The long wait is over. DBA Tacos & BBQ is now open in Clarkston.
Located on East Ponce de Leon Avenue, owner Matt Coggin brings Clarkston a twist on his hickory-smoked barbecue menu, which includes street tacos. The restaurant has been more than a year in the making, but Coggin said he believes it will be worth the wait.
In February, Coggin closed DBA Barbecue in Virginia-Highland after 15 years to focus on what he enjoys most about the restaurant business: hospitality.
“I realized I didn’t need to sell $80 bottles of wine to enjoy the hospitality industry,” he said. “It also didn’t make sense financially to renew the lease [in Virginia-Highland].”
Coggin said the first year of the COVID-19 health crisis provided him some clarity on the industry. It gave him the chance to be forward-facing with his customers when the Virginia-Highland barbecue restaurant moved its operations to drive-up service in response to the pandemic.
In Clarkston, DBA Tacos & BBQ will offer dine-in service for now and drive-through and walk-up service in November. Coggin said he plans to build an outdoor dining area down the line.
The menu brings in elements from DBA in Virginia-Highland and new dishes. Alongside snacks, salads, and sides, like DBA’s signature Brunswick stew, the menu in Clarkston features six street tacos: chopped brisket; beef barbacoa; chicken tinga; pork al pastor; pork pibil; and a vegetarian option.
Barbecue lovers missing DBA’s smoked meats can enjoy plates of hickory-smoked wings, ribs, and sandwiches in Clarkston, too. Halal beef options are also available upon request, he said.
The restaurant should begin serving beer, wine, and cocktails by early October, but the drinks menu won’t be extensive.
“We are going to make it simple as far as liquor choices,” he said. “There may be just one type of vodka, gin, and tequila.”
A friends-and-family dry run last week and a soft opening earlier this week helped work out both expected and unexpected kinks, and Coggin said he feels the Clarkston restaurant is ready for business.
“We didn’t tell anyone we were opening [Tuesday] and wrote on the ‘Coming Soon’ sign, ‘Finally open’. It was a good day.”
DBA BBQ & Tacos, 4540 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. Matt Coggin also owns DBA BBQ in Chastain Park.
