Yahoo Movies 50+ Charlotte-area restaurants that have opened — or plan to — in 2023
Editor’s note: Bookmark this story; we’ll update it through the year as more restaurants announce openings in the Charlotte area.
As the Charlotte area grows and changes, so does its restaurants. Something new is always on the way — especially when it comes to food-and-drink options.
In 2023, there’s no exception. We’re starting the year out looking forward to openings in at least 50 restaurants, with even more on the way.
Big plans are in the works for Camp North End, where four projects from Greg and Subrina Collier’s Bayhaven Restaurant Group are taking shape (The Abyss, B.A.D., Bird is the Word and Passage Seafood), along with new ice cream shop Seemingly Overzealous and Room Service, a new concept from the team behind Black Moth Bars.
Bar One and 800° Woodfired Kitchen has expanded its Phillips Place flagship in addition to making plans for two new locations — in Lake Norman and South End. New upscale restaurants such as Restaurant Constance, Chapter 6 and Leluia Hall will join the scene, as well.
We have a lot to look forward to, Charlotte. These are among the restaurants that have opened or have announced openings in 2023:
The Abyss
Location: Camp North End, 201 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
The Abyss, a modern speakeasy, will have 40 seats and a sultry motif. It will focus on craft cocktails and serve dishes from fellow BayHaven Restaurant Group concept Passage Seafood next door, as well as a modern diner menu, served late night.
B.A.D.
Location: Camp North End, 201 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
B.A.D., a counter-service doughnut shop, will be opened by former Leah & Louise pastry chef and Johnson & Wales University alum Jasmine Macon, who started by hosting doughnut popups. She will serve donuts, fritters and cinnamon rolls, with both staple flavors and rotating seasonal menu items.
Bar One Lounge and 800° Woodfired Kitchen
Location: 1459 River Hwy., Mooresville, NC 28117 (projected opening winter 2023)
Location: 2161 Hawkins St., Charlotte, NC 28203S (projected opening winter 2024)
Bar One and 800° Woodfired Kitchen are opening an expansion of its Phillip Place space in February, with plans to expand to two new locations — in Lake Norman and South End. Customers can expect the same look and feel of the flagship space in the new locations, along with familiar menu items.
Bartaco
Location: 16916 Birkdale Commons Pkwy., Huntersville, NC 28078
Bartaco is opening its third location in North Carolina at Birkdale Village this year, offering fresh tacos, rice bowls and specialty drinks. The restaurant will be located next to the Grove at the shopping center.
Bird is the Word
Location: Camp North End, 201 Camp Road, Charlotte, NC 28206
A new counter-service restaurant highlighting chicken dishes will be run by chef Greg Collier. It will feature the Leah & Louise chicken sandwich, a weekly smoked chicken family meal, chicken stew, chicken fat donuts and seasonal Southern sides. Bird is the Word will share a covered heated patio with B.A.D.
Brown Bag Seafood Co.
Location: Ally Center, 601 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Brown Bag Seafood, a Chicago-based seafood chain, opened three Charlotte-area stores in less than six months. The first North Carolina store debuted in August 2022 at Birkdale Village in Huntersville, followed by a second location that opened in December in South End at 100 W. Worthington Ave., on the ground floor of Lowe’s Tech Hub.
Capriotti’s
Location: 2040 Freeman Park Drive, Charlotte, NC 28273
Capriotti’s, the sandwich shop famous for its Thanksgiving-in-a-bite sub The Bobbie, is opening in Steele Creek on Saturday, Jan. 28. Owners David Froman, and Todd Guear also opened the Fort Mill location in 2021.
Chapter 6
Location: The Line in South End, 2151 Hawkins St, Suite 120., Charlotte, NC 28203
Chapter 6, slated to open in May at The Line in South End, plans to offer small plates with a global perspective. The concept — the 6th restaurant in Jon and Kim Dressler’s Rare Roots Hospitality group — will focus on the flavors of the world, Jon Dressler said.
Constance
Location: 2200 Thrift Road, Charlotte, NC 28208
Restaurant Constance, named after chef Sam Diminich’s daughter, will open Friday, Jan. 27 in the former Counter- location — adjacent to Diminich’s Your Farms Your Table space at The City Kitch. Expect seasonal dishes that support local farmers and have a personal touch from Diminich’s background when it opens in early 2023.
Co-Op Frosé and Eatery
Location: 340 W Tremont Ave., Unit 110, Charlotte, NC 28205
Charleston-based Co-Op Frosé and Eatery, which serves frosé and gourmet sandwiches, announced plans to come to town in July 2022. The location is now targeting an April opening.
