Dine in a Victorian mansion at McNinch House in uptown Charlotte

By Jennings Cool

Updated July 14, 2025 11:24 AM

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Every morning, Ellen Davis, the owner of a 130-year-old Victorian mansion uptown, wakes up, picks up the morning newspaper off the front porch and reads comments and notes from gracious customers written in her guest book. The house, located on 511 N. Church St., not only serves as Davis’ home, but as a space for people to come together and enjoy an exquisite dining experience.

This place is called McNinch House.

Timeless. Elegant. Inviting. A visit to McNinch House is like taking a step back in history. Imagine a time when things were quiet, slow and the hustle and bustle of city living was nonexistent.

“Being from Charlotte, I thought I knew every little nook and cranny in this city because we would come uptown when we were kids. When Fourth Ward started to become revitalized, I got really excited about it,” Davis said. “When I saw McNinch House, it all sort of fell right into place. I always wanted an old house and always wanted to open a restaurant.”

When Davis stumbled upon McNinch House, she knew it was going to become the restaurant she had dreamed of starting; however, her rose-colored glasses and hopeful ambition blinded her to the true project that was laid out for her. “You don’t always know what you’re buying into when you’re buying a house like this,” Davis said.

Davis saw the house about 40 years ago and knew in her gut she was meant to live there. Roughly 10 years later, Davis saw her dream come to life as she transformed her home into a place she could share with the community.

A restaurant in a Victorian mansion

The facade of the pink and purple house, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, hasn’t changed much since it was built in the 1890s.

When Davis first moved into the house, she realized how much work needed to be put into it inside to transform it into a suitable living space, let alone a restaurant. “I was still in this little dream world,” she said.

Her first pot of coffee was made in the parlor room dining area because there were no outlets in the kitchen. She placed her coffee pot on the table, plugged the end into the light fixture with a cord running down, and made her first pot of coffee. “It really happened; I can’t make these things up,” Davis said.

“I sometimes ask myself, ‘Why are you doing this? This is a lot of work,’” Davis chuckled. “But, truthfully, there is nothing else I would rather be doing. I always come back with realizing how much I like this job. It is very rewarding and nice having people who come to share a meal and enjoy.”

With hard work, constant renovations and a steadfast passion for success, Davis has kept McNinch House alive and thriving for three decades, even with the interruptions of economic twists and turns.

“I have no regrets buying this place and turning it into McNinch House. This has been my biggest teacher. I have done things I thought I could never do and put up with things I never knew I could put-up with,” Davis said.

How McNinch House works

Davis used to work in the gift shop business, and a majority of her eclectic plates and dining utensils came from the very gift shop she used to work at. McNinch House serves roughly 30 guests per evening and offers meals ranging from about $120 to $205. The overall experience is designed with the guest in mind — the staff does not flip a single table the whole evening. Instead, the tables belong to the customers, with the freedom to stay as long as they desire.

“It is kind of like a Broadway show,” Davis claimed. “When the doorbell rings, everyone is on stage and does their part.”

Davis has enjoyed cooking ever since she was a young girl. In McNinch House’s early years, Davis created all the dishes. There was no menu, there was no wine list. The maître d’ would call those who made reservations for a dining experience with what they could expect for the evening — which often lasted three or more hours. Main entrées included pheasant, elk, quail and beef tartare, while a sommelier paired each course with a wine from a small-production vineyard.

“I look back now, and I don’t really see the years that went by. They just went by, and here I am today,” Davis said.

The food and wine

As time progressed, Davis adjusted McNinch House’s concept to match her customers’ wants and developed a slightly less-formal dining experience.

Today, the restaurant offers a seasonal menu with items presented in a way that is almost as elegant as the tastes themselves. Eager guests can always expect organic produce, grass-fed beef, wild game and line-caught fish. Davis and her team value locally grown and locally produced ingredients to create their dishes. Davis even planted an herb and vegetable garden, along with a fig tree and apple tree on the property.

“I think people enjoy being in a place that is warming, that envelopes you, that makes you feel good — a place where you get a good feeling when you walk through the front door.” Whether you’re enjoying the rack of lamb in the dining room or a glass of wine and cheese plate on the front porch, this is exactly the type of place Davis created.

“Our world is so fast today, when you come in here, you can slow down and really enjoy,” Davis said. “Everyone is busy, busy, busy. I want people to take a step back and wonder, ‘What is that place over there?’ You don’t want to miss out on something this wonderful.”