Food and Drink

Coffee shop voted best in Charlotte reopens in new spot. ‘Dream come true’

Nearly six months after it was forced to shutter, CHNO Coffee Co. finally has a new home.

Owner Carlea Recinos shared the good news on Instagram, calling it “a dream come true.” The café, once voted the best coffee shop in the city, officially opens Saturday, April 18, at the Elan LoSo apartments.

Customers were invited to pop in anytime between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The interior of a bright cafe features white brick walls adorned with elegant gold wall sconces and lush tropical greenery. Two round, speckled terrazzo tables are paired with a tan built-in banquette and minimalist white chairs. Several iced coffee drinks are placed on the tables, creating an inviting and contemporary atmosphere.
Nearly six months after it was forced to shutter, CHNO Coffee Co. is in a new space in Charlotte’s LoSo neighborhood. Moments by Dani

“The wait is OVER!” Recinos wrote earlier, announcing that she had signed a lease for the new spot. “We’re so so hype to share our heart for people in this new community space!”

In October, the café owner said she was booted from her rented space inside a Chantilly boutique “out of nowhere,” forcing the coffee shop to close temporarily, CharlotteFive previously reported.

Amanda Dwiggins, co-owner of the boutique, cited an “increasing number of contract violations” and “overstepping of boundaries,” but didn’t elaborate further.

A wide-angle shot shows the long, sleek white service counter of a modern coffee shop named “CHNO,” featuring a glass display case filled with colorful containers. Tropical plants trail from an upper ledge above the counter, contrasting with the industrial concrete pillars and grey tiled flooring. In the background, floor-to-ceiling windows reveal an urban view and a cozy seating area illuminated by warm, hanging globe lights.
“The wait is OVER!” CHNO Coffee Co. owner Carlea Recinos said. “We’re so so hype to share our heart for people in this new community space!” Moments by Dani

“Our family is choosing to see it as the push toward something new that is already waiting for us,” Recinos told CharlotteFive at the time. “We’re already dreaming up what’s next & searching for the perfect new home where we can continue to grow & serve Charlotte the way we love most.”

CHNO Coffee Co. will be open Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Saturday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This eye-level shot features a modern teal armchair with a built-in circular side table holding a layered iced coffee. In the background, tall snake plants in a black planter sit against a concrete pillar and large windows. The foreground is slightly blurred, showing a white coffee table topped with books and a chessboard.
CHNO Coffee Co. Moments by Dani
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CHNO Coffee Co.

Location: 4612 Gilead St, Charlotte, NC 28217

Menu

Cuisine: Coffee shop, mobile espresso bar

Instagram: @chnocoffee.co

greenleaf123 Getty Images/iStockphoto
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This story was originally published April 1, 2026 at 1:38 PM.

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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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