Curry Gate 2
Location: 5516 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217
Indian and Nepalese restaurant Curry Gate is a favorite in Charlotte, and CharlotteFive’s Emiene Wright once famously told readers to order a spice level 8. (Her recommendation should come with a warning label!) The restaurant will expand, opening Curry Gate 2 on South Boulevard next to Romeo’s Burgers in February, Axios Charlotte reports.
New concept by Davidson Ice House
Location: 416 S Main St, Davidson, NC 28036
Davidson Ice House will close on New Year’s Eve to transform into a new concept. There’s no word on whether a new name for the restaurant will come along with the change by chef and owner Jennifer Brulé, who’s working on the project with Robert Maynard, CEO of Won Life Holdings and co-founder and CEO of Famous Toastery.
Elizabeth Parlour Room
Location: 1523 Elizabeth Ave Suite 120, Charlotte, NC 28204
Craft cocktails are the focus at Elizabeth Parlour Room, which was formerly Hooligans on Elizabeth, Axios Charlotte reported. The bar — still tied to Hooligans but with less of a focus on soccer — opened Jan. 20.
The Flying Biscuit Cafe
Location: 110 Matthews Station St #1a, Matthews, NC 28105
The Flying Biscuit Cafe is planning on opening in early 2023 in Matthews in the former Pizza Peel & Tap Room location there. The menu offes breakfast favorites such as waffles, pancakes, omelets and more, including vegetarian and vegan options. Lunch options are available as well at the Atlanta-based chain, including burgers, salad and sandwiches.
GWR Distilling Co.
Location: 122 W North Main St., Waxhaw, NC 28173
GWR Distilling Co., formerly known as Great Wagon Road, is replacing its Waxhaw bottle shop with a cocktail bar and distillery, Charlotte Business Journal reported. It’s expecting a summer 2023 opening.
Harold’s Chicken & Ice Bar
Location: 440 McCullough Drive, Ste A-100, Charlotte, NC 28262
The Chicago-based chicken joint is working to open Feb. 3, bringing a hookah bar plus weekend brunch options to the fast-casual restaurant’s lineup. Pro tip: The chain is known for its mild sauce.
Intown Golf Club
Location: Apex SouthPark, 4411 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Atlanta-based Intown Golf Club will bring a location of its virtual golf experience and private club to Charlotte’s SouthPark neighborhood. The social hub included in the complex will offer a full-service kitchen and bar with menus created by Frederico Castellucci III, president and CEO of Castellucci Hospitality Group, which operates several restaurants in Atlanta.
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
Location: 9828 Rea Road, Charlotte, NC 28277
Jeni’s Splended’s newest Charlotte-area ice cream shop will be opened Jan. 12 at Blakeney Town Center, just south of Ballantyne. The small national chain now has four locations in the city.
Koibito Poké
Location: 4701 Park Rd Charlotte, NC 28209
The fast-casual restaurant based in Arizona that features build-your-own Hawaiian poké bowls had targeted a July 2022 opening but has not yet opened.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
Location: 9609 E. Independence Blvd., Suite P, Matthews, NC 28105
Location: 8652 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226
Two locations of KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot are on their way to Charlotte in 2023, both in Matthews and Pineville. Expect multiple soup, meat and veggie options.
LaBARatory
Location: 2315 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
A new brewery and distillery from the team behind Seoul Food Meat Co. is on its way to Optimist Park, Axios Charlotte reported. An early 2023 opening is expected.
Leluia Hall
Location: 1829 Cleveland Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203
Leluia Hall will open in 2023 in the former church that was once Bonterra. Diners can expect family-style servings in an upscale casual space with a steak and surf menu at the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group concept.
Loretta’s
Location: 8500 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226
The French Creole restaurant featuring live music plans to open in the former Fox & Hound sports bar site. The menu will include shrimp and grits, jambalaya, duck poutine and more.
Menya Noodle Counter
Location: 1941 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28204
Menya Noodle Counter — which also goes by the name Menya Daruma — is now open inn the Elizabeth neighborhood. It serves handmade noodles and other dishes, including Tokyo Hot Chicken.
Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish
Location: 413 Dalton Ave. Charlotte, NC 28206
Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish — a favorite spot for fried chicken in Charlotte — is planning to open a third location in 2023, in the Lockwood neighborhood near Uptown. Soon, customers will be digging into that fried chicken, along with candied yams, collard greens, mac and cheese, and more.
OpenTap
Location: 5010 Carmel Ctr Dr, Charlotte, NC 28226
OpenTap is set to open at Carmel Center Drive, bringing a family-friendly space with 64 beers on tap and a shade garden, a tree house mezzanine and a spot for food trucks.
