Before we get into the holidays full-swing, make time to try the latest and greatest in Charlotte’s culinary scene. Read on for the food news to know this month:
NEW & NOTEWORTHY
Ava – Open now
New to Optimist Hall, Ava offers handmade pasta and Neapolitan pizza cooked at 900 degrees in an authentic Italian-made pizza oven.
KiKi – Open now
From the team behind Soul Gastrolounge, KiKi offers guests three unique concepts in one: a sleek cocktail lounge, trendy dining room and rooftop terrace. Soul’s Chef Jason Pound will also be running the kitchen at KiKi.
Bossy Beulah – Open now
Charlotteans now have another chicken sandwich to add to the running of favorites. The no-nonsense chicken shack from chef and restaurateur Jim Noble now open on Freedom Drive. Named for Noble’s great Aunt Beulah, Bossy Beulah’s will serve up fried chicken sandwiches, hand cut fries, slaw and classic beverages.
Room and Board – Opening soon
Be on the lookout for this new bar and grill concept opening the first week of December at 3228 N Davidson St.
WP Kitchen + Bar closing this month
Sadly (and surprisingly), SouthPark’s WP Kitchen + Bar will close this month. In a statement sent to us, the restaurant explains “We have been working diligently with the landlord over the past few months to try and put good terms in place moving forward, but unfortunately we haven’t been able to come to an agreement. With that being said, we will be closing our doors the third week of December.”
Editors Note: Harris Teeter at PRSC rumored to be closing for renovation starting in early January.
Threads on the area “Next Door” abound on the topic, with various start dates in play. This renovation has been rumored for quite a while though…stay tuned.
FOODIE EVENTS
Wine Dinner & Pairing at Cicchetti
December 3 | 6:30 p.m.
Kick off the month with this 5-course wine and food pairing dinner on Tuesday, December 3 at Cicchetti in conjunction with DAOU Vineyards.
Guests will learn about the producer’s sustainable, natural winemaking practice, as well as the Daou brothers’ journey from Lebanon to producing world-class Cabernet Sauvignon in Paso Robles, California. Special guest will be DAOU Fine Wine Sales Director David Muir.
View the menu HERE. Cost is $100 per person.
Wine classes at Corkbuzz
Toast to the holiday season with a wine class at SouthPark’s Corkbuzz. See all Corkbuzz classes here.
- Wine 101 – December 10
- Exploring Red Varietals – December 17
- Perfect Pairings: Wine and Cheese – December 18
- The “Roaring 2020” New Year’s Eve Party
Hello, Sailor Guest Chef Dinner Series
December 3 | Hello, Sailor | 7 p.m.
Head to the Lake for the second edition of Hello, Sailor’s chef series featuring James Beard Foundation semi-finalist Chef Cheetie Kumar. Tickets include multiple chef-prepared courses and paired drinks. $120 per person.
Napa’s Seventh Annual Christmas Party
December 3 | Napa on Providence | 6-9 p.m.
Napa on Providence will celebrate their seventh annual Christmas party benefiting Toys for Tots with hor d’oeuvres, beer and wine. Admission is $25 plus an unwrapped toy for donation.
Mingle with Kris Kringle
December 7 | Fig Tree Restaurant | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Fig Tree’s fifth annual holiday charity event supporting MiraVia, a local safe haven for pregnant women, offers brunch hors d’oeuvres, cookies, mimosas and pastries to enjoy while visiting with Kris Kringle. $20 per adult, $10 for kids 12 and under.
Wine Dinner
December 11 | Bistro D’Antonio, Waxhaw | 6:30 p.m.
Head south of town to Waxhaw for Bistro D’Antonio’s monthly wine dinner featuring five courses and wine pairings. Call 704.243.0633 to reserve your spot.
High Tea for the Holidays
December 14 | McNinch House Restaurant | 1-3 p.m.
