New Mexican restaurant to open in building left vacant by Mi Tierrita Okatie’s closing
A new Mexican restaurant will be filling the Okatie space left vacant when Mi Tierrita closed its doors earlier this month.
Jake Higgins, owner of Higgins Family Brands, takes over the lease of the space April 1. The new restaurant will be called Cantaritos Mexican Kitchen.
Higgins said that, because he was able to purchase Mi Tierrita Okatie’s equipment and furnishings, and because he hired staff that had been laid off in the prior closing, he expects to open the new restaurant quickly, possibly even with a soft opening by April 5.
He expects Cantaritos to be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
“We just want it to be a cool, fun place for people to eat and have parties,” Higgins said.
Meanwhile, the Rodriguez family, which operated Mi Tierrita Okatie for 15 years, wants customers to know that Higgins is not purchasing the Mi Tierrita brand.
The Rodriguez family is still in business at Mi Tierrita Hardeeville, located at 15578 Whyte Hardee Blvd., Gina Rodriguez said.
Higgins Family Brands includes Blackstone’s Cafe, Bricks on Boundary and the Highway 21 Drive-in theater in Beaufort; Which Wich, Stir Crazy and Kilwin’s in Bluffton; and Hilton Head Tavern on Hilton Head Island, among other businesses.
