The husband-and-wife team behind Shahar Café and Chica's Cantina is pouring its energy into a third Louisville concept: a tequila-focused bar planned for the NuLu neighborhood later in 2026. Vikrant Multani and Christian Nava, who have built a growing footprint of plant-based and Mexican-inspired dining in the city, are behind the new venture.
According to The Business Journals, Multani and Nava are opening La Barra, a tequila-focused bar, in NuLu later this year.
Multani and Nava are already known to Louisville diners as the team running Shahar Café, a plant-based restaurant, and Chica's Cantina, a Mexican-inspired spot in the Butcher Block development. The pair are described as the husband-and-wife team behind both establishments, according to LEO Weekly.
A Fast-Growing Restaurant Portfolio
Chica's Cantina, located at 1015 E. Main St. in the Butcher Block neighborhood, officially opened on Friday, Feb. 6, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Deputy Chief of Staff Suzanne Manuel Wright. The cozy main dining area holds 15 seats, with additional space available on the second floor, and the outlet reported plans at the time to add a sizable patio that spring, though it's unclear whether that patio was ultimately completed.
Shahar Café, meanwhile, made its own big move. The owners relocated the growing business from the Highlands to Shelby Park and celebrated the grand reopening at its new location at 1127 Logan St., per WLKY. The new Shahar space includes a bar serving beer, wine and specialty cocktails, alongside a menu that ranges from all-American comfort food like burgers and fries to the restaurant's beloved vegan and vegetarian options.
Adding An Agave-Forward Concept
Taken together, the owners' existing businesses include a plant-based café with a bar program and a Mexican-inspired taquería with agave-forward cocktails. A tequila-focused bar would extend that pattern, adding a third concept to Multani and Nava's portfolio.
For now, much about the NuLu project remains unsettled, including its opening date, staffing, design and licensing status. Readers curious about the legal side of a new bar's path to opening can check the Kentucky State Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control's list of active licenses through Louisville Metro Open Data, which is updated weekly, or search permits and specialty licenses directly through the Louisville Metro Government business portal.
With two concepts operating in Shelby Park and Butcher Block, Multani and Nava appear to be betting that NuLu's dining and nightlife crowd has room for one more pour.
