Charlotte staple Fenwick’s has reopened with a new owner, familiar recipes
Fenwick’s closed its doors in April after 41 years of the Rabb family feeding Charlotte. But the restaurant didn’t stay closed for long.
Now, a new owner — Tommi Harris — has reopened the staple restaurant.
“I’m just tired of seeing things going away,” the longtime restaurant veteran told CharlotteFive earlier this year.
Catherine and Don Rabb opened Fenwick’s in 1984, growing a faithful customer base. Over the years, Catherine became a well-known figure in the Charlotte food community as a chef, a sommelier who wrote an “On Wine” column for the Charlotte Observer and an educator at Johnson & Wales.
Catherine died in 2021 after a battle with breast cancer, and things hadn’t been the same since at Fenwick’s for the Rabb family. At 84, Don was ready to retire, too.
With Harris taking over, things worked out just as Don had hoped.
“I hope somebody takes it over… and will take it as is. I would love to sit here and have a drink,” he told CharlotteFive in January.
Longtime Fenwick’s employee Bill Parker, the familiar face greeting you at the host’s stand, is staying on with the new owners, he told CharlotteFive. So is most of the rest of the staff.
The menu will also remain the same, Parker confirmed. Now, plates with club sandwiches, hearty salads and Fenwick’s famous bread pudding with whiskey sauce are once again hitting the tables there.
Harris has had many years working at the front of the house in Charlotte restaurants, including at Blue, Mickey & Mooch and most recently, Primo — which sits right up the street from Fenwick’s.
“Fenwick’s can only be Fenwick’s,” she said. “I feel really confident about the support and just being ableto not switch it up, and just kind of keep it going.”
Fenwick’s
Location: 511 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207
Cuisine: American
Instagram: @fenwicksonprovidence
This story was originally published April 1, 2025 at 2:46 PM.
