Feb 20, 2018 - Food and Drink

A comprehensive guide to 45 restaurant openings coming to Charlotte in 2018

Katie Levans

2018 is off to a busy start in the world of Charlotte bar and restaurant openings — and it’s only February. Here’s what we’ve got our eye on so far this year.

See something I missed? Involved with one of these projects and want to update your projected opening? [email protected].

131 Main SouthPark

Address: 5970 Fairview Road
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: 131 Main is opening a fourth location in SouthPark

Construction is moving right along on the new 131 Main in SouthPark, which will be the brand’s fourth location with others in Cornelius, Blakeney and Asheville.

The old Dilworth location – now home to The People’s Market – closed in 2016 after suffering a bizarre string of three fires in six years.

Aix Rotisserie

Address: Tompkins Hall, 340 E. 16th Street
Projected opening: Late 2018
Read more: New food hall will be ideal love child of 7th Street Public Market and Music Factory

The team behind Aix en Provence, a fancy French date night spot in Myers Park and our #7 restaurant in the city, will open a completely different casual French rotisserie inside Tompkins Hall.

They’ll have a 500-square-foot stall and will be one of 19 vendors inside the food hall.

Tompkins Hall under construction via Instagram

Bang Bang Bites

Address: 235 W. Tremont Avenue, Suite 101
Projected opening: February 26
Read more: Details emerge on Bang Bang Bites, targeting a February 26 grand opening in South End. Here’s the menu

Bang Bang Burgers, home of Charlotte’s #1 best burger, is spinning off a slider-focused sister concept in South End. Bang Bang Bites will serve inventive gourmet burger “bites” — like fried mac & cheese, braised pork belly with kimchi and caprese with tomato, mozzarella and pesto — available in manageable slider sizes so you can sample several in one sitting.

It’ll be located next to Zeppelin and the forthcoming new Common Market South End. The original opened in Elizabeth in 2013.

Barcelona Wine Bar

Address: Design Center of the Carolinas; corner of Camden Road and W. Tremont Avenue
Projected opening: TBD
Read more: View gorgeous renderings of upcoming Design Center transformation

The Spanish-inspired tapas bar has more than a dozen locations in places like Boston, Nashville, Washington D.C. and Atlanta.

Barcelona Charlotte will be located in South End’s Design Center along with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, an artisan ice cream shop from Ohio, and Superica, an upscale Tex-Mex restaurant from Atlanta.

Photo of Nashville’s Edgehill location by Thomas McGovern via Instagram

Bardo

Address: 1508 S. Mint Street, Unit B
Projected opening: March/April
Read more: Bardo, a new small plates restaurant, is coming to South End’s Gold District

The restaurant will feature an open kitchen concept and a seasonal “progressive American” menu served small plate-style.

Things have been relatively quiet since the project was announced last summer but the build out got moving in January and is targeting a March opening.

Bulla Gastrobar

Address: 4310 Sharon Road
Projected opening: Winter 2018

Bulla (pronounced BOO-YA), another Spanish-inspired tapas restaurant with locations in Atlanta, Plano and throughout Florida, is coming soon to SouthPark.

It’ll take over the space formerly occupied by Chuy’s at The Village at SouthPark.

CAVA

Address: University – 8936 J M Keynes Drive | Park – 4267 Park Road
Projected opening: University – February 22 | Park – Summer
Read more: Fuel Pizza’s two-story Park Road Shopping Center location closes, looks like CAVA will replace it

The Washington-based fast-casual Mediterranean chain has three Charlotte-area locations in the works in Park Road Shopping Center, University City and Huntersville.

It looks a whole lot like local favorite YAFO with build-your-own grain bowls, salads and pitas centered on eastern Mediterranean staples like hummus, harissa and falafel.

Cinnaholic

Address: 6461 Old Monroe Road, Suite F, Indian Trail, NC 28079
Projected opening: March 2
Read more: Coming Soon: Cinnaholic gourmet vegan cinnamon rolls

The Berkeley-based vegan cinnamon roll shop claimed fame on Shark Tank where they landed a $200,000 investment from Robert Herjavec and launched a nationwide expansion.

The concept features more than a dozen frostings and toppings so you can mix and match your own vegan cinnamon roll creation.

littleSpoon / Comida 2.0

Address: 2820 Selwyn Avenue
Projected opening: March 2018

The separate sister concepts are merging into one shared space inside littleSpoon’s renovated Myers Park location.

With littleSpoon open daytime hours for brunch and lunch and Comida a dinner-only upscale Mexican operation, they’ll be able to run two drastically different restaurants under one roof. We’re talking chicken biscuits for breakfast and tacos for dinner. It’ll be a really interesting offering and I’m excited to see the roll out.

The Crunkleton

Address: 1957 E. 7th Street
Projected opening: Summer
Read more: Details emerge on The Crunkleton, including 50-pound ice blocks and a true Old Fashioned

The insanely popular Chapel Hill cocktail bar is opening an expanded operation with a full kitchen in Elizabeth. It’s the kind of artisan craft cocktail place where they chisel ice cubes from a giant 50-pound block of ice. People lose their minds over it.