Paper Mill Pub
Location: Truist Field, 324 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28202
The Paper Mill Pub will open in summer 2023 as a year-round neighborhood watering hole at Truist Field. The restaurant and bar at Truist Field is being named for the Virginia Paper Company, which once stood on the space that’s now home to the Charlotte Knights baseball team.
Passage Seafood
Location: 201 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
This modern fish camp run by chef Greg and Subrina Collier will focus on seasonal Atlantic seafood, oysters, raw fish, rotating menu of whole fish, composed vegetables and whole fish charcuterie. It will have indoor and outdoor seating.
Pět Piv
Location: 990 Market St, Fort Mill, SC 29708
Fort Mill’s Fish Market owner, Selena Kelemen, is breaking ground on a beer garden in the grassy area adjacent to the restaurant. Pět Piv is expected to open in summer 2023, serving pizza and other bar food.
Phat Burrito
Location: LoSo Village, Clanton Rd., Charlotte, NC, 28217
Once-beloved Phat Burrito was originally expected to make a return to Charlotte in spring 2022, but that didn’t happen on time. A spokeswoman for Beacon Partners cited construction delays and recently estimated a summer 2023 opening for the restaurant with a Southwestern spin.
Pie in the Sky Pizza
Location: 250 S Main St., Mooresville, NC 28115
Pie in the Sky Pizza is returning to downtown Mooresville with plans for a bigger dining area, double the pizza ovens and expanded bar options. The pizzeria’s owners had originally planned a January opening but ran into delays that will push that date back.
Pizza Baby
Location: 2135 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208
The New York-style pizza parlor on its way to Thrift Road is the newest project for chef Trey Wilson of Customshop and Flour Shop, Axios Charlotte reported.
Rally
Location: Old Pineville Road and Southside Drive
A Rally pickleball complex that includes a full-service restaurant with a global street food-inspired menu and two bars is on its way to Lower South End. The entertainment venue is expected to open in spring 2023.
Room Service
Location: Camp North End, 300 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
The co-owner of Black Moth Bars at Camp North End is opening a new concept called Room Service, featuring specialty cocktail drinks, beer and wine, along with daytime sandwiches and a rotating menu of shared plates in the evening. It’s expected to open in the Keswick District in spring 2023. Stay Inn will be an upscale specialty market next door, selling items found on the menu or in the lounge at Room Service.
Rosemont Market and Wine Bar
Location: Elizabeth on Seventh, 1942 E 7th St #101-H, Charlotte, NC 28204
Rosemont Market and Wine Bar is expected to open at the new Elizabeth on Seventh development, offering market items along with breakfast, lunch, coffee, wine and beer. A full-service dinner menu is on tap, as well.
RSVP South End
Location: 225 Fairwood Ave., Charlotte, NC 28203
RSVP South End holds four nightlife concepts under one roof: a bar, cocktail lounge, rooftop bar and nightclub. Each spot has a different atmosphere — and different beverage menus. It opened Friday, Jan. 20.
The Salty Donut
Location: 1515 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28203
The Miami-based doughnut shop opened in early January on the bottom floor of the Dimensional Funds tower in South End, serving craft doughnuts and coffee. Both the design and doughnut flavors at The Salty Donut have a local influence, CEO and co-founder Andy Rodriguez said.
Savannah Oyster Co.
Location: 201 Church St., Suite 100, Mooresville NC
The Savannah Oyster Co. is expected to open in spring 2023 in Lake Norman at Mill One in Mooresville. The restaurant will serve fresh, farm-raised and wild-caught seafood sourced solely from responsible fishermen along the East Coast.
Schreiber’s on Rye
Location: Optimist Hall, 1115 N. Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28206
Schreiber’s on Rye is slated to open in the first half of 2023 at Optimist Hall, taking the place of Xiao Bao. The New York-style deli will serve classic sandwiches, hot dogs and more.
Seemingly Overzealous
Location: Camp North End, 701 Keswick Ave #102, Charlotte, NC 28206
This dairy-free (but not vegan) ice cream shop plans to open in April in Camp North End. Look for flavors such as blood orange, banana pecan maple and more.
Singas Famous Pizza
Location: 4732 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205
North Carolina’s first location of The New York-based pizzeria opened in Morrisville a few years ago. Now, a location will be opening in Charlotte, bringing hot, fresh pizza with dough made daily.
