The 2016 trend, but for Charlotte restaurants: Which iconic spots are still standing?
While the entirety of the internet is currently deep in a “2026 is the new 2016” nostalgia spiral, I’m over here wondering how in the heck a whole decade has passed since then. (Wasn’t it just yesterday we were all catching Pokémon at the NoDa Water Tower?)
If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve seen the trend: a collective yearning for the “simpler times” of 2016.
2016, really?
Well, it was the last chapter before algorithms got aggressive: A time of Snapchat dog filters, the Mannequin Challenge and a very specific “bold and messy” aesthetic.
🤳🏾The Charlotte restaurant scene in 2016
But it got me wanting to look back on Charlotte’s restaurant scene.
In 2016, we weren’t just eating; we were Instagramming. It was the year dining in the Queen City became an aesthetic. 2016 brought us Seoul Food’s “adult playground”, Haberdish’s “mill-town chic” and Fahrenheit’s “skyline selfie” — and we put it all on the ‘Gram, long before reels were even a glimmer in our eyes.
While 2016 might still feel like yesterday to some of us, a lot has changed in 10 years. Let’s look back at the class of 2016 to see who survived the hype — and where to find those vibes today:
The 2016 class: The “then and now”
Seoul Food Meat Co.
Original (2016) location: 1400 S Church St a, Charlotte, NC 28203
Current locations: Original still open + 421 E 26th St A, Charlotte, NC 28205
- The 2016 vibe: Seoul Food Meat Co basically invented the “adult playground” in Charlotte with karaoke, craft beer and K-pop. It opened in 2016, right as South End transitioned from “scruffy” to “polished.”
- Status in 2026: Still standing. Its massive success led to a second location in Urban District Market in Optimist Park.
Haberdish
Original (2016) location: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Current location: Original still open
- The 2016 vibe: Opening in late 2016, Haberdish brought a “second wave” of culinary polish to NoDa. It transformed a mill town storefront into an award-winning destination for cocktails and fried chicken.
- Status in 2026: Still standing and remains a cornerstone of the North Davidson dining scene. In 2025, it was listed as a recommended restaurant in the new Michelin Guide American South.
Yafo Kitchen
Original location (2016): 720 Gov Morrison St #120, Charlotte, NC 28211
Current location: Original still open + three additional locations
- The 2016 vibe: This era proved that Mediterranean street food could be fast-casual, high-end, and perfectly “postable.” The first Yafo opened in 2016 and changed the lunch game for the SouthPark crowd.
- Status in 2026: Still standing, now with four locations across the city, from Plaza Midwood to Ballantyne.
Soul Gastrolounge
Original location (pre 2016): 1500-B Central Ave., Charlotte (now closed)
Current location: 4110 Raleigh St #120, Charlotte, NC 28213
- The 2016 vibe: The absolute standard for tapas and DJs: While Soul had been keeping Plaza Midwood funky since 2009, by 2016 it was the hardest table in town to snag.
- Status in 2026: Reopened! After a heartbreaking closure in 2022 due to rising rents, Soul officially returned at The Pass in NoDa in late 2025.
Stoke Charlotte
Original (2016) location: 100 W Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202 (inside the Marriott)
Current location: Original still open
- The 2016 vibe: In 2016, Stoke made hotel dining cool again. It was famous for its one-pound doughnut that sat in a pool of cream — a dessert designed specifically for your Insta.
- Status in 2026: Still standing. It remains a staple for Uptown happy hours and wood-fired favorites.
O-Ku Charlotte
Original (2016) location: 2000 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
Current location: Original still open
- The 2016 vibe: Bringing high-end Charleston flair to South End, O-Ku opened in late 2016 and immediately became the “see and be seen” spot for high-end sushi and skyline views.
- Status in 2026: Still standing and remains one of the busiest spots on South Boulevard.
💔 The class of 2016: Those we lost that year
2016 wasn’t just a year of big openings; it was also a year of heartbreaking goodbyes for several local institutions.
The Common Market (Original South End Location)
- The 2016 vibe: Before the massive glass office towers, the 1515 S. Tryon St. location of Common Market was the soul of the neighborhood. It was the ultimate “third place” where you could get a deli sandwich, a craft beer, and sit on the patio for hours.
- What happened: It closed in July 2016 to make way for development.
- Relive the vibe: Common Market’s new South End location opened in 2018 on Tremont Avenue and proudly carries the torch.
The Excelsior Club
- The 2016 vibe: The Excelsior Club was a legendary cornerstone of Charlotte’s Black social and political history on Beatties Ford Road. For decades, it was the place for live jazz and community gathering.
- What happened: It closed its doors in 2016.
- Relive the vibe: Efforts are currently underway to redevelop the historic site into a museum and restaurant. Until then, you can find similar soulful live music and community energy at Middle C Jazz.
Rudean’s Restaurant
- The 2016 vibe: Rudean’s Restaurant was a Beatties Ford Road landmark for nearly 60 years. It was the place for late-night wings, jazz, and community history.
- What happened: Rudean Harris closed the doors in September 2016, just shy of the restaurant’s 60th anniversary.
- Relive the vibe: For that authentic, community-centric soul food feel, visit Nana Morrison’s Soul Food.
This story was produced with the help of AI tools, which helped comb the archives for our best 2016 restaurant news. This content was edited by journalists in the newsroom. Read more on our AI policy here.
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
