Charlotte Magazine October 2020

Jasmine Jordan Calls Her Own Shots p. 21

The City’s Tastiest Chicken Sandwiches p. 38

The Sting’s WNBA Finals Run, Revisited p. 60

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CONTENTS CHARLOTTE / OCTOBER 2020 / VOL. 25, NUMBER 10

Features 42 CHARLOTTE HAUNTS 44

SCHOOL SPIRIT More than 163 years of ghosts have taken up residence at Queens University

BY GREG LACOUR

48

THE HAUNT HOPPER A Mooresville historian and high school teacher shares three spooky local legends

BY TAYLOR BOWLER

52

STAGE FRIGHT As Carolina Theatre heads toward a reopening, which ghosts will join the curtain call?

BY ANDY SMITH

Plus 60 STING PRIDE

In a dry season for sports in this city, the Charlotte Sting advanced to the WNBA Finals for the only time in its 10-year history

BY JARRETT VAN METER

ON THE COVER: Queens University of Charlotte in Myers Park, where staff and students have observed paranormal phenomena over the past century.

Photograph by Chris Edwards.

ON THIS PAGE: As it renovates Carolina Theatre, Foundation for the Carolinas is also cataloguing its rich history—including its hauntings. Photograph by Sean Busher.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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21

10 20 CONTENTS

ALEX CASTEEL; BECCA BOND PHOTOGRAPHY; PETER TAYLOR; LOGAN CYRUS

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 From the Editor 11

Connect

12

Contributors

88

You Are Here

THE GUIDE 78 Restaurants The city’s savviest restaurant listings

35

18 THE BUZZ 15 Life Lessons John Quillin, the longtime director of Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte 18

Community Davidson teen Amelia Wyatt helps young immigrants see themselves in stories

THE GOOD LIFE 21 People Jasmine Jordan builds on her famous father’s legacy 24

Style Bella Tunno clothes babies and gives back

FOOD + DRINK 35 Now Open Roy’s Kitchen & Patio brings island vibes to NoDa

25

Real Estate Hot listings with impeccable craftsmanship

26

Room We Love A stylish beverage center

38

Local Flavor A chicken sandwich blitz

27

Seen The city’s best party pics

40

On the Line Little Mama’s pasta magician Tom Dyrness

28

Engagement New York-based art activists install ice sculptures in Charlotte

41

Bite Sized News Foodie news on a small plate

30

Seasonal Fun A socially distanced fall activity guide

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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F RO M T H E E D I TO R

A CHAT WITH THE GHOST POSTER

Volume 25, Number 10

OCTOBER 2020

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www.charlottemagazine.com

To understand history, you have to wade through its legends. One local Instagrammer offers plenty of those

I DON’T HAVE ANY GHOST STORIES, but I always listen intently when I’m told one. It takes vulnerability to recount a paranormal encounter to a friend, and that act, at the least, deserves your attention. And even if you don’t walk away a believer, ghost stories reveal things about people, what’s shaped them and their belief systems.

I believe that to be true for cities, too.

I knew I could gain more insight into Charlotte by talking to someone who chronicles its ghosts. That’s why I slid like a specter into the DMs of @SpookyCLT, an Instagram account dedicated to the ghosts, Andy Smith monsters, and oddities of Charlotte. Jason andrew.smith@charlottemagazine.com Tapp, a community manager at a coworking space in South End by day, moved to Charlotte five years ago and started this account after hearing so many of the city’s otherworldly stories. Recent posts on the feed share insight on Lake Norman monster sightings, a haunted home in Myers Park, and the opening date for local Spirit Halloween costume stores.

Tapp hasn’t encountered the paranormal in Charlotte, but his fiancée has: As she drove home after a visit with a friend, she saw a ghost. Considering where she was, Tapp says she must have encountered the Ghost Rider of Hopewell Cemetery. (Learn about that spirit on the account’s June 22 post.)

Tapp’s DMs are always open, as he regularly calls for submissions to @SpookyCLT that share real-life encounters in Charlotte and Iongstanding legends. As of August, posts on the account neared 1,000. I ask him why he provides this platform. “Local lore and ghost stories often coincide with past events,” he says. “Sharing spooky stories is a unique way of sharing Charlotte History.”

Our editorial staff agrees. On page 54, we explore several stories passed down through generations in the Charlotte area. I write about more than a century of hauntings at Carolina Theatre that track with uptown’s evolution, from the retail-heavy mid-1900s to the ever-rising structures that shape its future. Senior Editor Greg Lacour tours the campus of 163-year-old Queens University of Charlotte and discovers some of the legends students still encounter. Lifestyle Editor Taylor Bowler speaks to two generations of Mooresville historians about what lurks in a cemetery, a high school gym, and elsewhere in Iredell County.

In each story, you’ll find a bit of fun and, more important, a reverence for the power of local legend. After you read them, we encourage you to share these tales with your friends and family during a Halloween when trickor-treating won’t be as free-roaming and gleeful. Tapp will celebrate in a different way, too. When we chat in August, he shares that he’s planning his wedding, “which is on October 31st, of course.”

Congrats to the spooky couple.

8

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Andy Smith SENIOR EDITOR Greg Lacour LIFESTYLE EDITOR Taylor Bowler ART DIRECTOR Jane Fields CONTRIBUTING Allison Braden EDITORS Jen Tota McGivney COPYEDITORS/ Allison Braden FACT-CHECKERS CONTRIBUTING Becca Bond PHOTOGRAPHERS Sean Busher Alex Casteel Erin Comerford Daniel Coston Logan Cyrus Chris Edwards Ariel Perry Peter Taylor Rusty Williams CONTRIBUTING Shaw Nielsen ILLUSTRATORS CONTRIBUTING Cristina Bolling WRITERS Michelle Boudin Allison Braden Allison Futterman Michael J. Solender Jarrett Van Meter

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CONTRIBUTORS

Email editor@charlottemagazine.com for writer’s guidelines. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations, or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/artist/author. Charlotte magazine assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and may use them at its discretion.

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Connect

ONLINE EXTRAS, EVENTS, AND CONVERSATIONS

REACT

Responses to the August issue of Charlotte magazine

We will definitely be reading this edition cover to cover!!!!

Instagram comment by @ beers_and_burpees

rid of the styrofoam and use something more earth friendly!

Facebook comment by Jan Wallace

To: “What Joe Wanted,” p. 23 Excellent article about @joedancefilm!

Still time to get your tickets. #joedance2020 #joedancevirtual Tweet from @kcrum

So inspiring to see how people are making the best of this crazy situation we’re in. Delicious!!

Instagram comment by @jherbster1

To: “Salvation Through Dictation,” p. 31 I almost scrolled by this post, but it had too many “unusuals” for me to pass it by. Glad I visited Facebook comment

by Tim Shue To: “From the Rooftop to Ground Level,” p. 36 Love your idea and food!

But could you please get

Yum! Going to be anywhere near Waxhaw anytime soon?

Instagram comment by @candid_kathryn Such a great food truck ... Loving all the aloha feels. Chef @djfeimster is amazing!

Instagram comment by @clt.remedy Incredible! Restaurateurs are some of the most

innovative & resilient people around Instagram comment by @davishumphriesdesign To: “The 2020 Charlotte Beer Bracket,” p. 46 Great graphic and article @CharlotteMag Tweet from @CLTdevelopment That number 2 is my number one but it is hard to go wrong with any of these on this list.

Tweet from @pixelnated

ON THE WEB Want more to read? Check out these popular stories on charlottemagazine.com.

1.

A Farewell to Marion Paynter, the Observer’s Keeper of Memory 2.

Yes, Charlotte, That Was an Earthquake 3.

GALLERY: Blue Lives Matter, Charlotte Uprising Events Collide in Uptown

Keeping this handy for next time I decide to go on a beer run.

Tweet from @TOPolk That final four though …

Tweet from @ProducerMikeT

To: “Outmanned Old Party,” p. 40 Your liberal rag isn’t wanted in my house Your article on the Republican Party was so full of ignorant statements and lies you should be embarrassed. Truly pathetic Email from Bryan Turner to Senior Editor and story author Greg Lacour If you haven’t read @greglacour’s piece about the GOP in Charlotte in the latest @CharlotteMag, get on it.

Tweet from @iftheshoefits Great reporting & writing by @greglacour Tweet from @EdwinPeacockIII Fantastic, illuminating article. Explains why fiscally conservative moderates, like me and Richard Vinroot, are so disappointed. I loved our Mayor McCrory but couldn’t stand Governor McCrory. I think it’s going to take more than messaging to fix, though.

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Contributors Cristina Bolling Wrote “You Are Here,” page 88 Neighborhood: Ballantyne Hometown: Reston, Va. Favorite thing about fall: The smell of from-scratch pumpkin bread straight from the oven How will you be celebrating Halloween this year? Hopefully with some socially distant neighborhood trick-or-treating.

(My youngest is 9, so we don’t have many of those years left!)

Most memorable costume: My mom, who’s the ultimate costume maker, sewed me a sweet angel costume when I was about 5 (my older brother was a devil), and then two years later we removed the wings and halo and transformed it into the tooth fairy.

Two great costumes, and classic ’70s/’80s resourcefulness!

Chris Edwards Jarrett Van Meter Wrote “Sting Pride,” page 60 Lives in: Asheville Hometown: Lexington, Ky. Favorite thing about fall: Wearing flannels and the smell of woodsmoke.

How will you be celebrating Halloween this year? With a mask on!

Most memorable costume: A cow.