It’ll anchor the corner of 7th Street and Pecan Avenue with Paul Verica’s new restaurant The Stanley.

Divine Barrel Brewing

Address: 3701 N. Davidson Street
Projected opening: March 10
Read more: What should you expect from Divine Barrel Brewing coming to NoDa?

NoDa’s newest brewery will have a little something for everyone with focus on wild and sour beers as well as wood fermented and wood-aged beers.

Eddie V’s

Address: Bank of America Plaza, 101 S. Tryon
Projected opening: May 3
Read more: High-end seafood restaurant Eddie V’s is coming to Trade and Tryon

The upscale seafood restaurant with locations in 9 states will add a spot at Bank of America Plaza, right next to the landmark “Il Disco” statue at Trade and Tryon.

Famous Toastery Uptown

Address: 330 S. Tryon Street
Projected opening: TBD
Read more: Famous Toastery has inked a deal to expand to Uptown

The Charlotte-based breakfast chain was named a top franchise to watch in 2016 and currently has 26 locations with at least five more on the way.

The new Uptown location will be in Third Ward next to the Charlotte Chamber offices and around the corner from Romare Bearden Park.

Fonta Flora Brewery

Address: Tompkins Hall, 340 E. 16th Street
Projected opening: Late 2018
Read more: New food hall will be ideal love child of 7th Street Public Market and Music Factory

The Morganton-based brewery was one of the first tenants to sign on at Tompkins Hall, a new food light rail-adjacent food hall opening later this year. Fonta Flora will have a 2,400-square-foot taproom and a huge 5,000-square-foot patio.

Graham Street Pub

Address: 400 S. Graham Street
Projected opening: March
Read more: A look at construction progress and the menu at Graham St. Pub, Uptown’s newest rooftop bar

The neighborhood pub with a second-story rooftop bar is located smack in between BB&T Ballpark and Bank of America Stadium.

The project has been delayed on and off the last two years but it looks like they may finally get the doors open.

Gusto Farm to Street

Address: SouthPark Mall
Projected opening: April 1, according to Simon

Maryland-based fast-casual chain with build-your-own pizza and salad options.

Haymaker

Address: 225 S. Poplar Street
Projected opening: Mid-March
Read more: Inside Haymaker, Chef William Dissen’s farm-focused restaurant opening mid-March in Uptown

Chef William Dissen, known for The Market Place in Asheville, is opening an Appalachian-inspired, farm-to-table restaurant on the ground floor of the Ascent, a new luxury high-rise in Third Ward.

Holler & Dash

Address: 2725 South Boulevard
Projected opening: March 13
Read more: Holler & Dash, described as “Cracker Barrel for Millennials,” opens March 13 in South End

Cracker Barrel’s trendy new millennial-focused biscuit concept will be opening a location near the new Harris Teeter on South Boulevard. According to the geotagged Instagram response at the other 6 locations, the millennials are in fact into it and taking lots of photos.

chicken-biscuit-holler-and-dash — Chicken. Set. Go. ($9) – Fried chicken, pimento cheese, jalapeno, sorghum.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Address: Design Center of the Carolinas; corner of Camden Road and W. Tremont Avenue
Projected opening: Summer
Read more: Huge ice cream news: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams opening its first Charlotte scoop shop in South End this summer

The Ohio-based gourmet ice cream chain with a diehard fanbase will open its first North Carolina shop at the Design Center in South End. People are going crazy.

jeni's-ice-cream-pint-at-reids-fine-foods

Legion Brewing SouthPark

Address: Capitol Towers
Projected opening: Fall
Read more: SouthPark to get its first brewery as Legion Brewing expands

The Plaza Midwood Brewery will expand to SouthPark with an 8,500-square-foot taproom and event venue on the ground floor of the Capitol Towers development.

It’ll feature an expanded kitchen operation and upscale food menu along with three event rooms for private rental.

Let’s Meat

Address: 1400 S. Church Street
Projected opening: March

Seoul Food Meat Company’s new sister concept will feature authentic Korean BBQ you cook right at your table.

I know what you’re thinking — “I thought Seoul Food was authentic Korean BBQ.” Au contraire. They’ll be the first to tell you it’s Southern BBQ with a heavy Korean influence. Let’s Meat will be the real deal.

It’s located directly next door to Seoul Food so they officially run that block.

Maple Street Biscuit Company

Address: 721 Governor Morrison Street
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: Maple Street Biscuits, home of the “Squawking Goat Biscuit,” opening in SouthPark this spring near YAFO

The breakfast and lunch biscuit chain has about 25 locations and will be opening its Charlotte restaurant in SouthPark this spring.

Max & Lola Bodega

Squawking-Goat-maple-street-biscuits-charlotte

Address: 1501 S. Mint Street
Projected opening: Summer
Read more: South End’s Gold District is getting a bodega

The urban grocery will be located in an old garage on the edge of South End’s Wilmore neighborhood and Gold District area.

