By Weller Maret, Sean Doyle, and Kee Griffith
When Antoni Sustaita first opened Bandido’s Mexican Cafe in May 1994, other Chapel Hill business owners did not think he would last long. “They gave me nine months,” he said. Now, almost 30 years later Bandido’s, located at 158 ½ East Franklin St., is still up and running. With the assistance of his son Tony, who manages the restaurant, Antoni has ensured the ongoing success of Bandido’s. Sustaita explained the secret to his success during our interview.
Bandido’s and Sustaita did not start in Chapel Hill. His first restaurant was outside of Atlanta, but after a trip to North Carolina one week when the restaurant was closed, he knew he had to relocate. “Chapel Hill was just unbelievable,” he said. At the time of Bandido’s opening in Chapel Hill, it was one of only a few Mexican restaurants in town. Its uniqueness and an appropriately timed press release helped it get the attention it needed, and Bandido’s hit the ground running.
Bandidos has thrived over the years, expanding its services to include event hosting, a catering business, and three dining hall locations on UNC’s campus, in addition to its daily restaurant operations. Over the past 30 years, Bandidos has been a staple for many Chapel Hill locals and UNC students, significantly influencing the community of Chapel Hill as a whole.
Sustaita is well aware of UNC and its importance to his restaurant. He said: “I appreciate the student business. Without them, we wouldn’t be in business.” During the pandemic, it was students’ donations to Bandido’s GoFundMe that helped the restaurant stay open. It was estimated that UNC students donated around $10,000 in total, through small donations of $5, $10, or $20. Sustaita said, “People don’t do that unless they connect with the business, and they connected.”
During its 30 years being open, Bandido’s has become a fixture in both UNC and Chapel Hill culture. The El Gigante burrito challenge has become a right of passage for many fraternities and sororities. They have a Valentine’s Day tradition of sending dates a heart-shaped sopapilla. When the Red Cross holds their blood drive Bandido’s will donate chips and salsa since they found that students prefer them over cookies. One other thing that separates Bandido’s from the rest is their willingness and ability to seat big parties. Seating 10 or 20 people is not just doable but happens quite often at Bandido’s. Sustaita said, “We’re grateful the big parties chose us.”
When asked about the future of Bandido’s, Sustaita said that he did not plan on changing much. He wants to keep it all the same. “This way people recognize it when they come back,” he said. His son is planning to expand the restaurant’s social media presence, and Sustaita said he is interested in bringing more vegetarian and vegan options to the menu. “The student palate has become much more sophisticated,” he said.
Bandido’s Mexican Cafe has surpassed expectations for nearly 30 years on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. Evolving from a small establishment to a thriving hotspot, Bandido’s has deeply embedded itself in UNC and Chapel Hill culture and has become loved by so many.