Prepare your taste buds: this summer will offer plenty of opportunities to expand your palate. From new openings to menu updates and not-to-be-missed foodie events, here’s what we’re looking forward to in July:
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Noble Smoke – Opening July 25
Restaurateur Jim Noble’s 25-year vision will become reality in July 2019, when he opens his fifth operating restaurant, Noble Smoke, at 2216 Freedom Drive. Expect both Carolina-style pork and Texas-style brisket alongside seasonal vegetables and Southern side dishes. Stay tuned on Instagram for soft opening and menus details.
Napa at Kingsley – Opening July 15
via Facebook
Napa at Kingsley will open on July 15 in Fort Mill. Expect Napa Valley-influenced fare, plus twists on traditional Italian and Fresh dishes. They’ll also feature new Napa creations from Executive Chef Michael Griswold including oven roasted lamb chops, lobster orecchiette, veal saltimbocca and wild boar agnolotti. Browse the menus here and find them at 1310 Broadcloth Street Suite 101 in Fort Mill.
Reservations are now available online or by phone for dinner service only. Lunch service will be available in early August.
Pinhouse – Opening July 27
This two-story, Great Gatsby-esque taproom with 72 self-serve taps and Duckpin Bowling will celebrate its grand opening on July 27. Expect a corn hole tournament, live music from Nashville Star Canaan Cox, food trucks, giveaways and more.
Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse Rea Farms – Opening soon
via Facebook
Duckworth’s is bringing its fan-favorites menu and wide craft beer selection to Rea Farms in South Charlotte. They’re wrapping up soft openings over the holiday weekend, so expect an officially opening date soon. Find them at 9805-D Sandy Rock Place.
Jeni’s Park Road – Open now!
via Facebook
The latest edition to Park Road Shopping Center, Jeni’s offers its signature ice cream flavors at 4203 Park Rd. Also now open in NoDa as well as South End.
forchetta – Open now!
via Facebook
Uptown’s Caffe Siena is now forchetta, an authentic Italian eatery with many dishes straight from the streets of Naples. Expect shared appetizers, delectable entrées, a healthy wine list, house-infused cocktails and gourmet coffee on the menu crafted by Chef Luca Annunziata. Find them at 230 N College St., connected to The Holiday Inn Charlotte Center City.
Snooze, an A.M. Eatery – Open now!
via Facebook
Your mornings just got a whole lot better. Snooze, a Denver-based breakfast and lunch spot, opened its first east coast location at 1331 Central Avenue on June 26. The eatery features classic and innovative Benedicts, Sammies, bowls and pancakes alongside creative a.m. cocktails.
CLOSINGS:
Sadly, both Aix en Provence-Charlotte and Le Cochon d’Or in Waxhaw recently announced that they closed their doors.
FOODIE EVENTS
Beer & Food
July 10 | Protagonist | 5 – 8 p.m.
Learn all about beer and food pairings in this drop-in educational session that covers flavor chemistry and relevant interactions. Attendees will taste four menu items alongside pours of four beers, and leave with a better understanding of which beer pair best with favorite meals. $15 per person.
Sophia’s Lounge Two-Year Anniversary
July 11 | 6 p.m. – 12 a.m.
Help Sophia’s Lounge celebrate their two-year anniversary with music by DJ Jamie Overcash, favorite small plate selections like the Yellowfin Tuna Poke Stack and Filet Mignon Toast, plus celebratory cocktails including the Queen City Collins made with Ketel One, strawberry simple syrup, lemon juice and sparkling wine. A portion of proceeds will be donated to Levine Children’s Hospital. Reserve a table or lounge online or call 980.260.3227.
Tito’s Vodka & Federalist Wine Dinner
July 11 | Ruth’s Chris Steak House Charlotte SouthPark | 6:30 p.m.
The American Craft TasteMaker Dinner will feature cocktails made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, pours of The Federalist wines and a 5-course pairing menu. View the full menu here.
PlumpJack Wine Dinner
July 11 | The Porter’s House | 7 – 10 p.m.
Scot Gaffney, Eastern Regional Sales Manager of PlumpJack Winery, will lead this wine dinner featuring PlumpJack Chard, Cade Sauvignon Blanc, Adaptation Cabernet and Cade Cabernet Howell Mountain.
4th Annual CLT Burger Week
July 15 – 21 | Various locations
Take a bite out of Charlotte’s burger scene as more than 35 restaurants offer specialty, craft or gourmet burgers for just $6. Then, vote for your favorite.
Bread Making: Your Mom’s Donuts
July 15 | 7th Street Public Market | 6 – 7:30 p.m.
The professionals at Your Mom’s Donuts will teach attendees how to make brioche bread using locally-sourced ingredients. Admission includes one loaf of bread, one drink ticket redeemable for wine, beer or coffee, recipes and a 7th Street Public Market apron to take home. $45 per person.
