Now Open: Community Matters Cafe serving breakfast, lunch and coffee near Bank of America Stadium

The 5,500-square- foot, 212-seat restaurant and coffee shop is an extension program from Charlotte Rescue Mission, a local nonprofit that provides free recovery services to men and women struggling with addiction. It’s a cool idea, and reminds me of King’s Kitchen in Uptown.

Hours are from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday (closed on Sunday).

How it works: Charlotte Rescue Mission explains, “After completing our recovery program, graduates can apply for Community Matters Café’s four-month Life Skills Training Program. They are not technically employed, but they’re given the opportunity to develop work/life skills in a café and restaurant setting that they may have completely lost due to their addiction. When you visit the cafe, you are not only reinforcing the life skills our students are learning, but you are showing them that they have a community that believes in their future.”

Breakfast: sweet potato pancakes ($8), baked berry oatmeal ($9), cheese grits and collards bowl ($12), biscuits and gravy ($9), breakfast sandwiches ($9), veggie omelet ($11), farmhouse sausage and turkey omelet ($11) and classic breakfast with two eggs, two sides and toast ($12). House roasted coffee is available all day ($2).

Agenda related guide: 37 best breakfast spots in Charlotte and what to order from each

Lunch: pulled pork sandwich ($11), turkey burger ($13), BLT ($10), classic turkey sandwich ($12), chicken salad sandwich or melt ($11), fried chicken sandwich ($12), mesclun salad ($12) and chef salad ($11).

Location: It’s near the Panthers practice field. The exact address is 821 W. 1st Street.