The Egg Cafe in Huntersville has closed. Now, Lake Norman is welcoming Rise Cafe
The Egg Cafe in Huntersville has been sold and is now operating as Rise Cafe. But the Lake Norman restaurant’s customers won’t see too much change in the switch.
Egg Cafe owner Robert McCrary told CharlotteFive that his plans to expand with new locations of The Crazy Pig led to the move. “We decided to close one door so we could open 2 more and give some young entrepreneurs a chance to own a cute little cafe.”
McCrary and his wife, Eileen, still own the Egg Cafe in Davidson.
Rise Cafe owners Christina and Titus Bartolotta, who both worked as chefs before delving into other industries, are now at the helm at the Lake Norman restaurant, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch.
“The culinary world is just something that gets in your blood and it’s there forever,” Christina Bartolotta told CharlotteFive. “It just felt like a God thing. We’re always kinda looking for a reasonable business opportunity. And this popped up for sale.”
The restaurant will hold a ribbon cutting July 17 to mark the change, with a grand opening celebration to follow in August.
Customers can look forward to a few new things on the menu — including bacon jam, espresso and bottled beverages like Celsius Energy Drinks. But for the most part, things will stay the same. And if you don’t see your favorite Egg Cafe order listed, you can ask your server if the kitchen is able to make it, Bartolotta said.
“We’re going to keep the menu very close to what it was. Locals have been going for many years, and that’s what they like,” she said. “We just really want people to feel loved and welcomed — that’s how we like to operate our lives.”
In the mornings, expect omelets, benedicts, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes and waffles. At lunch time, you’ll find burgers, sandwiches and salads on the menu. Sides available include chips, coleslaw, pasta salad, potato salad and french fries. A gluten-free menu is in the works, as well.
A few changes to the space will come along slowly, including a new vent system to reduce the kitchen smoke, and new artwork from the owners’ personal collection.
“We have this standard that everyone’s welcome here … but you’re probably going to hear some Christian music and hear some Bible verses because that’s part of who we are,” Bartolotta said. “For us, food’s very important and the spiritual food is what matters, too. We want to make sure we incorporate God into everything we do.”
Rise Cafe
Location: 9525 Birkdale Crossing Dr #101, Huntersville, NC 28078
