Puma Yu’s is a wine and cocktail forward bar serving up small plate Thai food. The kitchen program is lead by Pete Amadhanirundr and the bar program lead by Ally Smith.
When we started doing pop ups under the name “The Side Hustle” with our dear friends in 2017, we didn’t know that they were going to pave the way for Puma Yu’s – we popped up in bar closets, horse barns, stationary boats, chicken houses … with one singular goal: to share the food & cocktails that were inspiring us in that moment in time.
All the while, we were working at some of the most special spots in our small town, Athens, GA, where we had opportunities to grow in our craft. We kept pushing ourselves and were extremely supported by our employers to execute new & different concepts.
After doing pop ups for so many years, we began to look at the road ahead and where food will take us next. We traveled all over and worked in different restaurants across the country to find our next step. We were at a fork in the road with two ways to go: either leave town & start something new, or stay in Athens and build on the foundation we had been creating for the last 6 years.
The community persuaded us to see this through. The outpouring of support for our creative process has always been astounding. We decided the only way we could open our own brick & mortar was to do it here in Athens, as the town has given us so much love for so long.
Puma Yu’s is a culmination of all of our experiences and all of the things we adore – a shot and a beer after a long shift, family-style meals shared with the homies, a bottle of wine with a story that takes you to a different place with the first sip. **The best martini you’ve had in your life**
Puma Yu’s is ever-evolving, as we know that we will always be inspired by something new but always maintaining our roots with Thai and southern culture. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