I love them.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

Lives in: Fort Mill, S.C. Hometown: Toledo, Ohio Favorite thing about fall: The first few days of crisp, cool air after months of sweltering misery.

How will you be celebrating Halloween this year? I celebrate every day that I wake up by just being grateful. I don’t wait for a holiday.

Most memorable costume: I went to The Thirsty Beaver Halloween party once dressed as The Thirsty Beaver ...

Man, I wish I still had the picture.

Made my own wooden beaver teeth, too. (I could even drink beer with them in place!)

COURTESY; DYLAN PARNELL; CHRIS EDWARDS

Photographed “Charlotte Haunts,” pages 42-51 and cover

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INSIDE: LIFE LESSONS / COMMUNITY

BUZZ

THE

WHAT MATTERS NOW IN THE CITY

LI F E L E SS O N S

RUSTY WILLIAMS

JOHN QUILLIN

The Gay Men’s Chorus founder on music, acceptance, and his nearly four decades in Charlotte

BY ALLISON FUTTERMAN

IN THE EARLY 1990s, at the height of the AIDS crisis, musician, singer, and LGBTQ activist John Quillin added the 51st name to a list he kept of the friends he’d lost.

Then he stopped counting. “I just cried and cried. I couldn’t do it anymore,” he says.

“They had so much to offer the world, and they were all dead.”

By then, Quillin was already a leader in Charlotte’s LGBTQ community, and he’s continued his activism to this day. In 2006, he merged his activism and lifelong passion for music by founding Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte, now a 51-member group that tours and performs at community functions, and is so inclusive it doesn’t require members to be gay. We recently caught up with Quillin, 61, to Continued on next page OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

15

THE BUZZ talk about his work with the chorus and his own experience in Charlotte over the last 39 years. His words have been edited for space and clarity.

I’M ORIGINALLY FROM KINGSPORT, in East Tennessee. I moved to Charlotte in 1981, chasing my first love. It did not end well.

I LOVED IT HERE. It was an easy place to make friends. There were so many transplants, and everyone was looking to connect.

That worked to my advantage.

THERE WASN’T MUCH GOING ON in the LGBT community.

There were a few bars, which I didn’t go to. There was a group called “Acceptance,” and there was the Gay and Lesbian Switchboard, but I didn’t know about either of them at that time. My activism started in 1983, and I became deeply involved, even running the switchboard for a couple of years.

THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF CHANGE in the Charlotte LGBT community. At first, we didn’t have any arts organizations. We now have a plethora of things that run the gamut, including youth services. Who could imagine being out as a teenager in 1981?

I WAS IN IT AT THE TIME, but I was prepared to go into the ministry. I was going to matriculate in seminary, but then decided the Presbyterian Church was not ready for me. And I wasn’t ready for the Church.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE SOUTH was more conservative than up North, and there was very limited LGBT clergy.

My experience with the Presbyterians wasn’t personal. Nobody said, “Get out of here, you faggot.”

TO GET A POSITION AS A MINISTER, an individual congregation had to invite you. They basically hired you. And you’d have to be ordained by the Presbytery. That was really hard to do if you were gay. I didn’t want to fight with them about whether I could be myself and who I thought God created me to be.

I COULDN’T GO TO CHURCH for about 10 years. It made me angry to feel like my calling was yanked away from me by people who didn’t know any better. It took a long time for me to reconcile with the Church, but I did. Eventually, I ended up attending the Episcopal church that hosts the Gay Men’s Chorus of Charlotte. They’re open and generous and Christlike.

I STARTED PLAYING CELLO in sixth grade. That’s a late start, by comparison, but I really took to it. I majored in cello and composition in college. But there weren’t enough hours in the day for a performance major and composition, so I dropped composition and stuck with cello. I wound up changing my major to music theory, because that allowed me to get out of the music building a little more often. A degree in music theory allowed me to get as close as possible to a choral conducting degree. I also taught myself guitar, because it’s not like you can take a cello out by a fire and start playing. I was part of a bluegrass gospel band, and we went all over North Carolina, singing in churches. It was a lot of fun.

16

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

I’VE BEEN MARRIED FOR FIVE YEARS, and together with my husband, Rick Haffner, for 28 years. He’s an American Sign Language interpreter. We met at a Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses festival in Denver. The Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus took the stage, and they had the most amazing sign language interpreter. He did such a beautiful job, it made me cry. I wrote in the program book that I wanted to marry the sign language interpreter! We made lunch plans and have been together ever since.

“It’s important to create compelling programming, especially around social justice.”

—JOHN QUILLIN

GAY MEN’S CHORUSES got started out of the AIDS crises of the ’80s and ’90s. We were singing for our lives. To this day, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles lists the members who died. It’s a huge list. Our chorus is mostly gay men, but you don’t actually have to be gay or a man to be in our chorus. We’ve had straight women, lesbian women, trans men, and trans women. Our 51 members range in age from mid-twenties to 78, and the ages are pretty evenly spaced. And they come from a variety of fields, including healthcare, banking, education, and IT. WE TRY TO DO A REPERTOIRE that features music by gay composers and works commissioned by other gay choruses. We also commission work ourselves that celebrate LGBT culture.

It’s about connecting with the audience but also about embracing and celebrating gay male culture. We do “Dancing Queen,” “Believe” by Cher, and we include a song specific to losing friends to AIDS. IT’S IMPORTANT TO CREATE compelling programming, especially around social justice. We spread a message of inclusion and kindness. LGBT citizens have a lot to do with changing the world, and we want to create a society that values and respects LGBT citizens.

THE SONG “MAKE THEM HEAR YOU” means, “Don’t give up your voice.” Don’t let it be silenced. You will be found. It’s a strong song of hope that lets people know they’re not alone. You might think you are, but we’re here. And other people are, too.

WE DO TICKETED CONCERTS, but we also do a lot of community engagements. We’ve been invited to play at churches, restaurants, museums—for benefit performances. It helps raise awareness and money for LGBT causes.

WHEN MUSICIANS ARE IN THE MOMENT, that’s when the connection with the audience happens. You can’t communicate with the audience if you’re not in the moment with the music. I’m willing to let some things go in rehearsals, as far as imperfections.

BEING PERFECT IS NOT WHAT WE NEED. We need to be together rhythmically and communicate the emotional content

of the material. The audience will be forgiving about a small imperfection. As managing artistic director, I get the blame when things go wrong. When things go right, it’s nice to give recognition to other people.

OVER TIME, we’ve advanced with our artistic achievement and been able to take on more difficult musical challenges. We consistently sound twice the size we are. As we’ve become recognized for our artistic achievement, we’ve gotten more invitations. We sing well, consistently, and we get that recognition.

WE’VE ONLY BEEN PROTESTED ONCE, and it was only a couple of people. It wasn’t really much of a protest. In the South, if you act like nothing’s wrong, everyone will usually do the same. So if we act like being gay is no big deal, most people respond the same way.

WHEN WE GOT AN ARTS AND SCIENCE COUNCIL GRANT, it was a huge deal. They had never funded an LGBT organization with operating support. They also invited us to participate in Culture Feast last fall. Their recognition and support was a huge affirmation.

ONE TIME, AFTER A CONCERT, we were greeting folks and a family introduced themselves. They were from West Virginia.

We asked what brought them to town, and they said they came here just to see the concert. They brought their son, who had

never seen anything like this. He had just come out as gay. I was floored that these parents were so supportive that they drove him about 300 miles to see us. There have been times when parents will call and ask if we will let their kids play with us. They say, “My child needs this.” And we’ve let them.

WHEN THE HB2 SITUATION HAPPENED, we commissioned a piece of music around it. There’s a guy in Seattle, Eric Lane Barnes. He’s hysterically funny. Not mean, but he makes a situation clear with humor. We wanted a piece we could perform but also that other gay choruses could use, because there were similar bills in the works in other cities. It was called, “Our Number One Problem.” And one line went, “We just want to tinkle. We just want to whiz. We never stop to think about what a brave act it is.”

I SEE IT AS A THREE-LEGGED STOOL. You have social change, otherwise you’re just any old choir. You must have artistic excellence, because it doesn’t matter what your message is if you don’t have artistic excellence. And third is family. We couldn’t do what it takes without the camaraderie and support. The music matters, but it’s about way more than the music. We’re singing to create change in the world.

ALLISON FUTTERMAN is a freelance writer based in Charlotte. She can be reached at aliwrites10@gmail.com.

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17

THE BUZZ CO M M U N I T Y

LEARNING TO FLY

Amelia Wyatt’s picture book and quiet leadership help young immigrants see themselves in stories

BY ALLISON BRADEN

18

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

Ozzie and the Island is dual-language. The full text appears in both languages, so Ozzie can meet children where they are, which may not be in one language or the other but somewhere in between.

“It was the seminal project of my adolescence,” she says, and it helped her understand the kind of leader she’d like to be. “Being a leader can be in these quiet moments that people forget. It could be highlighting a story of somebody you just met or reading a book to a small child.”

At the preschool, children are drawn to her patient, relaxed approach. “They love to sit with her and paint and say, ‘I want to do what she did,’” Shaw says. Since 2017, Ozzie and the Island has raised more than $100,000 to continue La Escuelita’s mission to provide Latino children with vital preparation for school. This spring, as a senior at Cannon School in Concord, Wyatt also won the National Society of High School Scholars’ Claes Nobel Future Female Leader Scholarship, which, after a gap year, she plans to apply to her first semester at Duke University in fall 2021.

