Brooks’, Members Only, Goodyear House: Charlotte restaurant news from the past month
Charlotte’s restaurant scene is constantly changing, and if it seems like it’s happening faster than ever, you’re not alone. It can be hard to keep up with all the new places to try or remember which places have closed. Here’s a look at some Charlotte’s dining news from last month.
RESTAURANT OPENINGS
Get Fit Foods opened Jan. 5. The newest spot offering healthy foods to go is in South End (1750 Camden Rd, Suite F), and co-owner David Yermanos told CharlotteFive that it’s where the team has always wanted to be. “Before we opened our first location In Ballantyne, we searched high and low for a location in the neighborhood but came up empty handed and were forced to start somewhere else,” he said.
Blue Fork Restaurant opened Jan. 17. Most of the menu items at the new Blue Fork restaurant are infused with beer, but that’s not a surprise, considering who opened it: Catawba Brewing. The restaurant is located inside of Catawba’s Charlotte tasting room at 933 Louise Ave. At the Morganton-based brewery’s Charlotte eatery, you can order dips, flatbreads, sandwiches, wings and salads.
Members Only opened Jan. 26. The next time you’re craving bubbly with a cotton candy garnish while on a wooden swing, we know just the spot. A private social lounge and tasting room called Members Only has opened up at 2413 Central Ave., in the space where wine bar Cork and Crate operated until closing in the fall. It serves craft cocktails, local craft beer and will eventually include a high-end food truck.
Fonta Flora opened Jan. 30 at Optimist Hall. This will be the Morganton-based brewery’s third location and its first location in Charlotte. Fonta Flora uses locally sourced ingredients from the Appalachian region to create English and Belgian-inspired beers. The tasting room’s offerings include 16 beers on tap, vintage bottles for on-site consumption, Topsy-Fonta Flora’s alcoholic seltzer, Red Clay cider, wine and packaged products to take home.
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit opened Jan. 31. The Charleston-based biscuit maker opened its fourth eatery and first Charlotte location inside the Penrose Apartments in South End. All the biscuits are made by hand. The little biscuits are 2 inches by 2 inches in size and available in eight flavors: black pepper bacon, blackberry, buttermilk, cinnamon, country ham, cheese & chive, sharp cheddar and shortcake. Mix and match three for $6.
Brooks’ Sandwich House reopened on Saturday, Feb. 1. The restaurant was closed after co-owner Scott Brooks was tragically killed in December as he attempted to open the restaurant for the day.
Cuzzo’s Cuisine opened Feb. 1. This second location is full service and features bar service as well. Indulge in the Cuzzo’s favorites, including the famous lobster mac and cheese and red velvet waffles.
The Goodyear House opens Feb. 4. We’ve been not-so-patiently watching the progression of NoDa’s The Goodyear House as we dream of spring evenings on the patio, dining on Chris Coleman’s approachable-yet-upscale suppers, feeling the energy of a modernized mill house that keeps its history on a pedestal. Extra, extra: The Goodyear House officially opens for dinner at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
RESTAURANT CLOSINGS
The Peculiar Rabbit, the Plaza Midwood restaurant known for its rooftop skyline views and Van Gogh-inspired mural with a rabbit drinking a beer, closed for business as a restaurant on Jan. 5. Owner Rob Nixon told CharlotteFive the space will remain available for special events and private parties. “We will continue on, just not as a full-time restaurant,” he said.
In the news
Bar Louie files for bankruptcy. The restaurant chain located in 26 states across the country has filed for bankruptcy and has closed dozens of its locations, according to media reports. In Charlotte, the University-area restaurant remains open for now.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Oh My Soul vegan cafe coming to NoDa. Tallulah Duffin co-owns Oh My Soul with her husband, Richard, who both hail from South Africa. They started serving up hearty vegan food – waffles, “vurgers” and way more – just over a year ago at Oh My Soul Café in Durban North, which overlooks the Indian Ocean. Now, Oh My Soul’s second location will be located in the former Red House Cafe mill house on North Davidson Street.
NoDa Brewing expanding to Charleston in February. NoDa Brewing Company is expanding distribution to Charleston, S.C., starting the week of Valentine’s Day. The Charlotte-based brewing company is tag-teaming with Southern Eagle Distributing of Southern Crown Partners as part of its expansion.
Boga Mexicana to open in February 2020. Boga Mexicana, a Mexican restaurant taking over the space where The Packhouse used to be, is anticipated to open in February 2020. Vishnu Varthanan, the new owner of the space who is a restaurant operator in Germany, said Boga Mexicana will be an upscale Mexican restaurant that serves quality products. The space will be designed with handmade decorations and furniture imported from Mexico. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner, and it will have a full bar with fresh-pressed juices for cocktails.
Saku to open in March. An Asian restaurant is coming to a new uptown Charlotte tower in March. The 1,330-square-foot restaurant, Saku, heading to 5th Street will be between Connolly’s On Fifth and Hearst Tower. The restaurant will be in the Binaco Tower at 123 E. 5th St., which broke ground in July. The five-story, 13,000-square-foot building is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Bargarita to open in NoDa soon: Since NoDa mainstay Solstice Tavern closed last November, Charlotteans have been walking past its boarded-up windows, anticipating the restaurant that would take its place along the popular strip of restaurants and bars along North Davidson Street. Now, the wait is almost over. Bargarita, the latest concept from the Mason Jar Group, will open in this location.
