Popular dishes from Dressler-owned restaurants available at Hornets games
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From left: Levy regional director Carter Witt, HSE executive vice president and chief venues officer Donna Julian and Rare Roots Hospitality owner Jon Dressler. Photo: Courtesy of the Charlotte Hornets
When Jon and Kim Dressler first opened Dressler's restaurant in Birkdale Village in 2003, they could not have imagined where two decades would take them — owning multiple restaurants, a bakery, and now a partnership with the Charlotte Hornets.
Why it matters: It's the first partnership of its kind for both Rare Roots Hospitality, the Dressler's restaurant group, and the Hornets.
The year-long deal will feature favorites from Rare Roots Hospitality restaurants and will be available at all Spectrum Center events.
- Rob's hot pastrami sandwich from Joan's Bakery & Deli is available in the grab-and-go markets outside sections 208 and 226.
- The prime rib sandwich from Dressler's will be at the Wicked Weed Cart near section 116.
- Poké bowls from Fin & Fino will be in the Hardwood Club.
- Jon's mom's cheesecake will be served in the suites. Everything except the cheesecake will be made at Spectrum Center.
Flashback: Dressler's mom Joan began making cheesecakes for her son's restaurants in 2003.
- Today, 86-year-old Joan no longer makes the cheesecakes for the restaurants, but they're made at the Midtown bakery that was named after her.
- "It was super cool to tell my 86-year-old mother that something she's been doing for 60 years of her life was put on full display," Jon said after seeing the cheesecakes served for the first time at the Hornets' home opener last weekend.
What's next: Rare Roots Hospitality and Levy, the Hornets' food and beverage partner, will collaborate on new items specifically for Spectrum Center and introduce them throughout the year. There will also be guest chef appearances at the arena.
Zoom out: The collaboration is part of the Hornets' Re!magine Spectrum Center campaign — which reopened in early October after being closed for months during the first round of renovations.
- For over a year, the Hornets have been working with Levy to identify a local partner to enhance the arena's food and beverage experience, HSE executive vice president and chief venues officer Donna Julian said.
- "Our ownership, from the beginning, has been very focused on that experience and making sure that there was this local flavor to what we were doing on all of our spaces here," Julian said.
The Hornets' next home game is Friday, Nov. 1, vs. the Boston Celtics at 7pm.
