Food and Drink

Charlotte pub famous for fish and chips to close — for now. ‘This isn’t goodbye.’

A Charlotte pub known for its classic British fare is closing its doors.

Big Ben Restaurant and Pub is bidding adieu to Charlotte’s Elizabeth neighborhood, the restaurant said via Instagram. Its last day of service will be Sunday, Nov. 2.

A reason for the closure wasn’t immediately clear.

A medium, eye-level shot of a smiling restaurant owner in a dark green polo shirt, standing inside the Big Ben Pub. The pub’s distinctive red U-shaped bar, blue barstools, and a row of televisions displaying a soccer game are visible in the blurred background.
Neel Gandhi, co-owner of Big Ben Pub. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

“We are incredibly grateful for your support, your loyalty, & every memory made within these walls,” the restaurant wrote on Instagram. “This isn’t goodbye … just a new chapter.”

The tavern moved into its current spot in July 2021, after closing its location in Atherton Mill that February to make way for BOCADO Bar + Diner. That restaurant closed, too, CharlotteFive previously reported.

The pub’s original location in Myers Park was lost to a fire back in 2010.

Years later, Big Ben would find a home in Elizabeth with a larger, 5,000 square-foot space that hosted countless Major League Soccer fans who gathered to watch games and munch on the restaurant’s famous fish and chips.

A wide-angle shot of the interior of the Big Ben Pub, focusing on a large, U-shaped bar with a red base and a granite-patterned top. Bright blue metal barstools are arranged in the foreground, while dark red tufted booths line the walls in the background. A row of flat-screen televisions above the bar displays a soccer game, and a red telephone booth replica is visible in the far right, reinforcing the British theme.
The bar at Big Ben’s on Elizabeth Avenue. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

“It’s a little more modern than we had before at the old space,” co-owner Neel Gandhi told CharlotteFive at the time, adding that the pub planned to expand its soccer offerings.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

Big Ben Restaurant + Pub

Location: 1535 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204 (closing soon)

Menu

Cuisine: Classic British pub fare, beer

Instagram: @bigbenpubclt

A close-up shot of a plated meal on a white plate, featuring a golden-brown meat pie and a scoop of mashed potatoes, both generously covered in dark gravy. A side of colorful steamed vegetables, including broccoli, carrots, and squash, is visible in the background.
Big Ben’s Abby Steak and Mushroom Pie features tender steak and mushrooms in a puff pastry with mashed potatoes, gravy and vegetables. Neel Gandhi/Big Ben
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A wide, eye-level shot of the “Big Ben Pub” exterior on a sunny day. The restaurant, located in a light-colored brick building, has a large black awning with the pub’s name and a British flag. A classic red telephone booth stands on the sidewalk next to the entrance, and the street and a blue sky with clouds are visible in the background.
Big Ben is closing its doors on Charlotte’s Elizabeth Avenue in the former Carpe Diem spot. Alex Cason Photography CharlotteFive

This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM.

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Tanasia Kenney
Sun Herald
Tanasia is a service journalism reporter at the Charlotte Observer | CharlotteFive, working remotely from Atlanta, Georgia. She covers restaurant openings/closings in Charlotte and statewide explainers for the NC Service Journalism team. She’s been with McClatchy since 2020.
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