Chili, chicken casserole and community keep fueling Lupie’s Cafe 36 years later

“What can I say about a restaurant that so many have already written about?” I thought to myself as I drove to Lupie’s Cafe to meet my father-in-law for lunch. Others have told the story of founder Lupie Duran learning to cook at a young age and sharing her recipes with Charlotte. Ohio transplants know it’s home to some of Charlotte’s best Cincinnati-style chili. And let’s not forget the three times a vehicle has wrecked into the side of the building.

“Oh well,” I thought, ducking through the front door that rainy afternoon, my attention gladly turning to what to order. The daily special — chicken and dumplings — seemed to fit the bill. Paired with cornbread, macaroni and cheese and slaw, the hearty serving hit the spot that dreary day.

“My mom worked in kitchens, learned how to cook and with the encouragement of some friends, opened her own place in 1987,” restaurant manager Larkin Duran (Lupie’s daughter) told CharlotteFive. “She instilled an instinct (in me) for cooking when I was young — it’s got to be something inside of you,” Duran said.

Lupie’s Cafe has been a staple for over 36 years — sitting at the corner of the Chantilly, Elizabeth and Grier Heights neighborhoods, it has long catered to a wide range of regulars and newcomers alike. “Mom created an environment that’s welcoming — all kinds of people eat here,” Duran said. “Business men to construction workers, tattooed people and those in a suit and tie — we serve them all.”

Popular menu staples

Not much about the cafe’s menu has changed since its early days — and for decades, not much has changed about the way most dishes are prepared. Archie Pone has been a cook at the restaurant for decades. “We mostly sell home-cooked meals — chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, four different kinds of chili — everything people want,” Pone said. “That’s why we’ve been so successful,” he added.

“Mom taught me how to cook — not by holding my hand — but by letting me screw it up enough times until I got it right,” Duran said. The restaurant has daily specials Monday through Saturday, including: meatloaf, fettucini alfredo, chicken casserole, spaghetti, baked chicken, chicken and dumplings, roasted pork and quiche. With two sides and bread, these $8.75 plates are a hard value to beat. “The most popular dish might be our chicken casserole; we sell out every Tuesday,” Duran said. And for the cost-conscious diner, a cold Pabst Blue Ribbon is always a safe bet.

Lupie is now semi-retired but still makes cookies, cakes and quiches. In addition to her kitchen skills, her business acumen has contributed to much of the restaurant’s success. “The pandemic has been devastating to all restaurants,” Duran said. “That mom purchased the building so many years ago — that’s been huge in helping us get through the pandemic.”

Comes back to the people

Like so many restaurants in our Charlotte’s Classic Eats series, I sensed a theme talking to the folks at Lupie’s — the importance of people. That a restaurant has a handful of 20+ year employees speaks volumes about its culture. Larkin Duran, who has been around the restaurant her entire life, has been through ups and downs at the restaurant. “I’ve seen two of my best friends get engaged here, I came here when school let out on 9/11, I’ve seen so many things happen here,” she told CharlotteFive.

Others have spent countless hours at Lupie’s Cafe — both customers and employees. In the lower dining room is a wall of framed black-and-white portraits. The pictures, taken by photographer Byron Baldwin, capture the personalities of former employees. Baldwin’s black-and-white photographs of Charlotte landmarks scatter the restaurant walls too.

Many of the landmarks, however, are now closed. “That’s what I’ll write,” I thought to myself. Lupie’s may not be trendy or shiny — but it doesn’t need to be. Serve good food and treat people right — and 36 years later, you’ll have a line out the door each afternoon.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published Sept. 27, 2021, and has been updated.

Lupie’s Cafe

Location: 2718 Monroe Rd, Charlotte, NC 28205

Menu

Cuisine: Southern, comfort food

Hours: Monday through Friday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, 12 p.m.-9 p.m.

To order: dine in or call 704-371-1232 for takeout

Instagram: @lupiescafe

This story was originally published September 27, 2021 at 6:00 AM.