Local Charlotte restaurant reopens in new location 2 years after kitchen fire
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Al-Basha Halal Grill reopened in Montford Park after a 2023 kitchen fire closure.
- The original East Charlotte location sustained over $215,000 in total fire damage.
- New site offers longtime favorites and smoothies but no longer includes hookah.
It’s been two years since Al-Basha Halal Grill was forced to close its doors after a devastating fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Now, the local restaurant has reopened in a new location along with new menu items.
Al-Basha brought a taste of the Mediterranean to the city’s food scene in 2014, serving up house-marinated shawarma, handmade spreads and more, along with hookah.
But in the spring of 2023, fire crews were called to the East Charlotte spot after heavy smoke was seen coming from the roof, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. At that time, the Charlotte Fire Department estimated that there was about $65,000 worth of damage.
“There was a fire that erupted from our char grill, it ended up catching onto the hood, and the fire spread rapidly,” Ahmed Karam, co-owner of the restaurant, told CharlotteFive.
“The damage caused by the fire was too much and it was going to take a lot of time and money to get it back open.”
The fire-control system did not end up deploying, according to Karam, and that is how the fire ended up spreading very quickly.
On top of the $65,000 worth of damage, the restaurant was hit again after another fire later that same day caused extensive damage — “well over $150,000,” he said.
“It was a long and emotional road to reopening. We lost almost all the money we had from the business, and the amazing customer base community we’ve built over the past 10 years,” Karam shared.
“Losing our Al-Basha family was very difficult because we had built great relationships with everyone in the Charlotte community”
After saying goodbye to the restaurant on North Sharon Amity Road, the team ended up pouring what money it had left into reopening its new location in Montford Park.
Al-Basha’s new chapter in a new space
Al-Basha has moved to the space formerly home to Beyond Amazing Donuts, as first reported by Charlotte Business Journal, serving most of its staple dishes, smoothies and coffees. But there won’t be any more hookah.
“The space in the new location is much smaller than our old location, but we are blessed to have a lot of people still coming in to dine in and order takeout,” Karam told CharlotteFive.
“The support has been tremendous … There are a lot of things and amenities in the surrounding neighborhood, and we’re proud to be the ones serving authentic halal food to everyone in the area.”
Al-Basha Halal Grill
Location: 1730 Abbey Pl, Charlotte, NC 28209
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Instagram: @albashaclt
This story was originally published July 16, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
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