VANA is the ‘kid sister’ to Charlotte’s Bardo — fire and fun for the whole family.
Like gathering around a cozy campfire at the end of a long day, VANA has something for everyone.
Amid COVID-19, the team behind VANA, a new restaurant from the team behind Bardo on S. Mint Hill St. about half a mile away, is ready to welcome patrons to its new fiery restaurant concept, opening in South End on Thursday.
Food prepared at VANA will all be cooked over an open wood-burning fire. For cooking, VANA uses no electricity, giving the restaurant a more rustic feel, said managing partner Jayson Whitesides.
On the menu are different types of meat, all categorized by origin — sea, woods, ground. Entrees include anything from a whole fish to a 60 oz. steak, with a price point ranging from $6 to $65.
Other options include a flatbread program with a vegetarian or vegan option.
The menu will be featured categorized options – from the sea, from the woods, and from the ground – with entrees such as a 60-ounce tomahawk steak or a whole fish. Within each category, there will be different sizes of each item. Prices run $6 to $65.
The menu will feature local ingredients, with the goal for 75% of food costs to be from local sources.
The bar menu will focus on whiskey with agave flavor to compliment the char flavor of the food.
VANA is the sister restaurant to Bardo. But compared to Bardo’s more refined, tweezer-plate atmosphere, VANA is a little more rough around the edges.
And like the fire at the center of 2,335-square-foot one-room restaurant, VANA is less controlled and a release from Bardo, perfect for the heart of South End, Whitesides said.
“It’s the sister restaurant, but it’s like the kid sister — it’s a little bit more fun, it’s a little bit more funky, you’ve got to keep your eye on her a little bit more,” said beverage director Amanda Britton.
And where Bardo might be an adult night out, VANA is for the whole family.
“My daughter calls this restaurant ‘Whole Family’ — she’s stuck on ‘Whole Family,’” Whitesides said. “And I think that’s kind of what it is, it’s family, but it’s not just immediate family it’s the neighborhood. We want the neighborhood to be a part of this place.”
North Carolina will stay in Phase 2 of its reopening plan until Sept. 11. VANA will open at 50% capacity to comply with the Phase 2 restrictions.
VANA
1440 S. Tryon St.
Instagram: @vanasouthend
VANA opens Thursday, Aug. 13.
This story was originally published August 7, 2020 at 5:37 PM.
