Farm-to-table restaurant from chef Sam Diminich now open in west Charlotte

And it’ll tell Chef Sam Diminich’s story, starting with the name.

The big picture: Diminich, who also owns meal delivery service Your Farms Your Table, struggled with addiction for years. When he was in the process of getting sober, he promised himself that if he ever got a restaurant, he’d name the first one after his daughter Constance, now a sophomore in college.

• “When I was gone, I was gone for years,” Diminich said. “When it was time for me to come back, both of (my kids) just accepted me.”
• Restaurant Constance, Diminich says, is a way to honor everything his daughter’s taught him about empathy and unconditional love.

The menu: Diminich, who beat Bobby Flay in 2020, plans to keep the menu focused with seasonally inspired salads, entrees and a few sides and desserts. Highlights include:

• Jalapeño cornbread waffles with South Carolina cornmeal, roasted jalapeños, white cheddar and pepper jelly ($14.50).
• Striped sea bass with green tomato dashi, roasted kuri squash, choi and eel sauce ($31).
• Marinated scallops with koji grits, celery root and preserved tomato dashi ($37.50).
• Short ribs with sweet potato fondue, smoked onions and red wine jus ($35.50).

Drinks: They’ll also have beer and wine, plus an extensive non-alcoholic beverage program. Just like wine pairings, you’ll have the option of pairing thoughtful non-alcoholic drinks with your meal.

The space: Restaurant Constance seats 36 people, and there’s a chef’s table that looks into the kitchen. Expect a coastal feel with custom booths and wainscoting, and lots of warm wood tones.

• One wall has collection of framed records and skateboard sconces, and another has a projector showing videos of the farmers and vendors Diminich gets his ingredients from.
• Diminich wants everyone to feel comfortable and connected.

The address is 2200 Thrift Rd., Ste. B. (next to The City Kitch).

Restaurant Constance’s operating hours will be 5-10pm Tuesday-Saturday (closed Sunday-Monday). Reservations are available at restaurantconstanceclt.com.

Editor’s note: We first published this story in August 2022. We updated it in January 2023.