Celebrity chef Mike Isabella is making himself right at home in Arlington’s Ballston neighborhood. Work is underway on his second Greek restaurant, Kapnos Taverna, at 4000 Wilson Blvd., and now the chef also plans to open a Mexican restaurant, called Pepita, around the corner.
Pepita will be a Mexican cantina featuring a small menu: tacos, guacamole and ceviche will be among the offerings, as will daily specials such as roast suckling pig. Isabella is going for a “Mexican coastal resort” feel with the restaurant, which will open onto a small patio, with wood finishes and greenery in the design.
It’s not the chef’s first foray into Mexican cuisine; he was until recently affiliated with Bandolero, a restaurant in Georgetown owned by Jonathan and Bethany Umbel.
Pepita, which will be much smaller than Kapnos Taverna at 1,200 square feet, aims to open early in 2015.
