Charlotte’s premiere tasting menu restaurant Bardo closes to “explore options”

The big picture: The upscale and inventive tasting menu restaurant was ahead of its time when it opened in Wilmore in 2018. After refreshing the space and menu in 2020, the team is once again re-evaluating Bardo’s future, co-owner Jayson Whiteside tells me.

“We aren’t sure if that space makes sense for a tasting menu anymore,” he says. “We are either planning to reopen with a new concept or move Bardo to a new location.”

• Chef and co-owner Mike Noll shared a similar sentiment with CharlotteFive: “Bardo is not closing. I closed for a little to get some things done there that I can’t do while being open.”

What’s happening: Bardo’s last service was March 24. The 1,734-square-foot space is available for lease, according to a flyer on The Nichols Company site.

What’s next: Whiteside says the main focus right now is VANA, the group’s more-approachable sister restaurant. Its existing location in South End is booming, and a new location is opening soon in Lake Norman.

• For Bardo, Whiteside tells me they’re “exploring options” and there’s “nothing concrete yet.” If they reopen in the existing space, expect Bardo to re-open in about a month, he says.

While we wait for whatever’s next, check out more of Charlotte’s best restaurants and best new restaurants.