A popular Charlotte diner will reopen — bring on the blueberry pancakes.
When Mattie’s Diner closed in 2015 at the AvidXChange Music Factory to make room for its new namesake’s headquarters, concert fans and blueberry pancake fans all over Charlotte were in mourning.
Then in January 2020, owner Matt King told The Charlotte Observer’s Catherine Muccigrosso a slice of good news: he’d found a new home, on a .37-acre property at the corner of The Plaza and Shamrock Drive.
And finally on Thursday, June 17, the restaurant had more good news to share: A year and a half after buying the property, construction has finally begun, the restaurant posted on Facebook.
“We’re looking forward to being part of a neighborhood (Plaza Shamrock) and not just a destination spot,” King told CharlotteFive on Thursday afternoon. “The idea of the diner as a community space and the community is begging for a place to gather — we’re looking forward to being a place people can walk and bike to,” King added.
It’s been a long, strange ride for Mattie’s Diner — literally. King found the building parked in a New Jersey used car lot after Hurricane Floyd; he bought it in 2005, transported it to Charlotte and spent five years renovating it before opening in 2010. What was once the Bound Brook Diner became Mattie’s Diner, complete with the original jukeboxes. The restaurant has a guestbook specifically for those who have dined in the establishment under both names; more than 200 individuals have made the list, and folks regularly make the trip from New Jersey for the novelty.
Mattie’s plans to reopen in October. Expect around 80% of the original menu, however a slew of vegan options will be added, including a vegan sloppy joe and vegan meatloaf. King is particularly proud of these two vegan options — “We needed to make vegan dishes that tasted, looked, and smelled like everything else,” he noted.
Not everything will be healthy, though. Rich milkshakes with crazy, fresh ingredients will return. Chopped up French toast in your milkshake? You got it. Pieces of pancake blended in? That’s right.
And the patio will be a perfect spot for the grand opening — complete with a pancake and meatloaf eating contest. Expect generous hours seven days a week, however Mattie’s days of staying open 24 hours are over.
We’re already dreaming of the fried chicken, mac and cheese, egg sammies and more. Welcome back, Mattie’s — we’ve missed you.
Mattie’s Diner
3100 The Plaza
This article is developing and will be updated.
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 7:42 AM.