Axios Charlotte

April 02, 2026
Hello, Thursday! Hope everyone survived April Fool's Day unscathed.
🌤️ Today's weather: Mostly sunny, with a high of 83 and a low of 61.
🎂 Happy birthday to our members Heather Davis, Meg Thomason, Donna Davis, and Laurence Hayes!
This newsletter is 906 words, a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 🍳 Best brunch spots
Spring has sprung, the weather is finally cooperating and outdoor patios are packed to the brim. That can only mean one thing: It's time to brunch.
We just updated our list of the 30 best brunch spots in Charlotte, including:
- 300 East: The family-owned and operated restaurant has been a Dilworth staple for 40 years. While you may know the business for its French onion soup, its brunch is also a popular draw.
- Cafe Monte: This SouthPark French cafe is a fan favorite amongst Axios Charlotte readers, with everything from croque madame to pastries and espresso drinks.
- The Crunkleton: The popular Elizabeth restaurant and cocktail bar, known for its beverage program, has a nine-drink brunch cocktail list with classics like the espresso martini ($16) and Bloody Mary ($14). Groups of four should share the $180 tomahawk steak and eggs.
- The Degenerate: The Villa Heights gastropub has an international menu. We recommend the blintzes ($11) — whipped cream cheese stuffed crepes, fruit and honey.
- Drift: This waterfront restaurant on Lake Wylie brings a lighter, seafood-forward approach to brunch, with dishes like shrimp and grits and fresh takes on brunch classics.
New jobs to check out
💼 See who's hiring around the city.
- Fire Captain at Town of Matthews.
- Lower School Lead Teacher at Charlotte Preparatory School.
- Therapist at In Session Psychotherapy, PLLC.
Want more opportunities? Check out our Job Board.
Hiring? Post a job.
2. 💳 New airport lounge
American Express is bringing its latest lounge to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in 2027.
Why it matters: Charlotte is landing the second-ever Sidecar by The Centurion lounge, which American Express debuted in Las Vegas earlier this year.
What to expect: The new 4,600-square-foot lounge will be open to travelers within 90 minutes of departure, following a trend of lounges designed to get passengers in and out quickly.
- "It reflects strong demand for premium spaces and our commitment to an elevated passenger experience," CLT chief business and innovation officer Ted Kaplan said in a statement.
- The lounge will be in Concourse A.
The vibe: The lounge will look and feel like a restaurant, and travelers can order small plates, cocktails and wine to their seats through a QR code.
3. 🎾 Speed reads: Another tennis tournament?
Charlotte is a contender to host the WTA Finals at Spectrum Center. (CBJ)
ICE arrested a man suspected of being in the country illegally after he dropped off his pregnant wife and children at a Mecklenburg County health office, says advocacy group Siembra NC. (Observer)
The Artemis II Moon mission that launched yesterday has local ties. NASA astronaut Christina Koch, an N.C. State grad who grew up in North Carolina, will become the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit. (Axios)
Greg Olsen's fifth annual "UnGala" at Steak 48 raised $354,000 this year for The HEARTest Yard, a nonprofit that supports families of children with congenital heart disease.
4. ☕️ Inspo for your next coffee walk
White Veil Coffee, a Ukrainian-owned mobile espresso bar, opened this week inside Pure Pizza on The Plaza, taking over the former CHNO Coffee space.
What's happening: White Veil will operate inside the space Wednesday through Saturday, while CHNO Coffee, another locally owned mobile coffee brand, moves to LoSo.
- It'll open soon inside the Elan LoSo apartments on Gilead Street and continue popping up around NoDa and Plaza Midwood, its owners told Axios.
What to expect: White Veil will serve espresso drinks, chai, matcha and lemonade, plus seasonal lattes like blueberry truffle and honey lavender.
If you go: Find White Veil inside Pure Pizza (2838 The Plaza), open Wednesday to Saturday from 7–11am.
Sip your way through Charlotte's mobile coffee carts and tiny cafes
5. Things to do Easter weekend
It's not spring in the city without the return of Charlotte Shout! and outdoor markets like Front Porch.
🏀 Tomorrow: Cheer on the Charlotte Hornets as they take on the Indiana Pacers at Spectrum Center. | $32+ | 7pm | Details
🏉 Saturday: Check out Anthem Rugby Carolina as they host their first home match of the season, against the Chicago Hounds at American Legion Memorial Stadium. | $15+ | 4pm | Details
🥚 Sunday: Take the kiddos to an Easter egg hunt at The Ballantyne and stick around for brunch. | Free | 10am | Details
6. 🥧 1 sweet thing to go: Fralinger Baking Co.
Fralinger Baking Company is a mobile bakery drawing crowds across Charlotte.
Catch up quick: The business launched in November, when owner Albert Fralinger left a decade-long career in chemical engineering to start selling baked goods out of a truck.
What to expect: Lines — and sellouts. The truck regularly pops up at places like Dilworth Artisan Station, Franks Beer Shop and The Chamber in NoDa.
- The menu sticks to familiar baked goods: giant cinnamon rolls, sweet buns, muffins and slices of coffee cake alongside coffee.
We ordered: The coffee cake, a blueberry muffin and a cinnamon roll at a recent pop-up outside Dilworth Artisan Station. The truck was nearly wiped out within a couple of hours.
What's next: Their pop-up schedule is posted weekly on Instagram.
📧 Who is loving (or hating!) drone delivery? Tell me: [email protected]
🎭 Ashley laughed, cried and clapped until her hands hurt during "Mamma Mia."
🎲 Laura's dying to try the new "Miami Dice" cocktail at Humbug — it comes with a mini game of Yahtzee.
🥹 Alexis is excited to start her honeymoon, but a little sad her dog can't tag along.
📺 McKenzie breezed through Netflix's "Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen" in record time.
🌕 Katie, who edited this newsletter, loved watching the Artemis II launch yesterday with her daughters.
Sign up for Axios Charlotte

Get smarter, faster on what matters in Charlotte with Laura Barrero, Ashley Mahoney, and Alexandria Sands.