Tour de France Wine Dinner
July 15 | Foxcroft Wine Co-Dilworth | 7 – 9 p.m.
Foxcroft Wine Co in Dilworth will host this French wine dinner with French wine import partner, Vintage 59. Expect a four-course menu prepared by Chef Justin Solomon paired with eight wines from the Champagne, Burgundy, Loire and Rhone regions of France.
Wine Tasting with Fess Parker Winery at DTR
July 16 | Dilworth Tasting Room | 5 – 8 p.m.
At this casual tasting, meet Fess Parker Winery & Vineyard Family Representative, Spencer Schull, sip on small-production wines (and perhaps bring home a favorite bottle), plus enjoy signature Dilworth Tasting Room charcuterie and light fare. Tickets are just $25 per person.
WP Feeds the Need with Allie of @EatDrinkCLT Benefitting CCSC
July 18 | WP Kitchen + Bar | 5 – 10 p.m.
WP Kitchen + Bar will team up with host Allie Papajohn of Eat Drink CLT for a night benefitting Community Culinary School of Charlotte. 10% of all sales for the evening will go to this non-profit that provides workforce training and job placement assistance in the food service industry for adults who face barriers to successful employment. Call 704.295.0101 to reserve your table.
Charlotte Restaurant Week
July 19 – 28 | Various participating restaurants
Have a spot you’ve been waiting to try? Charlotte Restaurant Week is your chance. This summer’s edition features 135 restaurants in 9 counties offering three-course, prix fixe dinners for just $30 or $35 per person. View participating restaurants and make reservations here.
“Staycation” Pop Up Dinner
July 19 | 4625 Piedmont Row Dr. | 6:30 p.m.
Occasions Catering will present its first “pop up dinner” on July 19, where top chefs will create courses inspired by some of the most famous vacation destinations in the world. The evening includes passed hor d’oeuvres and five courses with paired wines, all finished off with a flaming Hawaiian indulgence.
Southern Foodways Alliance Sunday Supper
July 21 | Haymaker Restaurant | 5:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Haymaker Restaurant will honor the Southern Foodways Alliance, an organization that documents, studies, and celebrates the diverse food cultures of the changing American South, in a Sunday Supper featuring Queen City’s best chefs. Participating chefs:
- William Dissen – Haymaker, The Market Place & Billy D’s Fried Chicken Restaurants
- Joe Kindred – Kindred & Hello Sailor Restaurants
- Greg Collier – Uptown Yolk Restaurant
- Rodolfo Montero – Sav/Way Foods
- Ashley Anna Tuttle – Community Matters Cafe
Tickets are $100 per person plus tax and gratuity.
MENU UPDATES
New summertime menu at WP Kitchen + Bar
WP Kitchen + Bar’s new summer menu features fresh new flavors perfect for beating the summer heat. Here’s what’s new on the menu:
- UAV Ricotta with fermented honey, local peaches, petite greens and grilled bread
- Spicy Pork and Beef Meatballs with tomato-basil garlic sauces and smoked ricotta salata
- Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with pecorino, truffle aioli, petite greens and lavash
- Sweet Corn Agnolotti with guanciale, carbonara and pecorino
- Grilled NC Rainbow Trout with summer squash, cherry tomatoes and feta-saffron sage
- Grilled Flat Iron with grilled asparagus and potatoes bravas
- Wood Oven Roasted Rainbow Carrots with fermented honey, stracciatella and pistachio crumble
- Brussels Sprouts with crispy chick peas, romesco and chili-lime salt
- Asparagus with carbonara cream, egg yolk jam and crispy prosciutto
Cocktails in the Courtyard is back at The Duke Mansion
Back by popular demand, The Duke Mansion’s summer cocktail evenings will return Monday – Thursday from 5 – 8 p.m. (except July 4 and July 16). Enjoy a refreshing cocktail or summer sangria while strolling the gardens. No reservation required.
Good Food on Montford rolls out new waitlist feature
Current Heirloom Tomato Salad via Facebook
Ahead of its upcoming 10-year anniversary, this popular Charlotte hotspot now offers guests the option to add their party to an electronic waitlist through the Wisely service. Note: Good Food on Montford will be closed for renovations until July 9.
N.C. Red now open for Sunday brunch
via Facebook
Bruce Moffett’s latest venture is now offering Sunday brunch from 1 to 5:30 p.m. Expect an evolving menu with items including chicken and waffles and traditional brunch dishes with seafood.
New Frozen Cocktails at Pokeatery in Epicentre
Searching for relief from the summer heat? Look no further than Pokeatery’s new frozen cocktails. Swing by to try the Froscato, made with pineapple Dole Whip and moscato and the Frosé, featuring strawberry dole whips and rosé.
