Charlotte added new restaurants, lost others in March

March was a bit of a mixed bag for Charlotte’s food scene, bringing with it many new restaurants alongside some closures.

Among the new is Hestia in Ballantyne, an Asian-inspired, chef-driven concept that sits on the Panorama Tower’s 16th floor with rooftop views. It opened in late March. Then there’s the second Charlotte location of Jinya Ramen Bar, which opens Monday in SouthPark. There’s also a new Flying Biscuit Cafe in downtown Matthews, and a Slim Chickens location that opened in late March in Fort Mill.

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And multiple more concepts are in the works. That includes in uptown Charlotte, where the remakes of Latta Arcade in Third Ward and the EpiCentre — now called Queen City Quarter — at 210 E. Trade St. will add new food-and-drink establishments to both properties.

Elsewhere in Charlotte, Sycamore Brewing is eyeing a May opening for its new South End taproom; former NFL star Mike Ditka’s restaurant group has confirmed plans for a new eatery in Elizabeth; and a second bricks-and-mortar restaurant for food-cart spinoff Halal Street Food is headed to Camp North End.

On the other hand, the Charlotte region saw several spots recently close, including a couple of Wild Wing Cafe restaurants and the long-standing South End location of Fuel Pizza.

In Plaza Midwood, a building left vacant by Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken & Seafood’s exit earlier this year has gained a new tenant with plans to open a different concept there.

For a closer look at the latest food-and-drink news across the Charlotte area, check out CBJ’s latest installment of Restaurant Bites here.

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