Farewell, friends. These are the 10 best restaurants that closed in Charlotte in 2024
The restaurant business is notoriously tough, and Charlotte’s food and drink spots are no exception, with dozens of eateries permanently closing each year
Even national acclaim, renowned chefs and a solid fan base can’t save every restaurant, especially when market forces have shifted the industry with higher food, rent and labor costs in the years since the COVID pandemic began. Add on the pressure of customers often seeking something new and different, and it’s a recipe for disaster for many restaurant owners.
With gratitude in mind for the contributions these places have made to the Charlotte community and for the people involved, we share the 10 best restaurants that closed in Charlotte in 2024:
Fern, Flavors from the Garden
Location: 1419 East Blvd., Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28203
Vegan favorite Fern, Flavors From The Garden closed in early May, saying: ”Farewell to all of our friends at Fern. It has been a pleasure serving our Vegan and Vegetarian community over the past fourteen years. The time has come for us to close our doors.”
An outpouring of messages led to a few bright points, however. The restaurant shared its much-loved Buffalo cauliflower wings recipe for fans, and some of Fern’s vegan holiday favorites were available to pre-order for Thanksgiving via Something Classic Catering.
Harper’s Restaurant
Location: 6518 Fairview Rd. Charlotte, NC 28210
SouthPark stalwart Harper’s Restaurant had fed Charlotte its iconic Chicken Supremes and other favorites since 1992, but closed in late July. Tom Sasser, founder and owner of Harper’s Restaurant and Burke Hospitality Group, fought unsuccessfully to renew its lease, but its Sharon Corners moved forward with plans for a bank to take the restaurant’s place.
In December, Resident Culture Brewing teamed up with Burke Hospitality to bring back a taste of the past. Now, Chicken Supremes are available 3-10 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday at the brewery’s South End taproom — paired with french fries or chips and a signature dipping sauce, just like they came at Harper’s.
Haymaker
Location: 225 S. Poplar St. Charlotte NC 28202
Uptown Charlotte’s Haymaker restaurant announced in December that it would close after dinner on New Year’s Eve. The management contract set up when Asheville chef William Dissen ceded operations of the restaurant to Built on Hospitality in 2023 has come to an end.
Fans of the six-year-old restaurant’s food can still find bites from executive chef Chris Coleman, however. He’s also pouring flavors into the kitchens at The Goodyear House, Old Town Kitchen and Cocktails and working on Built on Hospitality cocktail concepts Folia and the soon-to-open Chief’s Modern Cocktail Parlor.
Hubee D’s
Location: 815 Providence Road, Charlotte NC, 28207
Hubee D’s closed at the end of May, ending a run that began on Providence Road in 2013. Owner Mike LaFoe told CharlotteFive that the restaurant — the chicken chain’s last location — had never quite recovered from the COVID pandemic that wreaked havoc on the restaurant industry.
Now, a second location of Salted Melon Market & Eatery has moved into the Eastover space and feeding folks with an all-day breakfast menu, sandwiches and wraps, plus bowls and salads.
Jimmy Pearls
Location: Market at 7th Street, 224 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
A James Beard Award nomination led Jimmy Pearls to extended the restaurant’s stay at The Market at 7th Street, but owners Daryl “DC” Cooper and Oscar Johnson eventually closed up shop there in late March.
Now, you can find acclaimed chefs Daryl “DC” Cooper and Oscar Johnson holding pop-ups via their food truck while they work on what’s coming next for Jimmy Pearls.
Leah & Louise
Location: Camp North End, 301 Camp Road, Charlotte, NC 28206
BayHaven Restaurant Group owners Greg and Subrina Collier closed their highly acclaimed Leah & Louise restaurant at Camp North End in late April with plans to move into to Charlotte’s Historic West End neighborhood.
Details including a new location or timeline for reopening the restaurant that opened in 2020 have not yet been released. However upscale dining fans can still savor chef Greg Collier’s James Beard Award nominated cuisine at Uptown Yolk and the newly opened 3rd & Fernwood restaurant.
Letty’s on Shamrock
Location: 2121 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28205
Letty’s on Shamrock will be closing permanently after serving dinner on New Year’s Eve. Owner Letty Ketner is retiring from the restaurant she has owned and operated since 2012, feeding fans with her signature honey pecan chicken, hummus nachos and other neighborhood favorites.
Plans for the next venture in the restaurant space have not yet been announced.
Pepperbox
Location: 2810 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Location: 101 W Worthington Ave #150, Charlotte, NC 28203
Pepperbox Doughnuts, known for its vegan doughnuts and creative flavors, closed its NoDa location at the end of May. A few months later, owners announced the Oct. 31 closure of the South End shop, eight years after beginning its journey there.
Now, owners are focused on a new venture at the former NoDa location: Copperhead Social Club, where patrons can dig into burgers, wings and fries with a cocktail or a PBR.
Wentworth & Fenn
Location: Latta Arcade, 320 S. Tryon St., Suite 104, Charlotte, NC 28202
Location: Camp North End, 270 Camp Road, Suite 103 Charlotte, NC 28206
In February, Wentworth & Fenn closed its Latta Arcade location so owner Samantha Ward could devote resources into supporting her original Camp North End bakery. The business struggled throughout the summer, and in November, the pastry chef announced the December closure of the Camp North End location, citing a “lack of consistent foot traffic, and this economy.”
Ward has not yet announced her next steps.
Villa Roma
Location: 5000 Union Rd, Gastonia, NC 28056
Villa Roma, which served Italian food in Gastonia for 50 years, closed in early 2025 after the death of its owner, Dennis Fascella Jr. “If there was one thing that motivated him to continue to dedicate his life to that place, it was the people that came in here,” his son, Sam Fascella, told Gaston Gazette. “He always wanted to make people feel welcome.”
Zada Jane’s Corner Cafe
Location: 1601 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Plaza Midwood staple Zada Jane’s Corner Cafe, a neighborhood gathering space that served patrons breakfast and brunch dishes for 16 years, closed in early September.
Owner Marcia Hurst said, “It’s a sweet, sad time,” but didn’t give a reason for the closing. Plans for the space have not yet been announced.
This story was originally published December 26, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
