A popular uptown Charlotte bar reopens after closing 2 years ago due to COVID

An uptown bar is back in business, two years after temporarily closing because of COVID pandemic shutdowns.

Dandelion Market at 118 W. 5th St. reopened Thursday to a line of about 20 people waiting, co-owner Tommy Timmons said.

It’s one of the latest restaurants opening or planned to open in uptown, including Tikka Shack Indian Grub opening in May or June in the former B. Good restaurant location at 400 S. Tryon St., and Geno D’s Pizza, which opened in the fall at The Market at 7th St.

The Dandelion Market, which serves small plates liked fried brie, macaroni and cheese, and beef sliders, closed during statewide shutdowns in March 2020.

For now, “The Dando” will be open from 3 p.m. to 2 am. Thursday through Sunday. Brunch and lunch hours are expected to be added back eventually, Timmons said.

The Dandelion Market is part of Best Bars, which also owns Connolly’s Irish Pub and Prohibition in uptown, Workman’s Friend in Plaza Midwood and Tyber Creek Pub in South End.

Gradual reopenings around Charlotte

When COVID restrictions were eased, Best Bars began reopening the businesses with outdoor spaces and in neighborhoods, Timmons said.

Then, they started on uptown, “which has been slower to come back.”

Connolly’s opened about eight months ago, timed with the arena and the Panthers’ return. That was followed about a month later by Prohibition, which underwent renovations including adding VIP tables and bottle service booths.

Neither serve food so Timmons said it was easier to reopen them than The Dandelion Market.

The Dandelion Market, which opened 12 years ago, hired back the head chef and head manager, and is nearly fully staffed with 35 full- and part-time employees.

“That location takes the most to get restarted,” Timmons said of The Dandelion Market.

But as the COVID waves subsided and more people got vaccinated, and bank workers and sports and other events returned to uptown, Timmons said it was time to reopen the group’s last pub.

“It was a lot of pieces to put together,” Timmons said. “It’s been tough to deal with the uncertainty but now we feel really optimistic about the future.”

This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 5:53 PM.