A sinewy dragon above the door beckons you to enter Panta Memphis. Immediately, you sense that this place is ALIVE -- it is green and lush and warm and vibrant. It's a vibe, I guess you'd say. You'll recognize the bar mural, a hold-over from the most-recent Restaurant Iris refresh. So, what does it mean exactly; Panta? Brilliantly weaving the texture of the past into this new concept, Chef/Owner Kelly English christened the new spot "Panta," meaning swamp in Spanish. Aside from the bar, however, little else is recognizable, including of course the menu and the hours of operation.
The decision to move Restaurant Iris east to a larger space in Laurelwood left an empty spot, a blank canvas in the heart of Midtown. Having spent time in Barcelona studying the language and Catalan cuisine, English was thrilled to host a wildly-successful three month long Catalan-themed "pop-up" last year proving that the Spanish style has staying power and providing the catalyst for this now permanent concept. "We have always trusted Kelly's creativity and I think that is what makes our partnership work so well," says business partner Sylvia Richey.
For a design partner on this project, English knew just the man for the job. David Quarles, IV is a native Memphian with a passion for creativity, wellness, vibe checks and naps. His signature color is a golden yellow that you'll usually see him wearing and always find in his thoughtful designs. English's dream for the restaurant is for it to be a joyful destination for Memphians going to and from cultural events and a welcome spot to land for late-night bites, Sunday brunch and everything in between. With Quarles' midas touch (and his mama's green thumb), Panta RADIATES joy!
Typically a design project like this would require several months to plan and execute. Quarles was given 3 weeks! When he ran into sourcing issues (and he did), budgetary and code-specific restraints for historic Midtown homes (ICYMI, there are many!), he improvised. The team devised a way to hang pendant lights on a track to avoid new holes and Quarles created his own "wallpaper" to envelop the famous banquette nook. He enlisted his Mom with her green thumb to create a living wall to sprinkle lush details throughout and called upon local artist Frances Berry to adorn the ceiling of the Dragon Room. The results are without a doubt, pure magic.
Panta is open Thursday – Saturday 6pm – 12am and on Sundays for Siesta service from 2-6 pm.