Head to the McNinch House, which will be decked out in its holiday best, for an authentic high tea complete with sweet and savory indulgences served on antique china and silver. The cost is $65 per person, and reservations are highly suggested. Reservations can be made by calling 704.332.6159 or emailing mcninchhouse@gmail.com.
A Hemp and Forbidden Farewell Dinner with Clark Barlowe
December 16 | Free Range Brewing | 6:30 p.m.
Ahead of Clark Barlowe’s move out of Charlotte, enjoy a four-course farewell dinner featuring hemp and other “forbidden” ingredients. Each course will be paired with a Free Range Brewing beer.
Truffle Wine Dinner
December 16 | AQUA e VINO | 6:30-10 p.m.
The annual six-course dinner will feature white truffles from Alba in the Piemonte region of Italy with every course, plus wine. $200 per person. Call 704.364.4445 to reserve your seat.
Feast of The Seven Fishes
December 22 | The Porter’s House | 6-9 p.m.
Enjoy the “The Feast of The Seven Fishes,” a long-standing tradition of eating seafood on Christmas Eve. Wine pairings available. $75+.
The Roaring 2020 NYE Party
December 31 | Corkbuzz Charlotte
Travel back to the roaring 1920s, a time marked by prohibition and daring trends, to ring in a new era at Corkbuzz. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour with passed canapès and cocktails that were popular in the 1920s, followed by a four-course seated dinner with wine pairings and a champagne toast as the clock nears midnight. See the full menu HERE. Tickets are $125 through December 15. After that, prices go up to $175 per person.
MENU UPDATES & OFFERINGS
Give the gift of wine and chocolate at Cicchetti
Wine and chocolate lovers will covet gifts from Uptown’s Cicchetti, which not only offers a lively spot to enjoy authentic Italian small bites and shareable dishes, but also offers wine bottles and customized wine gift baskets with artisan chocolates. The retail shop offers more than 500 selections from around the world available for on-site consumption, carryout, curbside pickup, and delivery.
Head to the holiday pop-up at Merchant & Trade
Head to the rooftop at Merchant & Trade December 2-24 as they transform into a winter wonderland with ‘instagrammable’ spaces, seasonal specialty cocktails and winter-inspired dishes.
Give and receive with Fahrenheit’s gift card special
Give and receive when you buy a gift card to one of Charlotte’s premier rooftop dining hotspots. Purchase a $100 gift card and receive a free $25 gift card.
Catch local Twenty Degrees Chocolates in Garden & Gun’s Holiday Gift Guide
Looking for something unique and local to gift this season? Twenty Degrees Chocolates’ pâtes de fruits ($18 for 12 pieces) are featured in the Garden & Gun Holiday Gift Guide (December 2019).
Give back and share the joy at Fin & Fino
Order “The Treatment” at Fin & Fino throughout December to help with their Adopt a Family holiday mission. The restaurant will adopt two local families and provide them with meals, home needs, and uplifting experiences, with the goal of changing the trajectory of these families by brightening their lives and giving them a fresh start for the new year. $5 from each order of The Treatment, a menu option in which guests allow the Fin & Fino team to take control of their meal and guide them on a dining adventure, goes toward the cause.
Still looking to host a holiday soirée? Fin & Fino still has dates available for private events in December and January. A private event booking includes host’s choice of a complimentary holiday punch or dessert spread for the party. The private event spaces have capacity for 24-80 people, in addition to outdoor patio space. Inquire online.
Give the Corkbuzz experience with gift card sale or custom event
The perfect gift for friends, colleagues and family members, Corkbuzz gift cards offer something for everyone, even the purchaser. Receive an extra 10% off for gift cards $100-$349, 15% for gift cards $350-$699 and 20% for gift cards $700-$1110. See more information here.
Prefer to gift wine? Corkbuzz offers curated retail wine selections, or let co-owner and master sommelier Laura Fiorvanti curate a cellar based on your profile and budget. Start here.
