Scoop: Lorem Ipsum Bar founder opens new Charlotte coffee-and-cocktail café
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And/Or Cafe opens in the Belmont neighborhood. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios
A new all-day coffee-and-cocktail spot called And/Or Café has quietly soft opened at Innovation Barn, in the former Change Please space.
Why it matters: It's the latest concept from award-winning mixologist Justin Hazelton, the mind behind beloved Lorem Ipsum Bar.
Catch up quick: Lorem Ipsum started as a tiny pop-up listening bar inside Refuge in 2023 before becoming one of Charlotte's most acclaimed cocktail spots. In May of this year, it closed earlier than planned following a major HVAC failure.
- Hazelton had long envisioned an all-day cultural hub that could offer more than a traditional cocktail bar at a time when people aren't drinking as much but still want meaningful "third places" to gather.
- The idea behind this concept is that he believes businesses can't just be a bar or just be a café — they have to do several things at once to really work and offer something for everyone.
- "It's coffee and/or it's cocktails. It's day and/or it's night. It's culture. It's community," said Hazelton.
Zoom in: Sustainability is a major focus at And/Or Café, which is tapping into Innovation Barn's ecosystem for ingredients and waste reduction.
- They're using herbs from the onsite garden, honey from the beehives and surplus produce from neighboring nonprofit The Bulb, while composting food scraps and recycling glass.
What to expect: The coffee menu features espresso drinks and draft lattes made with housemade, low-waste syrups, including a Bananas Foster latte using rescued produce.
- The cocktail menu will feature about eight drinks priced $12–$15, plus four mocktails, beer and wine.
- Food options include pastries and milk-bread or sourdough toasts topped with chicken salad, tapenade or housemade jams and butters.
North Carolina-produced Muddy River rum and fruit donated by neighboring nonprofit, The Bulb, an organization focused on increasing public access to fresh food. Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios
The vibe: Music was a big part of Lorem Ipsum, and Hazelton is bringing that element back with Lorem Ipsum Radio, a DJ space inside a nearby shipping container that will eventually stream sets into the café and courtyard.
- The café seats about 60 inside, with room for several dozen more outside on the patio and around a fire pit.
Stop by: Find And/Or Café at 932 Seigle Ave. It's currently in its soft opening phase with hours Tuesday–Saturday 8am–2pm for coffee, with plans to expand to 7am–8pm when the cocktail menu launches.
- A grand opening date is coming soon. In the meantime, guests can help shape the menu during ticketed beta tastings which will be announced on their Instagram.