Charlotte chefs explain why eating out costs so much now
Happy Thursday, Charlotte. Today’s CharlotteFive newsletter digs into why your restaurant bill keeps creeping up, says goodbye to a six-year Optimist Hall favorite, welcomes a new Italian spot to Dilworth and previews an anime convention plus a French bakery opening. Here’s the rundown. 🍴
💸 Why does it cost so much to eat out anymore? Charlotte chefs blame ‘economic whack-a-mole’
If you’ve done a double take at a menu lately, you’re not imagining things. Evan spoke with Charlotte chefs and operators — including Sam Diminich, Andres Kaifer of Customshop and Emmy Lou’s, and Flen Purvis of Romeo’s Vegan Burgers — about why prices keep climbing. According to Evan’s reporting, food-away-from-home prices jumped 39.3% between January 2019 and January 2026, far outpacing overall inflation. Wholesale beef alone sits 14.2% higher than a year ago and is projected to climb another 8.0% in 2026.
It’s not just ingredients, either. Labor, rent, insurance, utilities, equipment and packaging are all squeezing already-thin margins. “It’s literally a game of economic whack-a-mole, and I never win,” Diminich told CharlotteFive. He also raised a bigger question for the city: “We’ve talked a lot about building a great food city, but what are we actually doing to support it?”
👉 Read the full story for what chefs are doing behind the scenes to adapt.
😢 Beloved bakery and Cuban café closing after 6 years at Optimist Hall
Suárez Bakery & Barra is wrapping up its run at Optimist Hall on Tuesday, June 30, after six years of pastries, doughnuts and Cuban-inspired sandwiches. Owner Carlos Suárez told CharlotteFive the decision was voluntary and a chance to refocus on what started it all — baking. “Optimist Hall was our first venture beyond the bakery and our first experience operating a restaurant,” he said. “We’re incredibly proud of what we built there, but we felt it was the right time to refocus on our original mission.”
Good news for fans: the original Park Road bakery isn’t going anywhere. “Our focus is on continuing the momentum at Park Road,” Suárez said. If you want one last Cubano, yuca fries or a croqueta, you’ve got until June 30 at 📍 Optimist Hall, 1115 N. Brevard Street, Stall #4. The Park Road shop will stay open at 📍 4245 Park Rd.
🍝 New Italian restaurant and market brings Roman vibes to Dilworth
Ardente Kitchen opened Wednesday, June 24, in the former Capiche space in Dilworth, bringing handmade pasta, wood-fired pizzas and a from-scratch Roman trattoria vibe to East Morehead Street. Co-owners Madison and Raffaele Patrizi — also behind Mano Bella Artisan Foods — spent days transforming the 5,200-square-foot spot into a restaurant and market combo. Expect organic pasta, meats cooked over open fire, seasonal veggies and sauces made in-house.
“Our hope is that when guests walk through the doors, they feel transported — not to a themed version of Italy, but to the authentic feeling of discovering a neighborhood spot in Rome where great food, great drinks, and great company come together naturally,” Madison Patrizi said. Beyond the dining room, the market stocks prepared foods and imported pantry staples, with weekly specials and family-style meals on deck. Find it at 📍 500 E. Morehead St. #100, open 11 a.m. daily, Monday through Saturday.
🎉 Anime convention with voice actors, cosplay and 18+ events coming to Charlotte
Charlotte Big Anime takes over the Charlotte Convention Center this weekend, Saturday, June 27, through Sunday, June 28. Expect voice actors from “The Amazing Digital Circus,” “Hazbin Hotel,” “My Hero Academia” and “Sailor Moon,” plus artists, vendors, panels, karaoke, anime trivia and a Sunday cosplay contest at 5 p.m. Gross Angel performs Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Adults, there’s something for you too — multiple 18+ panels including “So Bad, It’s Animated,” “A Helluva Time” and “The Worst Anime You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of.” Saturday hours run 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 📍 the Charlotte Convention Center. Tickets are available through the convention’s website.
🥐 Maman opens its second Charlotte location in South End today
The NYC-based French bakery café Maman officially opens its South End spot today, Thursday, June 25, at Atherton Mill. Sandwiches, salads, coffee and the Nutty Chocolate Chip Cookies that Oprah made famous are all on the menu — plus two Charlotte-exclusives: a peaches & cream danish ($6) and a mac & cheese croissant ($6). Weekend brunch is a thing here, too.
“The Charlotte community has welcomed us with open arms and we are so grateful to launch our second location in South End!” co-founder Elisa Marshall said. The South End café seats 56 inside plus 44 on the rail trail patio, joining Maman’s Plaza Midwood location with a possible third spot rumored for Eastover/Myers Park. Find it at 📍 2000 South Blvd., Suite 300, or the original at 📍 1711 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 170.
💬 Quote of the day
“Comet Grill will outshine ALL of these NEW joints. No Shade to these Restaurants in more of a crafty food experience but COMET GRILL. You WILL get one HELL of a burger for a reasonable price without all the ‘HYPE’” — James Thomas via Instagram on Evan’s story about the 10 hottest restaurants in Charlotte right now.
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CharlotteFive lands daily with the city’s food scene, openings, closings, things to do and reader debates like the one above. Sign up for the free CharlotteFive newsletter here — and follow @cltfive on Instagram, Threads and TikTok, and @charlottefive.com on Bluesky.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists. To learn more about how The Charlotte Observer is using AI in our newsroom, see our policy here.