AC Hotel to open its rooftop bar in SouthPark before spring. You’ll want to visit the eighth-floor bar. It will feature skyline views, indoor and outdoor seating for up to 100 people and a menu of craft beverages — look for locally inspired gin and tonic cocktails and tapas-style small bites. AC Lounge, on the first floor, will offer a secondary space, serving small plates and drinks.
Little Mama’s will open around March in SouthPark. The owners of Mama Ricotta’s are busy getting ready for Little Mama’s Italian, which will open around March in the former Zebra location in SouthPark (next to Diamonds Direct). The restaurant is based on owner Frank Scibelli’s experiences growing up in Massachusetts visiting Italian restaurants in the 1970s.
Tempest Charleston opens spring 2020. The team behind 5Church Charlotte, Sophia’s Lounge and 5Church Charleston is opening Tempest in Spring 2020. It will be next door to 5Church in Charleston. The restaurant will be located in the former historic Harriott Pinckney Home for Sailors.
Lost Worlds Brewing to open within the next couple of months. Dave and Allison Hamme will open their Lake Norman-area brewery and tap room, Lost Worlds Brewing — a name that comes from Dave Hamme’s love of traveling and exploring the world. “We want to be a place where people can come together and talk about their adventures over beer,” Hamme told CharlotteFive.
Camp North End opening food stalls by springtime. Visitors can look forward to hand-cut noodles, farm-to-table fare and gourmet desserts. Bow Ramen, Bleu Barn Bistro and Wentworth & Fenn are expected to open in March 2020. The stalls will be outdoors — with heaters, shade and community tables.
Orto will open in the spring. James Beard-nominated chef Paul Verica hopes to create a casual NoDa neighborhood standby in his new Italian restaurant, Orto, that will offer the quality and creativity he’s become known for at The Stanley at a price point that can make regulars of Charlotte’s foodies. The spring opening of this new Italian joint adds to the argument that everyone loves Italian — and to the evidence that Charlotte restaurateurs are banking on it.
Anomaly to open in the spring. The 22-seat restaurant (location TBD, but probably Dilworth) will be run by chef Samuel Hart and sommelier Erin Skaryak (you recognize her from 5Church, Mere’s and Foxcroft).
Harriet’s Hamburgers to open this summer at Optimist Hall. Expect a simple, nostalgic menu. The space will feel reminiscent of drive-ins and diners of the 1950s and 60s.
Protagonist Beer expanding into LoSo this summer. The team will take over the Great Wagon Road Distillery/ Broken Spoke venue. Protagonist’s original plan was to expand next into Optimist Park, and the brewery still plans to do that eventually, said Mike Salzarulo, Co-Founder of Protagonist.
The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar to open this summer. The upscale cigar lounge will offer a diverse list of hand-selected whiskeys and cigars and offer private, concierge-style membership options. It also will serve a seasonal craft cocktail menu, wines, beers and a full espresso bar.
Havana Smoke & Reserve to open this summer. The cigar bar will occupy the fourth floor of Binaco Tower at 123 E. 5th St. in uptown.
The Degenerate opening this year. Tater tot poutine. Banh mi for breakfast. Later this year, this and more will be available at The Degenerate, a sports bar/gastropub set to open in Villa Heights. Located at 2116 N. Davidson St., it promises more internationally-inspired, yet homey fusions, as well as draft cocktails.
Tupelo Honey expanding into six more locations, including uptown. Tupelo Honey can be found in 14 locations across seven states. And soon, the company will bring six more — with one coming to uptown Charlotte. The new restaurant will be located at the corner of Trade and Tryon streets in the Bank of America Plaza.
Sycamore Brewing to move next door in 2-3 years. “The building is visually stunning, the beer garden is set to be unrivaled, and our product offering even more diverse and exciting. We can’t wait to share the new space with Charlotte,” owner Sarah Taylor Brigham told CharlotteFive. The new space will feature a beer garden twice the size of the current one. It will include a 6,000-square-foot second story outdoor terrace overlooking the light rail, with views of uptown.
Mattie’s Diner to open in a new location. The beloved diner that was once in the parking lot at the N.C. Music Factory (now AvidXChange Music Factory), known for its blueberry pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches, is coming back. This time it will serve customers in the former Tire Depot site on The Plaza.
ICYMI: SPOTLIGHT ON DECEMBER
Room and Board celebrated its soft opening in mid December. After a year of planning and construction, Charlotte-based brothers Jamie Sprowles and Justin Sprowles have opened Room and Board, a bar and grill style restaurant in NoDa.
Check out December’s other restaurant changes here.
CHARLOTTE CLASSIC EATS
As new restaurants open every day in Charlotte, it’s easy to forget about the old standbys, the places that have grown up alongside the Queen City. We think they’ll always be there for us, but so many favorites have closed along the way. This makes it even more important to support the ones we love. Our series highlights the classic Charlotte eats that you have frequented for years, reminding us why they have stood the test of time.
Check out: New South Kitchen. Maybe one reason food writer Kathleen Purvis has always liked New South Kitchen is that it’s Southern-inspired food that doesn’t try too hard to be Southern. The menu changes, but it always has things like baked pimento cheese that’s lumpy with chicken sausage, or a deviled egg plate that’s big enough to share — six fat halves, two with bacon, two with not-too-sweet pickle, two plain, for only 6 bucks.
