Keep old favorites going: Here are 8 restaurants you can support right now in Charlotte
On Tuesday, Gus’ Sir Beef in east Charlotte became the latest of Charlotte’s longtime restaurants that have closed since the pandemic hit three years ago.
Over a dozen have closed during COVID, and Gus’ had been around for 54 years.
A handful of other veteran restaurants and those that operate out of historic homes are included in property sales listings. Some will remain open while others’ futures are uncertain.
Here are some of the changes Charlotte restaurants have seen recently:
Alexander Michael’s
Location: 401 W 9th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
The historic house in Fourth Ward that’s home to Alexander Michael’s Restaurant was listed for sale in February 2022. The 2 1/2-story blue and cream red-shuttered building at 401 W. 9th St. sold for nearly $1.6 million in March 2022, to 24th Street Partners. Alexander Michael’s owner Steve Casner was manager of the restaurant when it opened in 1983 under owners Alexander Copeland III and A. Michael Troiano Jr. Casner has been the sole owner since 2004. Casner told The Charlotte Observer that he has a long-term lease to stay. “My plan is to keep it going as long as possible.”
Bar-B-Q King
Location: 2900 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208
Bar-B-Q King, the 62-year-old drive-in restaurant in west Charlotte, is included in a $4.2 million property sale listing posted last month by Coldwell Banker. The carhop restaurant has a lease agreement for three years, with an option for a five-year renewal, The Charlotte Observer reported. Bar-B-Q King, which saw a surge in business during the pandemic shutdowns, was featured in 2007 on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” with Guy Fieri.
Brooks’ Sandwich House
Location: 2710 N. Brevard St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Brooks’ Sandwich House was founded in 1973 by the late Calvin “CT” Brooks Jr., and later run by his twin sons, David and Scott. In 2019, Scott Brooks was killed while opening the cash-only restaurant, but the family has carried on with Scott’s trademark saying, “Too blessed to be stressed.” On June 24, the restaurant will celebrate 50 years of business, serving burgers, hot dogs and fried bologna sandwiches.
Carolina Family Restaurant
Location: 4600 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208
The late Pete Gavrilis founded Carolina Family Restaurant in 1976, and the American comfort food spot is now run by his daughter, Maria Kotros. After decades on Wilkinson Boulevard, the restaurant’s best sellers remain beef tips, country fried steak, hamburgers and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.
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Dairy Queen
Location: 2732 Wilkinson Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28208
The half-acre commercial site that’s home to the 76-year-old Dairy Queen on Wilkinson Boulevard in west Charlotte was listed for sale in October 2022 for $1.4 million. It’s suitable for “various retail uses,” such as fast-food or auto repair, according to online listings. The ice cream shop — which remains open seven days a week — is the oldest Dairy Queen in North Carolina.
Green’s Lunch
Location: 309 W 4th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Charlotte’s oldest restaurant is losing its home. The building that’s home to the nearly century-old uptown hot dog spot Green’s Lunch was listed for sale in December for $3 million. The iconic eatery has been slinging dogs since 1926 at 309 W. 4th St. The property, which can be included with adjacent parcels, is listed for sale by Sands Investment Group. Green’s Lunch owner Joanna Sikiotis says the nearly 1,600-square-foot restaurant is serving breakfast and lunch. “We’re open,” she said.
McNinch House Restaurant
Location: 511 N Church St., Charlotte, NC 28202
McNinch House Restaurant, which opened 30 years ago on the first floor of the historic purple 1892 Queen Anne-style home in Fourth Ward, has a new owner. Charlotte native Ellen Davis died Jan. 13 at age 84, less than two months after her only daughter, Beth Davis died on Nov. 25 at age 66. The restaurant was left to Ellen Davis’ nephew Mitch Clark of Fort Mill, S.C. Clark told The Charlotte Observer that the restaurant’s staff are as devoted to it as Davis was. “It’s really gonna take all of us together to keep it going,” he said.
Poplar
Location: 224 W 10th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
The 123-year-old, two-story historic Morrison House in Fourth Ward that is home to Poplar restaurant was listed for sale in spring 2022. Neighbors Heath Knott and husband Adam Schooler, along with Brian and Brittani Phillips, formed 701 North Poplar Street LLC and purchased the two-story white house for $2.2 million in May. Poplar, known for its Peruvian-inspired tapas and patio with views of Charlotte’s skyline, opened there in 2016. “Everything is the same for the restaurant.”