But the success of Ozzie and the Island goes beyond fundraising. “There’s a special pain in never seeing yourself in a book,” says Balaka Basu, who spe-

Amelia Wyatt, 18, authored a Spanish-English book, Ozzie and the Island, which she’s read from and signed at Main Street Books in Davidson (below).

Since publication in 2017, sales of the book have raised more than $100,000 for La Escuelita in Davidson, a preschool for Latino children where Wyatt volunteered (opposite).

cializes in children’s literature as an associate professor of English at UNC Charlotte. All human beings understand their lives through stories, she explains, and they help develop and affirm children’s developing identities. “You’re not just learning words,” Basu says. “You’re learning a culture.”

LOGAN CYRUS; COURTESY (2)

LA ESCUELITA SAN ALBAN was in trouble. The preschool, part of Davidson’s San Alban Episcopal Church, launched in 2014 to provide affordable, play-based learning in English and Spanish, and it’s faced an uphill battle for funding ever since. Amelia Wyatt, who is ColombianAmerican and now 18, volunteered there almost from the beginning: She helped children learn to count with chocolate chips and, on summer Fridays, had as much fun as the toddlers playing outdoor water games.

When Wyatt was in middle school, where she drew whimsical birds in the margins of her math notes, a funding shortage threatened to end La Escuelita’s preschool program. She knew how she could help. La Escuelita’s executive director, Pat Shaw, connected Wyatt with the Davidson publisher Lorimer Press, whose editor, Leslie Rindoks, helped Wyatt turn her writing and artwork into a bilingual picture book, Ozzie and the Island. Wyatt worked on the project for over two years before its publication in 2017 as the preschool managed to stay afloat. “Most people think that it’s easy because it’s simple,” Wyatt says. “But it’s actually the simplicity that makes it complex.”

She carefully shaped the book’s narrative, about a tired bird who encounters unkindness and obstacles on a strange island, to reflect the immigrant experience. She was careful to do justice to the challenges faced by her mother, Edna, who immigrated from Colombia in the mid-1980s, and the families she worked with at La Escuelita. Then she had to distill the story into writing and illustrations that complemented rather than echoed each other. Like La Escuelita, where each classroom has both Spanishspeaking and English-speaking teachers,

Children under 8 in particular are irrevocably shaped by the interactions, narratives, and experiences they encounter.

To illustrate the importance of representation in literature, Basu cites education scholar Rudine Sims Bishop: “Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection, we can see our own lives and experiences as part of the larger human experience.”

As activists protest for racial justice and better representation in American public life, the publishing industry has come under renewed scrutiny. Our literature still doesn’t reflect the vast diversity of experience this country contains.

But Basu finds hope in today’s youth.

Generation Z, she says, embraces difference more than previous generations.

Books like Wyatt’s, and the quiet leadership she embodies, help make that possible. When children engage with a wide range of human experiences and see their own lives reflected in literature, Basu says, “we’re giving them the opportunity to make a better world.”

Wyatt, who considers herself an introvert, may not have seemed the natural choice to lead a fundraising campaign, but her passion for the program helped her overcome her shyness. “I sent hundreds of emails, I went to talk in boardrooms, at town halls—whoever would listen,” she

says. She didn’t feel like she had much of a choice. “I thought the adults around me would do something,” she says, “but, you know, adults are very busy.”

ALLISON BRADEN is a writer, Spanish translator, and contributing editor for this magazine.

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GOOD LIFE

INSIDE: PEOPLE / STYLE / REAL ESTATE / ENGAGEMENT / ROOM WE LOVE / SEASONAL FUN

THE

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF LIVING HERE

Jasmine’s son, Rakeem, is Michael Jordan’s first grandchild.

Rakeem calls Jordan “Grandpop.”

P EO P L E

Heiress Jordan ALEX CASTEEL

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALEX CASTEEL AND ARIEL PERRY

THE LAST DANCE nudged her into the national spotlight, but Jasmine Jordan was building on her father’s basketball legacy in Charlotte long before the ESPN docuseries aired.

Here are 11 more things to know about the 27-year-old daughter of Michael Jordan Continued on next page

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

21

THE GOOD LIFE SHE’S IN THE FAMILY BUSINESS. Jasmine works at Nike’s Jordan Brand, where she represents players for the Charlotte Hornets, the team her father owns, as well as a handful of players from the Dallas Mavericks, the Washington Wizards, and the WNBA. It’s her job to make sure her players have sneakers, apparel, and equipment for the season and coordinate all photo shoots and media appearances.

She typically travels once a quarter to Portland, Oregon, where her older brother Jeffrey works in digital marketing in Jordan Brand’s main office. Jasmine also designs shoes and apparel for the Jordan Heiress Collection, part of the brand’s women’s division. “I love going to work every day,” she says. “That relationship with athletes and the creativity with fashion—it’s a burrito of perfection.”

SHE MAKES ROOM FOR WOMEN IN THE HUDDLE. “I always wanted Jordan Brand to understand women,” she says, “because it’s not just men who wear our sneakers or play basketball.” At 10, she would send her dad sketches of jumpsuits, rompers, and sweaters, which he’d give to the apparel team to create one or two sample garments to send back to Jasmine. She calls herself the “original test subject.” Today she works side by side with the women’s apparel team, and she represents WNBA stars Asia Durr, Kia Nurse, and Maya Moore, the three female athletes signed to Jordan Brand. “My goal is to have 10 or 12 female athletes signed,” she says. “As long as I’m with the brand and I have that Jordan name, I’m gonna really push to get more female athletes and show the same love to our women as our men.”

GROWING UP JORDAN WAS SURPRISINGLY NORMAL. Jasmine went to public school in Bannockburn, Illinois, and says she’s still friends with classmates from kindergarten. “My parents had to have those sit-downs at school and say, ‘This is who we are, let’s not make it awkward.’ So I didn’t get any special treatment,” she says. She admits it took her a while to realize why her dad is such a big deal. “I had to Google him when I was 10 or 11. I needed to understand why everyone kept saying my dad was so cool,” she says with a laugh.

“I don’t think my dad ever called himself the greatest of all time—that was given to him.”

HER MOM IS A SUPERSTAR, TOO. Jasmine’s mother, Juanita Vanoy, now divorced from her father, didn’t participate in The Last Dance. But Jasmine credits

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

her with instilling a sense of Jasmine and her normalcy and humility in her fiancé, ex-NBA player Rakeem Christmas, and her two older brothers, celebrated the birth Jeffrey and Marcus, while her of “Little ’Keem” in dad was off winning championMay 2019. ships. “At one point, I thought I didn’t want to go to college, but my mom really hammered in the importance of having that degree,” she says. “She told me, ‘As a female you work 10 times harder, and as a Black female, you work 20 times harder.’ I wanted to build upon my legacy, but I had to make sure I went about it the right way, not just riding the family name.”

COMPETITIVENESS RUNS IN THE FAMILY …

“I don’t like to lose, and I know I get that from him,” Jasmine says. The Jordans have epic game nights when they play UNO and Jenga. “But our competitive juices can send everyone home. My brothers and I will go weeks without talking to each other.” She also loves watching competitive reality shows and wants to go on Floor Is Lava or American Ninja Warrior. “It’s an itch I need to scratch,” she says. … BUT BASKETBALL NEVER CAME NATURALLY TO HER. Jasmine grew up watching Lisa Leslie and Sheryl Swoopes in the WNBA and played basketball through middle school.

She was always the tallest girl in her class, so many people

ALEX CASTEEL

THE LAST DANCE GAVE HER A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF HER DAD’S FAME. The 10-part ESPN docuseries chronicles the untold stories of the Chicago Bulls’ dynasty in the 1990s. Jasmine was just a toddler at the time, so she saw a side of her dad she never knew when she tuned in each week. “We already have a family group text, and it would explode on Sunday nights. I was like, ‘Dad, did you really have to punch Steve Kerr?’ My dad is so sweet, caring, and lovable, so to see that light switch come on was kind of scary,” she says, laughing. “Like, this is who you are on the court? There were moments where I said, ‘Dad, you could have eased up,’ or ‘I’m gonna need more details on this.’”

Jasmine, 27, works in sports marketing at Jordan Brand.

assumed she’d be an ace on the court. But she laughs and says her height—she’s 6-foot-1—is “wasted.” “I always loved the game, but more as a fan,” she says. “I danced competitively— that was my passion.”

ARIEL PERRY

SHE MADE HIS AIRNESS A GRANDFATHER. Jasmine is engaged to Rakeem Christmas, whom she met at Syracuse University before he went on to play for the Indiana Pacers from 2015 to 2017. In May 2019, they welcomed their son, Rakeem (“Little ’Keem”), MJ’s first grandchild. “As soon as (Dad) laid eyes on him, he was silly putty,” she says. “They’re gonna be best buds. They FaceTime every day. He calls him Grandpop.”

SHE STAYS IN CONTACT WITH THE HORNETS PLAYERS, EVEN OFF THE COURT. During the NBA’s suspension of play, and as the Hornets remained outside the NBA bubble (the quarantined facilities in Disney World where 22 NBA teams lived and played games in isolation), Jasmine often checked in with “her guys.” “Dwayne (Bacon) is diving into his music career; he loves to rap and write. Cody (Zeller) is turning into Bob the Builder,” she says. “They’re keeping busy, but they’re itching to get back to the game.” She says she supports the Hornets and other teams outside the first bubble getting back on the court as long as the right safety measures are in place.

SHE STOOD WITH HER DAD WHEN HE STOOD UP AGAINST RACISM. Jasmine supported her father this year when he uncharacteristically spoke out against systemic racism. After George Floyd’s murder in May, Michael Jordan said, in part, “I see and feel everyone’s pain, outrage, and frustration. I stand with those who are calling out the ingrained racism and violence toward people of color in our country. We have had enough.”

