Jan 21, 2026 - Food and Drink

Laurel Park opens in the longtime Village Tavern space

Laura Barrero

Interior of a cozy bar with patrons seated at tables and stools. Warm orange backlighting highlights shelves with bottles and decor behind the bar. Dark wood furniture and glassware adorn the tables. — Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Laurel Park quietly opened Dec. 26 in SouthPark, in the space formerly home to Village Tavern.

Why it matters: Village Tavern was a neighborhood fixture for 35 years before closing in Oct. 2024. Laurel Park is positioning itself as both a tribute and a reset — blending familiarity, polish and global influence in a well-known corner of SouthPark.

Dig in: The new American restaurant has a seasonal menu that changes regularly with the seasons, sourced from North Carolina farms.

Executive chef Kameron Letarde leads the kitchen, bringing in global influences while maintaining the familiarity of its predecessor.

Its lunch menu, set to debut this week, will feature four sandwiches and a burger, along with some of the dinner appetizers and entrees.

What's next: Laurel Park's sprawling 2,000-square-foot patio, with an open-air bar and fireside seating, will open in March.

Brunch is slated to start Feb. 7.

Stop by: Laurel Park is open daily at 4201 Congress St., in the Rotunda Building.

My thought bubble: This is a nice addition to the SouthPark restaurant line-up and I love that it's open on Mondays. The service was great, and the cocktails were a highlight.

It's the kind of place you can take a date or family for a special occasion. Expect to pay about $100 per person.

Here's everything we tried:

Brown ceramic bowl with fried cauliflower topped with pickled red onions, cucumber slices, black sesame seeds, and a creamy sauce, next to a glass of iced lemon drink on a restaurant table. — We started with the firecracker shrimp ($23) and almost ordered another round. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Two cocktails on a marble table in a cozy, softly lit restaurant; one pink drink in a coupe glass and one amber drink with a lemon twist in a short glass, with menus from Laurel Park. — The "Prickly Pear" cocktail ($16) made with gin, simply syrup, lemon and pear; and the "Fire Roasted" cocktail ($20) made with mexcal, lemon, simple syrup and walnut bitters. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Plate with grilled steak covered in peppercorn sauce beside creamy mashed potatoes, glass of amber drink and blurred person in background at restaurant table. — The steak frites ($36), made with marinated bavette, au poivre cream and truffle fries, which we substituted for mashed potatoes. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Close-up of a plated gourmet dish featuring a seared piece of meat topped with crispy fried onions and a red garnish, served on a creamy mushroom risotto with a rich brown sauce, in a warmly lit restaurant. — The braised short rib ($34), served with mushroom truffle risotto, sweet tomato compote, pearl onion, allium crunch. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Slice of creamy tiramisu dessert topped with cocoa powder and a strawberry half, served with blackberries and a strawberry slice on a white plate with brown rim. — Tiramisu is made fresh, in-house daily. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

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Laurel Park opens in the longtime Village Tavern space

Here's everything we tried:

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