Noble Smoke

Address: 2216 Freedom Drive
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: Noble Smoke could give Charlotte a true barbecue flagship

Jim Noble, the restaurateur behind Rooster’s Wood-Fired Kitchen and King’s Kitchen, will open a casual westside BBQ restaurant in an old bus storage facility.

NoDa Brewing’s airport taproom

LunahZon Photography courtesy of Plaid Penguin

Address: Concourse A, Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Projected opening: Summer

Here’s a good reason to book a flight later this year. NoDa Brewing will open a community tap room at Charlotte Douglas International Airport this summer.

The full-service restaurant and bar will be located in the Concourse A expansion and will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner service along with 12 taps and single cans and 4-packs to go.

Nuvole Rooftop TwentyTwo

Address: 220 E. Trade Street, Suite 2200
Projected opening: Spring/Summer
Read more: Uptown’s next rooftop bar includes a luxury 2-bedroom penthouse suite available for VIP and event rental

You’ll have a new EpiCentre destination come this summer — and this one skews less clubby and more upscale cocktail lounge.

Nuvole, a rooftop bar on the 22nd floor of the dual-branded AC Hotel / Residence Inn project, is a 4,400-square-foot space with a large U-shaped bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, firepits and a 2,200-square-foot outdoor patio.

Pasta & Provisions South End

Address: 1600 S. Mint Street
Projected opening: Spring

The Charlotte classic has been serving up handmade pasta and pizza for 25+ years. Its third location will open this spring in the iconic Red Sea Grocery building in South End’s Wilmore neighborhood.

Publix Cotswold

Address: 4425 Randolph Road
Projected opening: Spring/Summer
Read more: How Charlotte became ground zero in the Southern grocery war

Yep, the excitement about the deli subs lands it on the restaurant opening list. People love Publix subs. Fight me.

The 49,000-square-foot store will be located directly across the street from the existing Harris Teeter Cotswold that will also undergo a substantial renovation to keep up with Charlotte’s ongoing grocery wars.

Queen City Grounds

Address: 644 N. Church Street
Projected opening: March
Read more: A new coffee shop with in-house roaster is coming to Skyhouse in Uptown

Uptown’s first coffee shop with on on-site roasting facility will open soon on the ground floor of Skyhouse’s north tower in Fourth Ward.

Paul Waggoner, a full-time musician and founding member of Between the Buried and Me will lead the coffee program. Jeff McElwee, the creator of FuD at Salud, will run the kitchen. McElwee closed his food counter at Salud Beer Shop last month and rebranded as FuD on the MuV ahead of the transition.

The Queen & Glass

Address: 1315 East Boulevard
Projected opening: Summer/Fall
Read more: An urban market is coming to the former 131 Main space in Dilworth

The upscale craft cocktail lounge is an adjacent sister concept to The People’s Market, an urban deli, cafe and bottle shop that opened late last year. It will occupy the former Cu Copper bar space next door.

Reid’s Fine Foods Uptown

Address: 121 W. Trade Street
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: Reid’s Fine Foods coming to Uptown

Reid’s is coming back home to Uptown with its third Charlotte location. The longstanding gourmet grocery once occupied the space now home to 7th Street Public Market.

It’ll be back in the neighborhood this spring in the old Sandwich Club space inside 121 W. Trade, a 32-story office tower.

Shake Shack

Address: Park Road Shopping Center
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: Prediction: Charlotte will lose its mind over Shake Shack — CFO Tara Comonte won’t believe the sales volume

The most highly-anticipated restaurant opening of the year is a burger chain.

I would love to be kidding but I’m not. Charlotte is losing its mind over the forthcoming Shake Shack at Park Road Shopping Center. When we polled our readers, they overwhelmingly selected this spot as the opening they’re most looking forward to.

Southern Tier + Victory Brewing

Address: 4001 Yancey Road
Read more: Southern Tier + Victory Brewing innovation project has found a home in LoSo

The dual-branded “innovation brewery” will be located just down the street from Olde Mecklenburg Brewery and Sugar Creek Brewing.

The 28,000-square-foot space can accommodate 700 people (just you and a few friends) and features a patio with skyline views, indoor/outdoor event space and a beer garden.

The Stanley

Address: 1961 E. 7th Street

Paul Verica, a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast, will open a new restaurant this year in the heart of Elizabeth after closing Heritage in Waxhaw last year.

It’ll be located in the former Crisp space at the corner of E. 7th Street and Pecan Avenue.

Suki Akor

Address: 401 E. MLK Jr. Boulevard
Projected opening: February

The sushi bar and Japanese steakhouse at the Embassy Suites will feature Uptown’s only robata grill, a charcoal grill used to cooked skewered meats.

Sukoshi

Address: Bank of America Plaza, 101 S. Tryon Street
Projected opening: Spring
Read more: Fast-casual sushi concept from O-Ku coming to Uptown

The team behind O-Ku in South End will be opening a new fast-casual sushi concept in Uptown.

The menu will be “celebrating little bites for big appetites” with specialty rolls, sashimi, nigiri, dim sum dumplings and more.