He announced that he and Jordan Brand would donate $100 million over the next 10 years to organizations dedicated to racial equality. “When my father spoke out on it, I was proud,” Jasmine says. “He is very private, but there are times when you have to or need to speak out, and this is one of those times.”

CHARLOTTE IS HER HOME. Jasmine’s first home was Chicago, but she’s grown and strengthened her ties to North Carolina. “It’s where my family has been created and cultivated. Even though my dad played in Chicago, he’s true to his roots. He reminds you of that, that he’s from North Carolina,” she says. “I got engaged here; I had my son here. I love it here, and I want to give back and be a part of the community that’s supported us from day one. I want to make sure Charlotte knows who I am as Jasmine, a humble individual, but part of an incredible family.”

TAYLOR BOWLER is the lifestyle editor of this magazine.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

23

THE GOOD LIFE

Michelle Buelow founded Bella Tunno in 2005. Today, the baby gear is sold in 3,000 stores, including Target, Nordstrom, and Buy Buy Baby.

ST YL E

In Matt’s Memory

Grieving over her brother’s death, Michelle Buelow launched charities and a thriving business that clothes babies

BY MICHELLE BOUDIN PHOTOGRAPHS BY BECCA BOND PHOTOGRAPHY

IN 2005, MICHELLE BUELOW was in a deep depression two years after her brother, Matt Tunno, died from an accidental drug overdose. She had just found out she was pregnant with her first child and wanted a venture that would allow her to honor Matt. “I would have sold tires or toilet paper if that’s what it took,” she says. “It was the mission I was committed to—the product was just the vehicle to get there. My endgame was to start a memorial fund in my late brother’s name.”

Her mom bought her a sewing machine to occupy her mind. “I awkwardly taught myself to sew, but I was terrible,” she recalls. “I was making burp cloths and changing pads because I could only sew straight lines.”

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

That year, she ditched the sewing machine, hired a seamstress, and began turning out fun, bright patterns from the bonus room of her Beverly Crest home.

When friends and neighbors started to buy her baby gear, she knew she’d spotted a gap in the market. “All the baby products were pastels and gingham and teddy bears,” she says. “When I found out I was pregnant, I realized my style wasn’t out there.”

At first, Bella Tunno sold mostly bibs and blankets in bold, colorful patterns that Buelow, 44, describes as Pucci-meetsLily Pulitzer. She and her staff of nine, all women, made products they wished they’d had when their kids were babies.

Over the last 15 years, though, she says the

line has morphed into more functional silicone products, like their bestselling Wonder bib with phrases like “cheeks for weeks” and “baby got snacks.”

“Our products are meant to be conversation starters,” she says. “They have cheeky

R E AL E STAT E

Hot Listings

Clean lines, impeccable craftsmanship, and high-end finishes make these properties shine. —Taylor Bowler

BECCA BOND PHOTOGRAPHY; COURTESY

(Clockwise from top) The Little Activist Collection includes $15 bibs and $12 teethers. The Sunshine Happy Teether ($12) is part of the Kindness Collection.

The Beginning Feeding Cheeks set ($38) includes a Wonder bib, two Wonder spoons, and a Wonder bowl.

sayings that remind us how fun kids are and that we need to have a sense of humor with parenting.”

Some of the products speak to bigger issues, like the Kindness Collection and the Little Activist Collection, which she launched in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Bibs have messages like “the future is equal,” “feMINIst,” and “me for president.” “It’s never too early to take a stand for what you believe,” Buelow says.

Today, Bella Tunno sells its products in about 3,000 stores, including Target, Nordstrom, and Buy Buy Baby. But Buelow is most proud of her company’s commitment to giving back. From its launch, the business donated a portion of every sale to the Matt Tunno Make A Difference Fund, which focuses on drug and alcohol abuse prevention. In 2014, she and her team shifted their focus to childhood hunger and launched the Buy One, Feed One campaign. In partnership with Feeding America and the Global FoodBanking Network, Bella Tunno donates one meal to a

child for every product sold. As of August, they’d donated more than 4.5 million meals, and all donations still go through the Matt Tunno fund. “Every check has his name on it,” Buelow says, “and it’s a really cool way to help keep his memory alive.”

COVID-19 made Buy One, Feed One even more critical. One in four school-age kids could go hungry this year because school shutdowns have stopped meal programs, estimates No Kid Hungry, an organization that works to end child hunger in the United States. “COVID has not changed our giving model at all,” Buelow says. “We still give one meal to one child for every product sold.”

Bella Tunno also donated $10,000 to the Feeding America COVID relief fund.

“The need is greater than ever,” she says, “so we need to help more than ever.”

MICHELLE BOUDIN is a reporter for NBC Charlotte and a frequent contributor to this magazine.

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25

THE GOOD LIFE

‘A Standalone Showpiece’

A butler’s pantry provides extra storage and a stylish beverage center A BONUS BEVERAGE CENTER The homeowners are big coffee drinkers, so they wanted a designated place for a coffee station, a place to serve when they entertain, and a secondary refrigerator. Clement chose the quartzite countertop and a bar sink faucet from Kohler Artifacts to complement the kitchen and installed a ceramic subway tile backsplash in a herringbone pattern for a touch of playfulness.

Beneath the counter, a built-in fridge holds juice boxes and water bottles for the kids.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

LAUREN CLEMENT, owner of Lauren Nicole Designs, designed her clients’ butler’s pantry as part of a six-month renovation of their Carmel Estates home. “It was built in the mid-’80s, and everything was original,” she says.

“They’re a family with young kids, so they wanted to open it up and create more storage.” Contractor Andrew Roby knocked down walls to reconfigure a new layout that would accommodate a mudroom, chef’s kitchen, and a butler’s pantry that doubles as a coffee station, a wine hutch, and a beverage center for the kids. —Taylor Bowler ARTFUL STORAGE Clement worked X patterns into the custom cabinets’ glass uppers. “When you have glass, you have to have nice things behind it,” Clement says. “But with a patterned mullion, it can help mask any clutter because it’s something else to look at. That cabinet door becomes like a piece of art.” She also added drawers on the bottom to hold linens, placemats, seasonal items, and additional flatware.

A DECORATIVE NOOK A butler’s pantry may look pristine, but it’s not too precious for everyday use. “It’s like a little gift of extra storage wrapped up in a pretty bow,” Clement says. “It doesn’t require a lot of one material, so you can splurge on countertops or accent tile and make it a standalone showpiece.” And when you create a space that has such a pretty backdrop, it will still look nice even when it’s messy.

ERIN COMERFORD

RO O M W E LOV E

THE GOOD LIFE

PART Y P I C S

Seen

Charlotte Art League’s “Stuck” benefit for Arts 4 All

DANIEL COSTON

1. Patrons check out Elijah Kell’s art glass 2. Sam McKinness greets guests as cars line up to preview artwork 3. Shem Arrindell 4. Amaiya Bloomfield shows a painting to an interested visitor

Tim Sheaffer Art Exhibition

1. Tony and Julie Sheaffer 2. Tim Sheaffer 3. Todd Langdon and Nicole Sheaffer 4. Artwork display

Blumenthal Juneteenth Poetry Slam

1. Opening performers 2. Ezra Timmons and Tonya Timmons 3. Bill McNamara gives it a nine 4. Letty Patino 5. Boris “Bluz” Rogers takes the mic OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

27

THE GOOD LIFE

E N G AG E M E NT

Community Crystallized After the RNC melted away, an artist duo known for ice sculptures grew something solid

WHEN CHARLOTTE hosted the Democratic National Convention in 2012, the city’s most provocative public artwork glistened under the skyline in Marshall Park, where a 3,000-pound ice sculpture spelled out the words MIDDLE CLASS. Created by Brooklyn, New Yorkbased art activists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese, the piece melted drop by drop in the early September heat, a naturally kinetic metaphor difficult for passers-by to ignore.

Since 2008, the couple, known collectively as LigoranoReese, has installed works in their Melted Away series in cities across America, inspiring discussion at the intersection of art, values, and the theater of national political conventions.

In advance of the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, they made plans for an exhibit even larger than what they’d displayed in 2012. They planned to showcase another ice sculp-

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

ture, titled We the People, and join it to a multidisciplinary series of planned art exhibitions, workshops, performances, and discussions. Then the convention fell through, which in combination with COVID-19 derailed LigoranoReese’s plans to show their sculpture and spend time in Charlotte.

Ligorano and Reese, who made friends in Charlotte during the DNC, decided they could still curate their planned multidisciplinary series from their home in New York. Even without the platform of the RNC, Charlotte struck Ligorano and Reese as a city open to investigations of social justice and equity issues. “Our history of installing temporary monuments and engaging with artists and residents is rewarding, but we’ve matured,” Ligorano says. “With the RNC in Charlotte, we wanted to bring together local artists to engage other voices in activism and connect disparate communities.”

The project, (Above) Nora which the couple Ligorano and Marshall Reese calls “the School of created this Good Citizenship,” 3,000-pound kicked off in late ice sculpture for the Democratic summer and will National last until Election Convention Day on November in 2012.

3. “Issues of social mobility, gerrymandering, health care, and economic opportunity challenge not just Charlotte but the country,” Reese says. “Art is a powerful platform to give voice to civic action and social change. That’s what the School of Good Citizenship is about.”

