Fried chicken, cornbread and cake — what brings you back to this Charlotte restaurant.

If you’ve ever walked into James Bazzelle’s uptown Charlotte restaurant, Mert’s Heart and Soul, you already know your stomach is about to grumble. It only takes one step inside before you’re greeted with the smell of fried chicken, cornbread and vegetables.

Since it opened in 1998, celebrities, Food Network crews, visitors of Charlotte and locals have dined at the restaurant known for its Lowcountry-style cuisine.

The restaurant was named after a private, witty, joking customer that teased Bazzelle at his first restaurant — Georgia on Tryon. The customer was Myrtle Lockhart, whose nickname as a kid was Mert. She died before he opened the second business, and he told the logo designer to try the name ‘Mert’s.’ The designer added the words heart and soul.

Lowcountry and Gullah-style cuisine

Bazzelle said a lot of the well-known dishes at Mert’s originated from Georgia on Tryon (open from 1995-1998) — like the red beans and rice with turkey kielbasa. That’s how he ate red beans and rice at home and thought it would be best for a dish at the first restaurant.

His original goal was to serve healthy, Southern food at his first restaurant — but it turns out, his customers did not want that. They wanted fried chicken, mac and cheese or buffet-style.

Often, construction workers from Charleston would visit Georgia on Tryon, and they introduced Bazelle to Lowcountry and Gullah-style food.

Then at Bazelle’s first catering gig (at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture), the event had a Gullah speaker.

In those days — before you could hop on Google on a cell phone — he went to the library and researched books about the Gullah dishes in the Lowcountry. He discovered the knowledge held by enslaved people about rice and the use of animal fat.

He learned Charleston was known for its rice plantations. The enslaved brought their recipes from Africa to the area and modified them to work with ingredients available to them in the Lowcountry.

Although typical Gullah dishes use animal fat, Bazzelle said the cooks do not use animal fat in a lot of meals at Mert’s.

With his first restaurant, Bazzelle said he learned that Southern food does not have to be soul food. There’s also a place for regional options like po’boys, shrimp and grits or salmon cakes.

Fried turkeys with sides for the holidays

Bazzelle credits his customers and the knowledge he gained at his first restaurant venture for helping Mert’s stay in business over the years.

Customers tell him his food made them feel like they were eating at their grandma’s house.

“I had no idea we’d be here this long,” he said. “I started the restaurant for two reasons: I wanted to provide for my family and serve good food for people to enjoy.”

He added that great people work at the restaurant, and their ability to adapt over the years has promoted longevity.

“Every winter — or around the holidays — we are slow,” he said. “About 10 years ago, we started doing fried turkeys with sides for purchase for the holidays to adapt.”

Like most institutions, they had to adapt because of COVID-19, too.

“Not by choice, but we had to have a smaller staff,” he said. “We started doing carryout.” In addition to dining in, hungry patrons can now order online for pickup or delivery.

Guests include Kevin Hart, President Obama, Food Network

While Bazzelle’s spot is known for its comfort foods like cornbread, salmon cakes and desserts, he said he knows people come back because of the prime uptown location and the restaurant’s hospitality.

“Originally, no one was really open at night in uptown,” he said. “The location is now around entertainment options, and it helps.”

Over time, families have made it a tradition to bring their children into the restaurant, and in turn, bring their own children when they’re grown. Visiting celebrities including Kevin Hart and President Barack Obama have eaten there, along with local theater groups, athletes and their coaches.

Bazzelle has served the Los Angeles Clippers since 1999. “I’ve even had to head over to the airport with after-game meals,” he said.

The restaurant was also featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” a TV show known for drawing fans from all over the country to the small, family-owned spots that are featured.

Bazelle said there are trying moments in the restaurant business, but he still loves it after all these years.

“If you don’t love it,” he said. “Don’t do it.”

Mert’s Heart and Soul

Location: 214 N College St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Menu

Cuisine: Gullah, soul food, Lowcountry

How to order: In person, online for pickup or delivery, or call 704-342-4222.

Instagram: @mertscharlotte

This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 9:00 AM.

Katrina Wilson

The Charlotte Observer

Katrina Wilson, formerly known as Katrina Moses, was born and raised in Summerville, South Carolina. Wilson graduated with a bachelor of arts in mass communication from Francis Marion University. Wilson has worked at the Camden Chronicle-Independent, Morning News and The Pentagram newspapers. She She loves reading and writing, and has two books on Amazon: Spilled Milk and Other Taboo Tales and Differences.