Just Opened - May 2023
Hello, May! New businesses opened all over town this month. It’s going to be a fun summer!
by Allie Papajohn May 26, 2023
Food & Drink
401 Social
Neighborhood: Uptown
Hours: 5-11 p.m. daily (kitchen opens at 7 p.m.)
Soak in city street views at this new lounge insideEmbassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Sip on specialty craft cocktails (like the Queen City Spritzer with vodka, lime juice, basil and ginger ale) and pair them with shareable plates and entrées from the kitchen (like flatbreads and the Tuscan Burger). 401 Social is open to walk-ins and hotel guests alike.
760 Craft Works
Area: Huntersville
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 3-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon-11 p.m.; Sunday, noon-9 p.m.; Closed Monday-Tuesday.
Talk about a nice reuse of space! This brewery is now open inside the former police administration building in downtown Huntersville. Named for Lake Norman’s location at 760 feet above sea level, 760 Craft Works offers various beers, cider and wine plus rotating food trucks on site.
Clutch Coffee Bar
Area: Rock Hill
Hours: 5 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
A cup of coffee always comes in clutch. Get yours at this new drive-thru joint, where the goal is to serve you in under one minute. Enjoy your typical array of hot, iced or frozen drinks plus tea, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. You can also find other locations around North and South Carolina.
Co-Op Frosé and Eatery
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: Sunday-Wednesday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Thursday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
Pretend you’re having a beach day, any day. This fun concept from Charleston, South Carolina, offers a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches plus 40 rotating frosé (frozen rosé) flavors. Be sure to follow along on Instagram for a few laughs thanks and Charlotte-specific updates.
Frida’s Mexican Cantina
Area: Pineville
Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Closed Monday.
A former Pizza Hut has been transformed into a Mexican cantina, featuring Frida Kahlo-themed artwork plus traditional and fusion dishes and drinks. Owner Roble Zarate is incorporating recipes from her own mother and even a few dishes from Tres Pesos, which she co-owns. Diners are welcome to enjoy their meal indoors or outside on the new patio.
HBX Burgers
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: See website for availability.
Love dining from Chef Michael Bowling’s food truck, Hot Box Next Level Kitchen? Now you can order pickup and delivery from his new concept inside South End Eats, a local ghost kitchen. The menu is stacked with burgers, chicken wings and various starters and sides. Remember, you can’t dine-in here, so plan accordingly!
Magic Sushi
Neighborhood: University City
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 4-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 4-10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Blacow Burger & Sushi Bar has said “see ya” to burgers and is now focusing on sushi and hibachi at their new concept. Guests can order a la carte or go for the unlimited sushi and hibachi option at lunch or dinner. Still need your burger fix? The South End location still serves the burgers we all know and love.
Michael Waltrip Taproom
Area: Concord
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-1 a.m.; Friday-Saturday, 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
Former NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip is now the owner of a bar and restaurant just down the road from Charlotte Motor Speedway. The kitchen offers your classic bar fare plus beer on tap, wine and cocktails. Expect plenty of TVs for your race viewing pleasure plus tons of indoor and outdoor seating.
Midnight Diner
Neighborhood: Uptown
Hours: 24/7
Been missing your chicken and waffles and loaded hash browns? Good news– Midnight Diner is back and settled into their new location. You can once again get your breakfast fix any time of day, as the diner is still open 24 hours-a-day, seven days a week.
Paper Mill Pub
Neighborhood: Uptown
Hours: check website for open hours.
Play ball! This pub built intoTruist Field is now open for lunch and dinner. Baseball season or not, you can come enjoy pub food and your drink of choice while enjoying various Uptown views. Guests with tickets to Knights games can hang out at the restaurant and directly enter the stadium afterward.
Ramen Bar Kazoku
Neighborhood: Ballantyne
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 4:30-9 p.m.; Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 4:30-9:30 p.m.; Saturday, noon-9:30 p.m.; Closed Sunday.
Chef-owner Hans Susanto’s years of experience in NYC have led him to open his ramen shop featuring scratch-made noodles and broths and various Japanese appetizers. Susanto and his “kazoku,” or “family” in Japanese, invite you to come find out what Japanese soul food is all about.
Rosemont Market & Wine Bar
Neighborhood: Elizabeth
Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m.
We love a good one-stop shop! Grab breakfast, lunch or dinner plus wine, coffee, drinks, dry goods and cuts of meat at this new market in Elizabeth. Love what you see? The team also owns The Crunkleton (right across the street) and Cheat’s Cheesesteak Parlor (right down the road).