The School quickly attracted community partners that included the Community Building Initiative, Johnson C. Smith University, International House, Latin American Coalition, League of Women Voters, Levine Museum of the

COURTESY

BY MICHAEL J. SOLENDER

(Left) Truth Be Told, an ice sculpture that art activists Nora Ligorano and Marshall Reese installed alongside the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in 2018. (Below) A portrait of Ligorano and Reese.

New South, the Light Factory, UNC Charlotte, and Working Films.

The couple turned to Jonell Logan, a local independent curator and executive director of the community organization League of Creative Interventionists, to manage the school’s projects. “I was attracted to the inclusivity and interest in partnering with other artists to stimulate conversation,” Logan says. “Marshall and Nora established an advisory board to make sure there were multiple voices heard. Citizenship, after all, is a collective process.”

A sampling of the school’s planned events:

COURTESY

» The Seeing Voices: Community (Un) Heard Workshops. A special series of three workshops over seven weekends, launched at the Light Factory in July.

Workshop leaders Renee Cloud, de’Angelo Dia, Julio Gonzalez, and Héctor Vaca work with participants, who use photography and personal diaries to reflect on community. * » I Once Was Lost. Virtual choral performances in August conducted by David Tang, Jared Dougherty, Kevin

Mayes, and others throughout North Carolina. *

the struggles of immigrant families.

Discussion follows. *

» Counting UP! What Does Your Ballot Look Like? A mixed-media exhibition of local artists’ work on the theme of voting at the Levine Museum of the New South. The show runs through election day. *

» Civic Saturday. Good Citizenship, in partnership with UNCC, closes programming in October with a student-led event in which neighbors reflect upon and discuss civic life and responsibilities. *

» Revisioning Recovery & Stories Beyond Borders. In October, Good Citizenship screens two sets of short documentaries produced by Wilmington-based, social justicethemed company Working Films.

Revisioning Recovery explores climate change and environmental impact, and Stories Beyond Borders examines

Artists and activists in cities like Charlotte can benefit from the experience of seasoned counterparts from more established communities, says School of Good Citizenship advisory board member June Lambla. “Good artists, no matter where they’re from, create works that can be approached universally and interpreted differently,” says Lambla, an independent curator.

“The challenge is to get viewers to be participants, share their views, and listen to others. Nora and Marshall are experienced at facilitating that. This programing allows for everyone’s voice to count.”

* Coronavirus has led to schedule changes. For updates on latest information, links to online program archives, and live performances visit schoolofgoodcitizenship.org.

MICHAEL J. SOLENDER is a Charlotte-based journalist. Find him at michaeljwrites.com.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

29

THE GOOD LIFE

TK TK TK

S E A S O NAL F U N

A (Socially Distanced) Fall Activity Guide From patches to scenic paths

BY ANDY SMITH

The Great Elizabeth Pumpkin Wall Returns THE 60-FOOT HALLOWEEN DECORATION in Elizabeth returns for its 16th birthday. Each year, residents line a towering shelf with gourds and typically add a positive, illuminated phrase like “Love” or “Earth.” Especially this year, organizers say, people need seasonal cheer. “(We) feel like as an entirely outdoor event it gives us a chance to safely pull off an event for our community that everyone can look forward to,” says John Short, coorganizer of Elizabeth Community Association and occasional Charlotte magazine contributor. “Plus, the first one was during an election year, so we want to uphold that tradition.”

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

The wall debuted in 2004 as a private effort at 537 Lamar Ave., with the word “Kerry” lit to show support for that year’s Democratic Presidential nominee. In 2005, then-N.C. Senator and future Mayor Dan Clodfelter hosted the decoration in his front yard. Since the neighborhood association took over in 2013, the wall’s become less overtly partisan—although it can be fun to see the messages and faces that adorn the hundreds of jack o’lanterns that line the shelves.

This year’s word or phrase? Undetermined, but here’s a suggestion with a double meaning for Halloween 2020: “Mask Up.”

COURTESY

Come see the jack-o’-lanterns again—but keep it movin’

(Above) Your Mom’s Doughnuts partners with Wise Acres to create a doughnut using the farm’s pumpkins (right).

It’s Pickin’ Time

A pumpkin patch guide for Charlotteans WITH EVER-CHANGING RESTRICTIONS over the summer, area farms adopted “U-Pick” programs to let visitors who like to get their hands dirty stay safe. Below, we’ve rounded up sites that will stay open this season and intend to be your pumpkin providers:

HODGES FAMILY FARM

3900 Rocky River Rd. E hodgesfarmnc.com

TIP: Reedy Creek Park is a 5-minute drive from the farm. On a gorgeous fall day, both spots are enchanting.

MILLSTONE CREEKS ORCHARD

COURTESY

506 Parks Crossroad Church Rd., Ramseur millstonecreekorchards.com

TIP: As you can tell by the name, this farm is also known for its apple fields. Fuel your pumpkin-pickin’ with Millstone’s beloved cider.

BUSH-N-VINE FARM

WISE ACRES ORGANIC FARM

1650 Filbert Hwy., York, S.C. bushnvinefarm.com

4701 Hartis Rd., Indian Trail, N.C. wiseacresorganic.com

TIP: If you don’t want to risk bumping into a crowd, you can order ahead to get your pumpkins and still support the local farm.

TIP: The Wise Pie Wood-Fired Oven Pizza is worth the usual lines; just take it to a properly distanced bench before returning to the pickin’.

HUNTER FARM

13624 Providence Rd., Weddington thehunterfarm.com

TIP: After mid-November, Hunter swaps out its pumpkins for Christmas trees.

Continued on next page OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

31

THE GOOD LIFE

Scenic Drives Near Charlotte

You don’t need to venture far to see seasonal splendor

CROWDERS MOUNTAIN DRIVE

Length: 8 miles Distance from Charlotte: 28.7 miles Crowders Mountain State Park is a hotspot for climbers and hikers, and it’s impressive from the winding road that snakes through its peaks. The 5,210-acre state park is also worth its own visit, with more than 10 trails of varying degrees of difficulty.

Looking out from the summit of Crowders Mountain in Crowders Mountain State Park at the top of the Backside trail, accessed from the Linwood Road Access.

Campbell’s Covered Bridge is located about 3.5 miles off of SW Hwy. 11 in Landrum, South Carolina. It’s the only covered bridge remaining in the state.

Length: 119.8 miles Distance from Charlotte: 54.2 miles Parks and orchards line S.C. Highway 11, also known as the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway. As one might guess from the name, the road was once used by the Cherokee—as well as French and English fur traders, hundreds of years ago.

INDIAN HERITAGE TRAIL

Town Creek Indian Mound offers a glimpse of pre-Columbian life in the North Carolina Piedmont.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

Length: 18 miles Distance from Charlotte: 56.9 miles Aside from its charming fruit stands and small towns, this trail also leads to Indigenous archaeological and historical sites. The Town Creek Indian Mound in particular offers a window into the Pee Dee people who built it more than 400 years ago.

VISITNC: C2 PHOTOGRAPHY, BILL RUSS; DISCOUVER SOUTH CAROLINA

CHEROKEE FOOTHILLS SCENIC HIGHWAY

Carolina BalloonFest Changes Direction No crowds this year, but balloons will ascend again

FOR ITS 47TH YEAR, the Statesville festival eliminated public attendance, from technicians and pilots to the thousands who arrive to watch them soar each year. The nonprofit behind the festival, National Balloon Rally Charities, still plans to work with local pilots to make sure balloons ascend above Iredell County in October for a tribute event.

Details will be posted on the event’s social pages, so just keep looking up.

Low-Cost Costumes

Halloween won’t be as lively this year, but you can still dress up for the ’gram. Here are three regionally focused and affordable ideas.

Remember to use the hashtag #scarelocal.

VISITNC: BILL RUSS; SHUTTERSTOCK

BRAD PANOVICH

WCNC’s beloved chief meteorologist is an ideal choice if you can’t commit too much time to costuming.

First, hit up Amazon for a bald cap if you’re the kind of jerk who still has a full head of hair. Pair that with your Sunday’s best and an umbrella, and you’ve got yourself a weatherman.

SOUTH END HEARTS WALL

Evelyn Henson’s 40-foot mural at South End’s Design Center has its own hashtag (#confettiheartswall) and is our own Selfie Mecca. To pay tribute to the now-iconic work, grab some white tights and color in some hearts across your arms and legs. Then, cut out a heart in poster board, stencil “BE KIND,” and spray-paint it red.

‘NO PUBLIC PARKING’ SIGN

Truly, one of Charlotte’s most dastardly villains these days is the omnipresent “No Parking Sign.” Some poster board, markers, adhesive, and makeshift straps should do the trick for this one. It rises only to a medium level of difficulty because you’ll need some neat handwriting to render this frightening phrase. Before the evening arrives, stand in random parking lots to get into character.

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FOOD DRINK

INSIDE: NOW OPEN / LOCAL FLAVOR / ON THE LINE / RECIPE / BITE-SIZED NEWS

EXPLORE THE TASTES OF CHARLOTTE

Roy’s jerk chicken wings are oven roasted and tossed in traditional jerk sauce.

N OW O P E N

ISLAND VIBES IN NODA

TKTKTKTKTKt

Head to Roy’s Kitchen & Patio for a two-hour vacation

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER TAYLOR

ROY’S KITCHEN & PATIO quietly opened its doors in early July on the same stretch of North Davidson Street as The Goodyear House and Haberdish. The space, previously occupied by Mango’s Caribbean Restaurant, still has an island vibe, and former Mango’s owner Roy Grant has stayed on as co-owner alongside new partner Courtney Nesmith. They brought on executive chef Richelle EspinosaContinued on next page OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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FOOD+DRINK

(Above) Roy’s Revenge is a popular house cocktail. (Top right) Curry goat with rice and pigeon peas.

