KiKi and Tattoo, a Plaza Midwood bistro and liquor lounge, are now open.

The Charlotte culinary scene has been anxiously awaiting the opening of Kiki, a restaurant with an intimate liquor lounge next door, created by Soul Gastrolounge’s Andy and Lesa Kastanas.

The wait is finally coming to an end.

On Monday, Nov. 25, The Kastanas’ will open the restaurant located in a former gallery space and liquor lounge, aptly named Tattoo, in a former tattoo studio on a popular corner in Plaza Midwood.

Chef Jason Pound of Soul will oversee Kiki’s kitchen as well. He will serve Franco-Greco inspired small plates with a focus on fresh vegetables, changing them throughout the season.

Lesa Kastanas told CharlotteFive that what we typically think of in Charlotte as Greek fare would actually be considered more of a fast food style in Greece.

The experience at Kiki, in contrast, will be akin to an upscale meal in Greece.

Andy Kastanas was raised on Greek cuisine. “I grew up with my mother making certain dishes, and I was trained in the French cuisine as a chef,” he told CharlotteFive. Kiki is named after Andy’s mother, Angeliki.

“I am taking the best of the things that I know and using them as inspiration to create new things. The food is not really French or Greek, it’s just influenced and inspired by those cultures.”

Kiki’s modern American cuisine will pair well with the French and Greek inspiration. “It blends with modern American — because that’s who we are,” Lesa said.

The experience is guaranteed to be like no other in Charlotte: Standout menu items like salmon bacon on green beans or beet bourguignon on the extensive plant-based menu will make it so.

What to order

Here is a glimpse at Kiki’s menu:

(1) Radicchio Salad

Grilled Radicchio, endive, arugula, Gorgonzola cream, smoked almonds, mission fig vinaigrette

(2) Beef Medallion (Filet De Beouf)

Pan-seared petite tender, mashed potatoes, fried demi glace chips.

(3) Lamb neck (Collier D’Agneau Provencal)

Braised lamb neck roulade, sautéed beech mushrooms, cordycep cream, cordyceps and sea beans.

(4) Beet Bourguignon (v.)

Roasted beets in a vegetable jus with carrot, pearl onions and beech mushrooms on a potato skordalia and EVOO espuma.

(5) Giant beans (Gigantes)

Salmon bacon, black garlic and black pepper crumb.

Soul’s Beverage Director, Kelly Minton, will run both KiKi and Tattoo’s beverage program. At Kiki, look for seasonal draft cocktails and spirit-free cocktails, as well as French and lesser-known Greek wines.

Tattoo lounge: a custom cocktail experience

At Tattoo, the intimate liquor lounge, you can expect to enjoy finer spirits paired with handmade ingredients — in fact, an alchemist and herbalist are on the team.

You won’t find these high-concept cocktails on a list — there’s no menu. “We try to do things custom to the guest, and we’re also doing studies on classic cocktails to make sure we understand what we’re representing as best as possible,” Minton said. “These are extremely high technique and not meant for volume,” he said. Since the lounge can only seat 16 people at once, you’re guaranteed a personal experience.

Sustainability is a huge focus. When using hibiscus, for example, every piece of the flower will be used in some way.

Pro tip: Although beer and wine is not offered at the lounge, Minton said you won’t be turned away — if that’s what you want, that’s what you’ll get. (There’s a benefit to Kiki being right next door.)

A small-bites menu will also be offered at Tattoo.

Dine on the terrace

A pocket rooftop terrace will seat about 30 guests and will offer views of Central Avenue and uptown. Couches overlooking the Midwood streetscape will be first-come, first served and will have cocktail service. Come spring when Mother Nature pitches in, expect a transformation of plants and vines on the patio.

The three spaces — KiKi, Tattoo and the rooftop — are designed by Plaza Midwood interior designer, artist and musician Scott Weaver.

The styles are a merge of French bistro and art deco inspired, Weaver told CharlotteFive. Pay attention to the mirrors: one inside of Tattoo is about 100 years old. Another, between the restrooms, is a piece designed by Plaza Midwood’s Hope Nicholls (you know her from Boris and Natasha).

Most of the colors are off white and black — but with fun gold offering a modern version of a 70s or early 80s art deco revival. “There’s a lot of gold to warm up what was a concrete space,” Weaver said. The contrast is on purpose: the walls of Kiki are off-white, and the walls inside of Tattoo are black.

For those of you who miss Twenty-Two: Kiki will serve as an art gallery of sorts as well, with featured local artists rotating each month. There will be regular art openings — and all of the art will be for sale. “The art will run the gambit for pricing and style,” Weaver said.

Nathaniel Lancaster’s pieces are currently on display/available for you to take home.

KiKi and Tattoo

1500-A Central Avenue

Instagram: @kikibistro

Editor’s note: The web site is not yet live.



This article was originally published in September 2019 and was updated in November 2019 to reflect the opening date and details about the menu and interior.

This story was originally published September 17, 2019 at 3:43 PM.