A pink phone that says ‘spill the tea’? Meet Plaza Midwood’s Plot Twist
Dreams are coming true in Plaza Midwood.
A new coffee and cocktail bar is opening April 21. And this one’s for the girlies. (Although everyone is welcome, of course.)
In fact, Plot Twist will complete a sweet spot of women-owned businesses tucked along Lyon Court, which includes Katie Mitchell’s Trope Bookshop and Wiloe Home & Gift, owned by Tanya Wilson and Karly Allison-Poe.
“This is for the ones that wanted green walls and gold, and they’re just trying to find themselves,” said Plot Twist co-owner Nikki Velazquez, who dreamed up the space, accented with shiny backdrops and lush velvet furniture. Her fiance and co-owner, Eric Flanigan, will serve as the CFO.
‘This is my baby. This is my brain child,” she added.
Woman-designed space
Plot Twist is situated in a 1,627-square-foot space that was once an auto shop, giving it an industrial feel on the outside. But on the inside, it’s decidedly playful.
The space’s design — filled with bright colors and glimpses of shine — can sit 50 people and was led by Blaire Chastaine of Chastaine & Company, with architecture by Amber Cagle of Black Dove Design.
Outside, artist Carla Garrison-Mattos is working on a mural, although the design has not yet been revealed. A dog-friendly patio will offer space for 30 more people.
Beverages at Plot Twist
Finishing touches on the menu are being finalized, but Plot Twist’s drinks will be based off of eight flavor profiles.
- Ube Coconut
- Mountain Berry
- Thai Tea
- Lavender Vanilla
- Matcha Banana Pudding
- Brown Sugar Cardamom
- Chai
- Espresso Martini
From there, you can choose a mocktail, cocktail or cafe beverage. For example, the ube coconut flavor profile’s cafe beverage is an ube coconut matcha topped with a sweet, thick cold foam. The cocktail version is made with prosecco, coconut rum, house-made ube syrup and sparkling water.
The setup, created with the help of assistant general manager Sarah Woods, is meant to give customers a variety of options to keep the good times going — whether or not you’re drinking alcohol.
“If you like a profile and you’re like, ‘Oh God, that flavor looks delicious, but I don’t want a cocktail right now,’ you can get it in multiple different versions,” Velazquez said.
Spill the tea at Plot Twist
One thing you’ll want to keep an eye out for is the cocktail bar’s charming special feature.
In the lounge area, sits a pink rotary phone — which Gen Z’s digital natives may be entirely unfamiliar with. (That’s how the elders used to speak to others. Sometimes for hours, even.)
When you answer the one at Plot Twist, you’ll hear a fun prompt: “Spill the tea, tell us everything, sis.”
Those messages will eventually find their way to a “Tea of the Week” feature, shared at the beginning of each week. But don’t worry — it will all remain anonymous in the spirit of good fun.
Plot Twist
Location: 1518 Lyon Ct, Charlotte, NC 28205
Cuisine: Coffee, cocktails + mocktails
Instagram: @plottwistclt
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