(Lower right) Empanadas come with chicken, beef, or chickpea filling.

ROY’S KITCHEN & PATIO

3112 N. Davidson St. 704-910-2031 roysnoda.com

Hours: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily

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Brewer to revamp the menu and updated the blazing orange interior with a more neutral palette. They’ve also added a patio in back with a Tiki bar where guests can listen to reggae tunes.

But don’t expect a trip to Margaritaville—this is a relaxed neighborhood hangout with cornhole, ping-pong, and rotisserie chicken you can smell cooking down the street.

If you come on a warm night, grab a table on the covered patio beneath a ceiling fan and order a cold drink. Beverage director Erynn Greer makes vacation standbys like piña coladas and Mai Tais, but if you’re feeling adventurous, try one of her house cocktails. Roy’s Revenge ($9) is a magenta libation of rum, hibiscus tea, lime, wildflower bitters, and ginger beer. They

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

go down really easy, though, so alternate with sips of ice water.

Start with a plate of plantain chips with tomatillo salsa ($6), which are fried to order. They’re warm, crunchy, and great to nibble between sips of your cocktail. If you like hushpuppies, try the salt fish fritters ($8), which are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and come with a side of sweet Tamarind sauce to balance the saltiness of the dried cod, or bacalao. For a lighter (and vegan) option, try the calypso salad ($6) topped with green mango, jicama, carrots, and a citrus pineapple dressing.

Fans of Mango’s can still find staples like the jerk rotisserie chicken, made with Grant’s family recipes from his native Jamaica. Roy’s stuffs

(Above) Co-owner Roy Grant and executive chef Richelle Espinosa display their jerk rotisserie chicken and a plate of fried-to-order plaintain chips.

(Left) Salt fish fritters come with a side of tamarind sauce.

it with a secret spice mix and slow-cooks it over charcoal for the smoky flavor. Get half a bird ($15) or a whole bird for the table ($25.99) with a choice of two sides that include yellow rice, Yuca fries, and collards.

The jerk wings ($12) are a reliable alternative if you don’t want to commit to a full order of rotisserie chicken.

You get three whole wings marinated in Roy’s jerk sauce, but they can be messy, so ask for extra napkins. For a Jamaican classic straight out of Grant’s family recipe book, try the curry goat ($16), a spicy stew served with rice and pigeon peas (a traditional Caribbean side similar to

lentils). This entrée requires the same dedication you’d need to de-shell a lobster, though. There are quite a few bones to work through, but it’s worth it when you get to that savory center.

The empanadas ($8) come in three different flavors (beef, chicken, chickpea) with three dipping sauces (jerk, tamarind, habanero). These four-bite fried turnovers are all packed with delicious Caribbean seasoning, but the chickpea variety is the sleeper on the menu—so don’t discount it as the obligatory vegetarian option. The curried chickpea filling is so good, you’ll never miss the meat. And if you can’t get

enough of those addictive sauces, don’t worry. You can order additional sides of curry, chimichurri, or oxtail gravy to smother your ’nadas. Nobody will judge you here.

So stick around, order another Roy’s Revenge, and play some cornhole. You’re on vacation tonight.

Don’t leave without trying: The plantain chips ($6) with an extra side of tomatillo salsa. One plate might not be enough.

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

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FOOD+DRINK LO C AL F L AVO R

CHICKEN SANDWICH BLITZ

The fried chicken sammie is having a moment in Charlotte, so our staff decided to find out how the city’s top restaurants spin this beloved sandwich.

We ate them buttermilk-brined, battered and breaded, and smothered in sauce, and we enjoyed every bite. See four of our top picks below, and visit our website for the entire list COMPILED BY STAFF

Billy D’s Fried Chicken Sandwich ($15) H AYM AK E R

“Heaping” is the word that comes to mind. Between the potato buns are heapings of celery-seed slaw, pickles, smoked white barbecue sauce, and a massive piece of fried chicken in this Chef William Dissen signature. It fits at the upscale Southern spot in Third Ward because of the freshfrom-the-farm ingredients that separate the sandwich from its fast-food cousins. The chicken comes from Joyce Farms in Winston-Salem. The sandwich comes with seasoned fries (which deserve inclusion on a fry-exclusive roundup), with pepper mash aioli. And yes, those come in heaps, too.

225 S. Poplar St.

The Beaut ($7) B O SSY B E U L A H ’ S

Veteran restaurateur Jim Noble’s 1,200-square foot chicken shack has counter seating as in a Waffle House. You can order your sammie bunless or add American cheese, and your customizable options end there. Each sandwich is made with the Noble family’s buttermilk fried chicken, which has just enough seasoning to enhance the chicken without stealing the show. It’s served on a toasted potato bun with housemade pickles and a swipe of Duke’s mayo. You can pair it with a classic North Carolina beverage like sweet tea or Cheerwine, but that’s it. This menu’s as straightforward as they come. 2200 Freedom Dr.

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Israeli Hot Chicken Sandwich ($10.99) YA FO K I TC H E N

A chicken sandwich might not be top of mind when you visit a Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant that’s known for healthy buildyour-own bowls. But executive chef Shai Fargian’s Israeli Hot Chicken Sandwich is worth changing up your lunch routine for. The chicken schnitzel, slathered in spicy red schug and topped with purple cabbage slaw, is an unexpected blend of spice and heat. We recommend the Greek yogurt mac and cheese as your side to cut some of the heat from the sandwich. And if you don’t want to feel like your mouth is on fire, just tell the team behind the counter, and they’ll dial it back. Multiple locations

Nashville Hot Chicken Biscuit ($13)

E I G H T + SAN D K I TC H E N Eight + Sand’s Panko fried chicken sandwich is a top seller for good reason, but the Nashville hot chicken biscuit has a bit more pizzazz. It started as a seasonal dish but became so popular they made it a permanent menu item. The chicken is buttermilk-brined, panko-fried, and dripping in hot sauce, then topped with a thick slice of cheddar, a free-range fried egg, and pickles. It’s piled onto a house-made buttermilk biscuit, which may not be enough to contain the runny egg yolk. It’s also huge, so we recommend eating this one with a fork, knife, and plenty of napkins. 135 New Bern St., Ste. A

See the extended chicken sandwich list online at charlottemagazine.com/chickensammies OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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FOOD+DRINK very Italian. It takes you by surprise because it adds an aromatic punch.

O N T H E LI N E W I T H

TOM DYRNESS

What’s one dish you nail every single time? Our penne alla vodka.

It’s inarguably the best pasta dish in Charlotte. Chefs from other restaurants come to eat that dish at Mama Ricotta’s.

Meet the pasta magician and mozzarella charmer at Little Mama’s, the sister concept to Mama Ricotta’s

What’s your favorite thing to cook? I usually fall back on spaghetti and meatballs because I have kids. It’s always a crowd-pleaser.

BY TAYLOR BOWLER Age: 43 Relationship status: Married for 15 years with two boys, ages 12 and 9 Hometown: Middlesex, New Jersey Currently lives: Tega Cay, South Carolina Favorite sports team: New York Giants

How long was Little Mama’s in the works, and what made you join Frank Scibelli’s new FS Food Group? I’d been with Frank for several years—Mama Ricotta’s was my first stint with him—but opening a restaurant wasn’t in my repertoire yet. I really wanted a chance to be there at ground level, develop the recipes, lay out the kitchen, and pull all the parts together.

How did you earn the title of a pasta magician and a mozzarella charmer? I’ve been making fresh mozzarella with Frank for 10 years, and just like anything, you start out, and you get much better at it. The more you learn, the more you want to learn. I grew up in New Jersey, where there’s a lot of Italians, so pasta’s always been in my wheelhouse. One of my

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early sous chefs said, “Your Italian grandmother must be really proud,” and I said, “No, I have two grandmothers. One’s Norwegian, and one’s Irish.’ And let’s face it, Italian’s a little more approachable than Irish cooking.

What’s the hardest part about opening a restaurant in the year of COVID? The new normal and pivot quickly—I’m so tired of those phrases (laughs). Takeout is a different revenue stream. There’s a different cost of goods, and you need copious amounts of to-go supplies. And the mozzarella bar is a showpiece and meant to be interactive, so curbside has been rough on that.

Tell us more about made-toorder mozzarella. What we use is essentially a coffee maker on steroids. You have a continuous hot water stream that comes out at the perfect temperature. Historically, we boil pots of water to get the right temperature, so it’s a balance of heating and cooling because you don’t want curd to be too warm, and if it’s not hot enough, it won’t stretch properly. We shock it in cold water for a minute to set, so once you cut in, it oozes right out.

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THE TOUGH STUFF Coffee or tea? Coffee.

Beer or wine? Beer.

Pasta or pizza? Pizza.

Cannoli or gelato? Gelato.

Baked or fried? Fried.

Appetizer or dessert? Yes. Street Eats or sit-down?

Street eats.

More money or more free time? Free time.

Spaghetti and meatballs or spicy noodles? Spicy noodles.

Lobster roll or egg roll?

Egg roll.

French fries or French onion soup? French onion soup.

What’s one ingredient you always have on hand in your kitchen? Calabrian chili paste. It’s a southern Italian specialty. It’s got a sweet, smoky, spicy thing going.

It adds just the right amount of everything to a dish.