Sixty Vines
Location: Vantage South End, 1415 Vantage Park Drive, Charlotte, NC 28203
Wine-focused restaurant Sixty Vines will bring a 60-tap system to its Vantage South End restaurant, featuring high ceilings and plans to showcase local art. No time frame has been given for its opening.
Slutty Vegan
Location: Charlotte
The details are largely up in the air, but the popular pop-up option that started out as an Atlanta food truck plans to open a new location every month in 2022. “Charlotte has always supported us since day one and every single time that we come, there is a line down the block,” owner Pinky Cole told CharlotteFive in June.
Cole told the Washington Post that she searches for areas that are food insecure, lacking in vegan options and generally not attractive to developers.
Soul Gastrolounge
Location: To be determined
The well-loved small plates restaurant Soul Gastrolounge, which closed amid rising rents in Plaza Midwood, has plans to find a new location in spring 2023. In the meantime, it’s still cranking out a variety of skewers and its pork belly tacos while operating as a food truck.
Soul Miner’s Garden & Market
Location: 3204 Union Rd, Gastonia, NC 28056
Soul Miner’s Garden, a popular vegan food truck in the Charlotte area, opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant and market in Gastonia in January. Among the most popular dishes are loaded nachos and fries.
State of Confusion
Location: 255 Clanton Road, Charlotte, NC 28217
State of Confusion, a sister restaurant to STIR that first opened in Chattanooga, offers Peruvian-influenced food and cocktails for brunch, lunch and dinner. The LoSo restaurant is expecting to open in early March.
STK Steakhouse
Location: 201 S. College St., Charlotte, NC 28202
A location of the STK Steakhouse chain is on its way to Charlotte, taking the place of the former Carolina Ale House location Uptown. It touts its “vibe dining,” with a focus on steaks and seafood.
Sycamore Brewing
Location: 2151 Hawkins St., Charlotte, NC, 28203
Sycamore shut down its 2161 Hawkins St. location for a sleek new spot that anchors The Line, a new 16-story office building, and gives the brewery more room to expand. Look for the brewery to reopen there in early 2023.
The Teal Turnip
Location: 1640 Oakhurst Commons Dr, Suite 105, Charlotte, NC 28205
The Tayste Catering team is taking over a new space to work out of with plans to open for dinner service at first and lunch later on. The small plates restaurant is set to open in spring 2023 in the Oakhurst neighborhood of Charlotte.
TRIO
Location: 1513 S Mint St., Charlotte, NC 28203
A Charlotte location of the multi-level nightclub popular in Charleston is set to open in 2023. Expect live music and performances, along with DJs and other events. Bring your fashion A-game.
Uptown Yolk
Location: Vantage South End, 1220 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 20203
The Yolk has lived a few lives. It was born in Rock Hill, moved into 7th Street Market as Uptown Yolk and now is on its way to South End to join the food options at The Vantage South End. Head there for brunch of chicken and waffles, and you’ll also find a new coffee program and a full bar. It was set to open in 2022, but project delays set that back.
VANA LKN
Location: 20823 N Main St, Cornelius, NC 28031
VANA’s expansion to the Lake Norman area with VANA LKN was expected to open in 2022 but is now set for early 2023. Look for rustic cuisine with a slightly different menu than the original location at the new Cornelius spot.
VooDoo Wing Co.
Location: 1646 S.C. 160, Fort Mill, SC 29708
VooDoo Wing Co., an Alabama-based chicken wing spot, opened in Fort Mill in January in the former Blacow Bugers location. It serves chicken wings in 15 flavors, along with sides such as potato salad, fried pickles and Buffalo mac and cheese.
Waterman Fish Bar
Location: Charlotte Douglas International Airport, 5501 Josh Birmingham Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28208, Concourse C
Paul Manley, co-owner of High Tide Hospitality, told the Charlotte Observer that The Waterman Fish Bar will open a third location at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Concourse C by early 2024. The 3,000-square-foot space will be a full-service restaurant with the same feel as the Waterman’s other two restaurants.
Whataburger
Location: 5301 South Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28217
A Charlotte location of the wildly popular Texas-based chain Whataburger isn’t a sure thing. However, plans filed with the city showed a “Whataburger Conversion of Former Bank” for the South Boulevard spot and mentioned utilizing the drive-thru where a previous Sun Trust Bank location stood. It’s a waiting game to see if those plans materialize.
Yuliya’s Ice Cream
Location: Metropolitan, 1111 Metropolitan Ave. #190, Charlotte, NC 28204
Yuliya’s Ice Ceam is planning an early 2023 opening at the Metropolitan shopping center. It will serve made-from-scratch ice cream, crafted with locally sourced ingredients.
