Sunshine, bright colors and tropical flowers — none of these mark a Georgia fall. November in Atlanta means red and orange leaves underfoot, chilly mornings followed by awkwardly warm afternoons and the inevitable itch for holiday foods. Beach umbrellas and smoothies may not fit into that picture, yet they are precisely what you find at LottaFrutta, a casual pan-Latin spot in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.
In 2006, owner and “fruitologist” Myrna Perez yearned for the taste of home and opened LottaFrutta. According to her website, Perez grew up in McAllen, Texas, where Mexican tradition runs deep and two acres of family-tended citrus trees populated her backyard. Her grandmother sold paletas — minimally-sweetened Mexican popsicles — to neighborhood kids after school. When Perez moved to Atlanta in 2004, she sought to remedy her homesickness, so she brought the fresh fruit and community spirit of her childhood to the Peach State.
With the aesthetics of a seaside cabana where staff pluck and slice fruit right in front of you, LottaFrutta is a rustic, sunny storefront dropped onto a city block. The dining area, which is entirely outdoors, features colorful murals and dried palm fronds that you would find at the beach. Funky, mismatched tables and chairs under wide umbrellas line the sidewalks, beckoning neighborhood regulars, stroller-pushers and dogs who seem to know the way there by heart — which may be true, as an enormous jar of dog treats sits next to the cash register. If the Atlanta Beltline, which is just a block away, counts as the city’s shoreline, then LottaFrutta is its cabana.
I visited the shop on a golden autumn afternoon, hoping to soak up the last few weeks of sunshine at one of LottaFrutta’s eclectic picnic tables. The menu is small but mighty, offering South American fruit cups, fresh juices and smoothies, Cuban-style pressed sandwiches and salads, rotating seasonal dishes and a different Ecuadorian soup each day. During this time of year, when the weather begins to demand a jacket, patrons can also pick up warmer specialties like LottaFrutta’s spiced Mexican hot chocolate.
I ordered a Limonatta fruit cup, a mix of fresh fruit topped with lime juice and spicy chile guajillo, and a Pavo del Ocho, a grilled turkey and swiss sandwich on traditional Latin panini bread, and added a tomato for 75 cents, bringing my total to just under $15.
LottaFrutta’s food is uncomplicated and unpretentious, boasting fresh ingredients. The panini-pressed sandwich was well-balanced and texturally satisfying, with a generous layer of melted cheese and bread grilled to perfection. There are no signature sauces or bells and whistles, just complimentary roasted corn nuts with every sandwich order. The hand-sliced turkey tasted clean, not like something out of a plastic package. And the Limonatta fruit cup, lime-bright, slightly spicy and packed with crisp fruits like mango, cucumber, pineapple and melon, was exceptional. Spearing each piece of fruit with the cocktail umbrella perched on the top of the cup took me right back to summertime.
LottaFrutta slices 14 varieties of fruit daily, more than a college student could ever dream of wedging into a mini fridge. For first-timers, I recommend trying the Cremolatta fruit cup, made with bananas, strawberries, melon and grapes capped with an extravagant dollop of sweet coconut crema. Even as the temperature drops, don’t overlook the Coffita Frio, a frozen Cuban coffee topped with the same delightful coconut whip. If fall has you feeling gray, grab a fruit cup from LottaFrutta, step onto the Beltline and let the parade of dogs and sunlight do the rest.