What’s the most unexpected ingredient in your arsenal? I love fennel. It’s a little unusual, but

What shoes do you wear in the kitchen? I wear Crocs. I got three pairs for $80 six years ago, and I still have one pair left.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Charlotte, other than your own? Upstream was one of my favorites, just because I’ve known so many guys personally who worked there. I was sad to see it go.

What’s your favorite adult beverage? A Big O IPA from Sugar Creek. It’s been my go-to. I’ve been crushing some bourbon during quarantine, too.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?

Ben & Jerry’s peanut butter cup ice cream. I don’t think anybody can stop at a half a pint.

What’s next for Little Mama’s when you’re open at full capacity? We’d really like our big ribeye to take hold when it’s larger group dining; we’re not getting those larger groups of six or seven right now. I want to get people into fresh pasta and distinguish ourselves from Mama Ricotta’s, not just an offshoot but a viable, standalone concept as well.

COURTESY

Where does your love of cooking come from? I’ve been in this industry for almost 30 years. I started working at steak houses when I was 18. When I moved to Las Vegas and worked for Wolfgang Puck, that’s when the passion really came out. It was more of a job before that, not a passion or a career.

What’s one recipe you’d still like to master? Cioppino, a seafood stew. My wife and I met in San Francisco and had dates on Fisherman’s Wharf, where we’d eat it. I’d really like to bring it to Charlotte and knock it out of the park.

R EC I P E

Chef Anika Rucker’s Olive Oil Cake

As pastry chef at Little Mama’s, Anika Rucker creates classic Italian desserts like tiramisu and cannoli. Her favorite item is the New York cheesecake, but she says the olive oil cake is a close second. Here is her recipe for the orange-infused dessert, available this season

B I T E - S I Z E D STO R I E S

Foodie News on a Small Plate MOA KOREAN BBQ, a new upscale Korean restaurant, is now open in uptown.

Sit behind a tabletop grill and watch your prime ribeye and beef brisket cooked in front of you, or order á la carte items like Korean tacos and bibimbap.

XIAO BAO, the sister concept to Charleston-based Xiao Bao Biscuit, is coming to Optimist Hall in spring 2021.

Look for Southeast Asian dishes like pad kra pow (Thai basil chicken stir fry), som tum (papaya salad), and okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake.

Longtime bartender and mixologist BRIAN LORUSSO has left his post at Dogwood Southern Table to join Little Mama’s as bar manager. His drink menu will focus on amaro cocktails that pair with the Italian cuisine.

Ingredients: 1 ¾ cups (8.75 ounces) all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1 ¼ cups (8.75 ounces) plus 3 tablespoons sugar

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COURTESY

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¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water (optional) ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¾ cup milk or milk alternative

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heavily grease 9-inch pan.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in bowl.

Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip whole eggs on medium speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Add 1 ¼ cups sugar and lemon zest, increase speed to high, and whip until mixture is fluffy and pale yellow, about 4 minutes.

Reduce speed to medium and, with mixer running, slowly pour in oil. Mix until oil is fully incorporated, about 1 minute or until fully emulsified.

Add half of flour mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed with spatula. Add milk and orange blossom water (optional but plays well with high-quality olive oil’s floral notes) and mix until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just incorporated, about 1 minute, scraping down bowl as needed.

Transfer batter to prepared pan; sprinkle remaining 3 tablespoons sugar over entire surface. Bake until cake is deep golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with only a few crumbs attached, 40-50 minutes.

Transfer pan to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 ½ hours. Cut into wedges and serve with lemon sorbet or sweetened ricotta.

SILVERLAKE RAMEN, a Los Angelesbased ramen restaurant, is now open in South End in the space formerly occupied by Owen’s Bagels. Choose from a variety of meat-based and vegetarian ramen bowls with customizable add-ons like pork belly, chicken, tofu, and fried jalapeño. —Taylor Bowler

Barrington’s Turns 20 THIS MONTH marks 20 years for Barrington’s, the first of chef Bruce Moffett’s five Charlotte restaurants. (That’s like a century in Charlotte restaurant years.)

He opened in 2000 in the Foxcroft East shopping center in SouthPark and named it for his hometown in Rhode Island. For two decades, Barrington’s has surprised us with dishes like deconstructed sushi and continued to serve up classics like roasted chicken and mashed potatoes.

Moffett’s flagship restaurant withstood dips in business after 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis, and he’s weathering this pandemic, too. “We have a vital place in this community,” he says, “and when this is over, I think restaurants will be the first place a lot of people go.”

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CHARLOTTE

BY TAYLOR

BOWLER, GREG LACOUR, ANDY SMITH

AND

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

CHRIS EDWARDS

Charlotte buildings are dull and devoid of character, you say? You’ve not experienced the wraiths that congregate at the centuryold theater, or the deathless matron of the college campus that predates the Civil War, or the forlorn presence that lurks in the Irish pub. Happy Halloween, everyone.

Who’ll come knocking on your door?

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Over 163 years, apparitions aplenty—from Clara to Lady Burwell— have taken up residence at Queens University

SCHOOL

BY GREG

LACOUR EDWARDS

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS

KAYLA GEORGE’S OFFICE is at the end of a long corridor on the second floor of Morrison Hall, a nearly century-old, Colonial-style brick box with arched windows that seems to crouch, as if playing hide-and-seek, behind the Walker Science Building and Sarah Belk Gambrell Center for the Arts and Civic Engagement on the campus of Queens University of Charlotte. Morrison frustrates your efforts to enter it. The front door sticks. You have to yank the handle like a lawnmower cord to open it. The staircase can be tricky to locate, and the stairs creak as you ascend.

George is Queens’ assistant dean of conduct and director of residence life and housing. So it’s appropriate for her to work in Morrison Hall, a dorm back when Queens was an all-female campus. She took the job in fall 2015.

Once I’m settled in her office, provided with a cool drink on a sweltering late September afternoon, I ask when she first heard the ghost stories.

“Immediately.”

The most famous one, Queens’ own “Tell-Tale Heart,” occurred at—where else?—Morrison Hall. It concerns a young lady named Clara, who was living in one of the upstairs rooms.

The Clara story has a couple of different versions, but its skeleton is this: Around the end of World War II, Clara wrote a Dear John letter to her soldier boyfriend, who was stationed overseas; she’d been seeing other boys. Yet

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her soldier was already on his way back. The letter never reached him.

You can guess where this is going.

Our G.I. decided to surprise his sweetheart at her dorm. The surprise was on him. This is where the legend gets fuzzy. Some accounts have the soldier, in a jealous rage, covering Clara’s mouth, tying a bed sheet around her neck, and pushing her over the bannister of the back stairwell. Others have Clara so grief-stricken by her act of independence/betrayal that she did the deed herself. Either way, some time after, the college erected a ceiling-to-floor panel of wooden slats that to this day blocks access to the bannister, and Clara passed into Queens legend.

Except she’s apparently still pranking her way through Morrison Hall— the wronged undergrad who can’t bring herself to leave. “So this is Clara’s room,” George says brightly, giving me the tour. “I’m happy to show you this, because it’s spooky AF.” It’s across the hall from her office and was for a time occupied by Monica Gillette, an assistant dean who would speak of laptops that mysteriously turned off and then back on during meetings. Clara’s room was also once the office of another assistant director, Johnny Hohenstein, who had hung his framed undergraduate diploma from Belmont Abbey on the wall above his desk. Hohenstein would get to work in the mornings and dis-

cover that the diploma had slipped and fallen within the frame.

“There was one point when I ducttaped it to the matting, and it still fell,” Hohenstein confirms. “Then I left Queens and took a new job in Alabama, and it never fell. Not once.”

George warns me about Hohenstein. “I think he’s a little bit of a drama mama,” she says with affection. She’s calm, cool, rational, a stolid lady from Michigan, not one to fall for tales spun

by Southern raconteurs, no doubt concocted with the help of bourbon.

Except … she saw the diploma displacement with her own eyes. She was alone in her office during summer break in 2017, “and I heard a chair squeak. I’m not kidding. I’m not a drama person. And it freaked me the eff out. I didn’t even want to be in here,” she tells me. “You know how when you just feel a presence?”

Sort of, I say. Was this at night?

“No. No, no, no,” she replies, practically shuddering. “I would not be in here at night.”

OF COURSE QUEENS HAS GHOST STORIES. It was founded 163 years ago, four years before the outbreak of the Civil War. That’s a lot of time for spirits and stories to accumulate. The arching oaks of Myers Park cast long shadows in autumn, as Halloween approaches. College campuses are ideal spots for these

One resident ghost at Queens University is Clara, who met her tragic demise near the stairwell at Morrison Hall.

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BURWELL HALL NO MORE ON JULY 2, Queens announced that the university’s Board of Trustees had voted unanimously to change the name of Burwell Hall, for more than a century the main administrative building on the campus in Myers Park, to Queens Hall. The structure was built in 1914 and named after Margaret Anna Burwell, the wife of the Reverend Robert Armistead Burwell, who in 1857 was named the first head of the Charlotte Female Institute, which later became Queens.

Last year, Queens staff discovered archival documents that indicated that the Burwells had “direct ties to slavery,” the university said in a news release. New President Daniel Lugo commissioned a task force of faculty, students, staff, and alumni to examine Queens’ links to slavery. The task force “found clear and conclusive information describing the Burwell couple’s direct and abhorrent actions as slaveholders,” including beatings—at Margaret Burwell’s insistence— of an enslaved woman, Elizabeth Hobbs, who lived and worked in the Burwells’ home in Hillsborough from 1835 to 1842. After her emancipation in 1855, Hobbs—by then married to a man named James Keckly, whose name she took—worked as a dressmaker in Washington, D.C., where one of her clients and friends was First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln.

