
Bruxie, a three-unit chain based in Orange, California serves "gourmet waffle sandwiches," and has been in business since 2009. All three locations are owned by the original owners, who at this time do not offer franchising. The restaurant, unlike The Wafflery, an often joked about failure at Lenox Square, features waffles folded into sandwiches. Sandwich options include smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, Philly cheesesteak and a PB&J.
With permanent Waffold signage already up on the building itself, it would seem as though ownership plans to make a relatively quick transition from one concept to the other. My guess is that the new restaurant will be open within five weeks.
Where is your favorite casual burger joint in town? Do you think a fast casual waffle eatery will do well in Atlanta? What casual restaurant or cuisine would you like to see opened in Atlanta?
Please share your thoughts below.