Seemingly Overzealous
Neighborhood: North End
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday, noon-8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-6 p.m.; Closed Monday.
Don’t let that dairy allergy stop you from treating yourself this month. Camp North End’s new ice cream shop offers 100% dairy- and egg-free flavors, plus dairy-, egg- and gluten-free cones. You’ll fall for their housemade creations like Strawberry Pretzel Crunch, Banana Pancake and Peanut Butter & Jelly.
Suffolk Punch
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
SouthPark is now home to a new brewery thanks to Suffolk Punch’s second location. You’ll find this massive space in the West Plaza near the food court and Dick’s Sporting Goods. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served thanks to a coffee shop and full kitchen. And, of course, you’ll find plenty of beer and craft cocktails plus wine and seltzers.
The Good Wurst Company
Neighborhood: Northwest Charlotte
Hours: Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
“Charlotte’s best wiener” is taking the city by storm. The Good Wurst Company’s third location is now open, and on the menu you’ll find all the same goodness in their wursts, burgers, sandwiches and sides. Don’t miss their morning offerings of bagels and breakfast sandwiches.
The Teal Turnip
Neighborhood: Cotswold
Hours: Tuesday, 5-8 p.m. (limited service); Wednesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (full service); Closed Sunday-Monday.
The duo behind Tayste Catering now has a restaurant featuring a hyper-seasonal menu plus a full bar, signature cocktails and plenty of wine. Got a crew ready to dine? Consider booking the chef’s table and enjoy dining inside the kitchen.
Uptown Yolk
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; Closed Monday-Tuesday.
It’s back! The popular breakfast restaurant by Leah & Louise’s Chef Greg Collier and wife Subrina now calls South End home. Those delicious Tennessee Fries are still on the menu, plus coffee, cocktails, pastries and various hearty dishes. Fun Fact: Chef Collier has been nominated for a James Beard award four consecutive times.
Wheelz Pizza
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: Sunday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Just eight months after its first Charlotte opening, Wheelz Pizza now has another home in town. The Wilmington-based pizza concept serves pizza made with sourdough crust with a variety of topping options plus breadsticks, chocolate chip cookies and “Cinnaminis.” Order online for easy pickup, or check out their food truck schedule.
Wildroots Coffee Collective
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
Local coffee shop Wildroots is now open in its new location after a brief hiatus. Owner Jasmine Koch has decorated the space in a 70s vibe and offers a full list of coffee drinks plus homemade food. Need coffee for your next event? Consider one of these catering packages.
Yiding Hot Pot
Area: Pineville
Hours: Monday-Tuesday & Thursday, 4:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Closed Wednesday.
What do you do when staffing is a struggle? Hire robots, of course. This new hot pot spot in Pineville has two robot servers that deliver food from the kitchen to your seats. But don’t worry – a human will make sure everything gets on your table safely. This unique experience will make your hot pot experience (complete with your choice of broth, protein, toppings and sauces) that much more enjoyable.
Your Mom’s Donuts
Neighborhood: Myers Park
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-noon or until sold out; Closed Monday-Tuesday.
You’ve been waiting, and the day is here! Your Mom’s Donuts kiosk at Park Road Shopping Center is back open under its new ownership. Enjoy those square doughnuts you’ve grown to love (but act quick – if they sell out before noon, you’re out of luck.)
Things to Do
Adla
Neighborhood: Virtual
Hours: Virtual
Experience online shopping in a totally new way thanks to this new Charlotte company. You’ll pick the clothes you’d like to try on and pay a $20 fee. The clothes will be delivered, and if you want to keep anything, the $20 fee is applied to your order. Need to make returns? They’ll come back to pick up what you don’t want to keep. Genius!
Fresh Produce
Neighborhood: North End
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday noon-7 p.m.; Closed Sunday-Tuesday.
Spruce up your closet and home with new swag from Camp North End’s Fresh Produce, formerly a holiday pop-up shop. Sibling owners Davita and Gion Galloway own DUPP&SWAT, a Black-owned creative studio known for celebrating art, design and music and creating a safe space for artists. Keep an eye on their inventory as they continue to add new vendors to the space.
Trio
Neighborhood: South End
Hours: Thursday-Saturday, 9 p.m.-2 a.m.; Closed Sunday-Wednesday.
Ever partied at Trio in Charleston? Now you can experience the same nightlife fun here in the city. The club will bring big-name DJs to town and offer VIP tables for up to 30 people. You can plan your next outing accordingly by checking the lineup online.
