An iconic Charlotte space has a new tenant: A wildly popular Japanese restaurant
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Dozo Kitchen will relocate from City Kitch to East Blvd on September 27, 2025.
- The new space replaces former vegan eatery Fern and expands seating and service.
- Dozo will add a full bar program featuring sake and Japanese whiskey options.
A wildly popular Japanese American restaurant that opened in the City Kitch ghost kitchen is moving to a new space with expanded service.
On Sept. 27, Dozo Japanese American Kitchen will be packing up its current space and moving into the location that formerly held popular vegan restaurant Fern, Flavors from the Garden. That dining stalwart closed last April.
“Over the past year we have felt a tremendous amount of support and excitement for our work here in Wesley Heights at Dozo Japanese American Kitchen at the City Kitch. We are so proud of the great food and experiences we have created in this space and thank the people of the city of Charlotte for the incredible support and patronage in this space,” chef and co-owner Perry Saito said in a news release.
“We cannot express our excitement enough as we begin work on this new project and expand on our exciting concept Dozo in a fresh new environment,” Saito continued.
Saito and co-owner John Gamble first opened the 12-seat Wesley Heights location last September after seeing runaway success with their Katsu Kart food truck.
At City Kitch, the menu expanded from Tonkatsu Sandos and other handhelds to include small plates such as sashimi and Hot Honey Chicken Karaage, along with larger plates of Crab Fried Rice and Katsu Curry Don.
Once Dozo’s new location is open in late October, customers can expect to see all their favorite items on the menu for lunch and dinner, along with new offerings.
The restaurant will also roll out a full bar program with a focus on sake and Japenese whiskeys to pair with your meal.
“Thank you for an incredible year of support in our little corner in West Charlotte,” Saito’s release said. “We look forward to serving you again in our new home on East Blvd!”
DŌZO Japanese American Kitchen
Location: 2200 Thrift Rd Suite 1, Charlotte, NC 28208 (closing Sept. 27)
Location: 1419 East Blvd a, Charlotte, NC 28203 (opening soon)
Menu
Cuisine: Japanese American
Instagram: @dozoclt
This story was originally published August 13, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
