Can’t keep up with all the restaurant changes? Here’s your CliffsNotes: August 2019

Charlotte’s restaurant scene is constantly changing, and if it seems like it’s happening faster than ever, you’re not alone. It can be hard to keep up with all the new places to try or remember which places have closed. Here’s a look at some Charlotte’s dining news from last month.

Restaurant openings

• Optimist Hall opened August 1: Few announcements excite Charlotte more than food. Cue Optimist Hall. Situated in the Optimist Park neighborhood between Uptown and NoDa, the newest culinary addition to the Queen City started off August with arguably the biggest opening of the year. 
• Davidson Wine Co. opened August 2: Davidson Wine Co. calls itself an urban winery, or a micro-winery. The company makes wine but doesn’t grow grapes. The shop purchases crushed grapes from vineyards all over the world, including from California, France, Italy and Australia.
• Spindle Bar opened August 19: Operated by Billy Sunday mixologist Stephanie Andrews, Spindle Bar serves up a selection of easy-drinking draft and frozen cocktails, beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. Guests can take their liquor beverages with them as they wander throughout the hall. Enjoy your drink on the patio with a view of the skyline.
• Middle James Brewing opened August 23: Spanning two stories on the backside of the Golf Village building, Pineville’s first brewery boasts 24 taps, lunch and dinner, 15 TVs and a projector, an 830-square-foot room for private parties, a shaded deck overlooking the putting green, par 3 and range, and an outdoor beer garden.
• Tiff’s Treats opened August 24: It was a misty Saturday morning, but that didn’t stop the line, which began forming at midnight, from wrapping around the building. Austin-based cookie delivery company Tiff’s Treats was celebrating the opening of its first Charlotte store at 7314 Waverly Walk Ave., Suite E3, in the Providence Estates East area. The grand opening promotion: a dozen warm cookies for $1 and the chance to meet celebrities Brooklyn Decker and Andy Roddick. 

Restaurant closings

• Basal Coffee closed August 9: The coffee shop, at 1429 Bryant St. near Pinky’s Westside Grill and Rhino Market & Deli, has been open in the Latin American Contemporary Art Projects art gallery for 18 months. The coffee shop announced the closing in an Instagram post and hinted about new plans for the company. “This is not a farewell but a be right back,” the post reads.

Making moves

• Amelie’s new flagship location: Ending months of speculation surrounding one of Charlotte’s most popular spots, Amelie’s French bakery finally announced plans for its new flagship location. In an exclusive interview, marketing manager Joannah Long told CharlotteFive that Amelie’s will relocate in spring 2020 to 136 E. 36th Street, occupying the former location of Hart Witzen Gallery.
• Sauceman’s BBQ moving: Sauceman’s left its location at 228 West Blvd. to move its operations over to Sugar Creek Brewing Company. Sugar Creek shut down its limited-menu kitchen, and Sauceman’s BBQ will take over the brewery’s kitchen area beginning in October.
• In related news, Sauceman’s former pit master, Edmar Simoes, announced he is opening his own down-home barbecue joint called Ed’s BBQ.
• We checked in on the progress at Supperland, the new Midwood restaurant/cocktail bar: Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel, husband and wife owners of NoDa’s Haberdish, Crepe Cellar Kitchen & Pub, Reigning Doughnuts and Growlers Pourhouse, have now begun making their mark in Plaza Midwood. Supperland, their newest project located across from Whiskey Warehouse, is anticipated to open in spring of 2020. 

What’s next?

Take a mental note of all of these restaurants and bars, which made opening announcements in August:

• Ace No. 3
• Middle C Jazz (with adjoining Public House restaurant)
• Petty Thieves Brewing
• Snooze Eatery’s second location
• Stir at Railyard

ICYMI: Spotlight on July

• Flower Child opened on July 30: By now, you’ve heard all about the free yoga mat parking and the vegan-friendly menu at South End’s newest restaurant, Flower Child. But there’s more, including a dog-friendly patio with a fireplace, Instagrammable details everywhere (look for the bright yellow coo-coo clock near the back door), and a rose wallpaper corner that may inspire nostalgia of visiting a favorite relative. The restaurant has transformed the former Phat Burrito spot at 1537 Camden Road.

Gem of the Queen City

As new restaurants open every day in Charlotte, it’s easy to forget about the old standbys, the places that have grown up alongside the Queen City. We think they’ll always be there for us, but so many favorites have closed along the way. This makes it even more important to support the ones we love. Our Gems of the Queen City series highlights the places that you have frequented for years, reminding us why they have stood the test of time.

Check out: Zack’s Burgers. Located on the corner of Scaleybark and South Boulevard, Zack’s has been spinning milkshakes and flipping some of the best burgers in town since 1975.

This story was originally published September 4, 2019 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Can’t keep up with all the restaurant changes? Here’s your CliffsNotes: August 2019."