The Queens task force work continues, Lugo said in the release, “but their findings on Robert and Margaret Anna Burwell were conclusive, disturbing, and warranted immediate action.” — G.L.

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kinds of legends. At Queens, the stately brick buildings themselves suggest the passage of generations—and what they may have left behind.

Queens has celebrated (if that’s the right word) its ghost stories for years.

Until recently, when Kayla George arrived on campus, students would gather around a fire pit near Halloween, and staff would regale them with the tales. George, although slightly spooked by her Morrison Hall experiences, thought guided tours might be fun. So she, Hohenstein, and some others started those up in 2015. They’re not much more formal than the fire circles, but students do get to experience the places as they hear the stories, especially the old, canonical ones: Clara in Morrison Hall; the eerie piano of Suzanne Little in the recital hall that bears her name; and watchful Mrs. Burwell in what used to be named Burwell Hall (see sidebar).

Margaret Anna Burwell was the university’s first matron, an educator and the wife of the Reverend Robert Burwell, who served as the first president of the institution, then called Charlotte Female Institute, from 1857 to 1872. Lady Burwell was the institute’s heart and soul, and legend has it that her spirit periodically haunts the building now known as Queens Hall.

“The story I always heard was that if you’re in (the building) after 10 p.m., the chance of seeing or hearing her was big,” says Adelaide Anderson Davis, an alumna and longtime associate vice president of alumni relations and planned giving.

“Someone working there late at night saw this long black dress go by, and it was later deemed to be Mrs. Burwell,” Davis explains. “It scared them to death. We knew not to go there at night.”

A few years ago, Davis, perhaps preparing for her own ghosthood, decided to play a little prank during one of the student tours. She convinced her friend Frances Evans, a fellow alumna and longtime trustee, to don a long black dress, high white collar, and wig and conceal herself behind the draperies. When the tour group arrived, the lights in the old hall dimmed appropriately, Davis began to tell the story of Lady Burwell.

“The mood was there, a little essence of

fear,” Davis says. “I was telling the story, and the students, a couple of hundred of them, were just breathless, sitting on the floor. Suddenly”—she laughs—“Frances threw open the drape: ’What are you doing in Burwell Hall? It’s after 10 o’clock!

What are you boys doing here? If you’re not out of here in 10 minutes, I’m going to put a hex on all of you!’”

Who needed Lady Burwell to watch over things? Evans’ performance had the desired effect, Davis says with a mischievous cackle: “They left.”

DIFFERENT REGIONS have their own ghost tales. The Northeast, rich with history and deprivation, has its Headless Horseman and other legends of pilgrims terrorized by the spirits of an unknown land. Out West, ranchers and cowboys

music in the basement halls near the recital space.

“We heard the piano,” says Leigh Davis, an assistant director for student activities who worked at Queens for 22 years before her retirement in 2019. She and a group of people were in the lobby about six years ago when they heard it—faint, coming from below. “As soon as we went down there and walked down the hall— we were all, like, hair sticking up on our arms, just freaking out—we heard the piano again. We searched every room and never found anything … It was creepy.”

The ghosts don’t reveal themselves to everyone. Some have seen or heard or felt the presence of one but not the others, or nothing. Leigh Davis swears she encountered Suzanne but never Clara over in Morrison Hall. (“I would love to bring in one of those professional ghost people, but they’re really expensive,” she says. “And our budget’s very small.”)

They persist still. Their legend does, anyway. How well can anyone distinguish between a spirit and its suggestion? Isn’t the suggestion a kind of spirit, or its indicator? Is that really piano music, and is it really coming from nowhere? Who or what kept detaching Johnny Hohenstein’s diploma? Doesn’t Mrs. Burwell have better things to do than chaperone dates from beyond the grave?

George, Monica Gillette, and I talk about these things in the hallway outside their offices, Clara’s domain. Gillette has been at Queens since 2017, and she, like George, doesn’t consider herself a superstitious type. Still, she’s encountered some unexplainable weirdness in those offices—like the laptops turning off and back on, or returning to her office to find the light on when she knew she turned it off. That kind of thing. George remarks that she continues to feel “a presence” in the building.

They giggle nervously. Gillette says she has a meeting to attend. She leaves us in the hall with a breezy, “Say hi to Clara for me.”

All have a common foundation: The dead have unfinished business. have unspooled countless campfire stories about gunslingers and Indian warriors cut down in their youth. All have a common foundation: The dead have unfinished business. In the South, a region suffused with mystery, tragic death, and the loss of the Civil War, it’s easy to see how pain can twist itself into a catalogue of hearts’ cries for justice, revenge, or reclaimed love.

“The South seems to romanticize death more than, quote-unquote, Yankees do,” says Hohenstein, who notes that his hometown of Savannah is considered one of America’s most haunted cities. “In Savannah, there’s always an element of someone who lived a life they weren’t happy with, and they’re still on the earthly plane to try to figure it out.”

Or, in the case of Suzanne Little, express it through her beloved piano, in the recital hall that bears her name. Her husband, E.H. Little, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist, is said to have donated the money for the building in honor of his music-loving wife, Suzanne. Students and staff have sworn over the years since her death that they can hear faint piano

GREG LACOUR is the senior editor of this magazine. A version of this story was published in the winter 2019 issue of Queens magazine.

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An unmarked grave at the old Mills Family Cemetery near St. James Episcopal Church in Mooresville.

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Mooresville historian and history teacher Chris Stonestreet shares three of his spookiest local legends

t h e

H AU N T HO P P E R

By TAYLOR Photographs by

BOWLER CHRIS EDWARDS

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O.C.

“CHRIS” STONESTREET IV, 52, is a lifelong Mooresville resident who teaches history at Mooresville High School. In 2016, he published Curse of the Wampus, and Other Short Spooky Stories of Piedmont North Carolina, a collection of 10 local legends he’s investigated over the years. His family has lived in the area for more than a century, so his fascination with history and folklore spans generations.

His father, O.C. “Chip” Stonestreet III, is a longtime writer for the Statesville Record & Landmark, where he writes a weekly column on Iredell County history (see sidebar).

Chris often takes his students through some of the spookiest sites in and around Mooresville. “When you’re teaching, you’re an entertainer,” he says, “and I’ve always been into folklore. It’s like the classic fish story. ‘Did you really catch a fish that big?’

What’s there and what’s not? But with every legend, there’s a kernel of truth.” Here are his stories from three local haunts. His words have been edited for clarity and space.

The Shinnville Witch JUST OUTSIDE THE WALL of the 200-year-old Mills Family Cemetery near St. James Episcopal Church on Shinnville Road, there’s a small headstone without a name. The legend is, it’s a witch that was killed and buried outside the wall, and her soul still lurks there. It may have been a bogeyman story, or a case of parents trying to keep their children in at night or away from the cemetery.

SEVEN YEARS AGO, I was part of a team from the church to investigate the possibilities of lost or unmarked graves. The church had started burying people there without realizing there were already bodies there. Within weeks, we identified a number of unmarked graves outside of the original walls. Turns out, in the 19th century, people who had committed suicide, murder, or were deemed evil couldn’t be buried in consecrated grounds.

BUT THE MILLS CEMETERY was also established before the Civil War, and burials were segregated. So there is a stone there now that says something like, ‘To the beloved servants, you’re not forgotten.” The church came out and blessed the area, so once they found out, they tried to right that wrong. A legend led to us doing really good research and giving peace to those forgotten for 150 years.

The Girl at the Underpass ON A ROAD JUST SOUTH OF JAMESTOWN, a girl named Lydia was trying to get home from a party one night. She flagged down a young man who picked her up, and she told him where to turn onto her street. When he got out of the car to open her door, she’d vanished. He thought maybe she’d run ahead, so he went to the house to ring the doorbell. An old woman answered, and he explained that he’d picked Lydia up by the overpass to drive her home, but she was no longer in the car.

THE WOMAN said that Lydia was her daughter, and she was killed in a wreck by that overpass in 1923. She explained that he wasn’t the first one this had happened to; Lydia’s ghost still flags down a driver some nights. I’d heard this story since I was a young boy. Lydia’s family still lives in the area. Maybe it was a manifestation of someone trying to get back home.

WHEN I INVESTIGATED THIS STORY, a library archivist said Lydia died in 1923 coming back from a New Year’s Eve party. Her car hit one of the walls and probably flung her out. They built a new overpass in the ’60s on High Point Road; Lydia’s Bridge is actually the old abandoned underpass on the right, about 100 yards in just through the trees, but you can still see it.

I found that original concrete underpass and used it for the cover of my book.

The Magnolia Gym THERE’S A HAUNTED GYM across the street from Mooresville High School, built in 1967.

Multiple people have heard a basketball bouncing after a girl was killed in the early ’70s; the lunch crew, janitors, even the principal who doesn’t believe in this stuff. I heard about it in high school when I was there, but I’d never personally seen anything.

THE STORY IS, there was a girl named Tina who was really good at basketball. She had college scouts after her as a freshman. But she died in a car wreck in ’70 or ’71. After that, people started hearing a basketball bouncing

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and a girl’s voice in the locker room. My father knew one of the coaches there for 30 years, a guy named Al. Al told him one night as he was closing up, he turned off the lights to leave and heard a ball drop and roll. He turned the lights back on and didn’t see anything. When he got about halfway down the court, he heard a girl’s voice say, “Do you want to play a game?” He turned and ran, didn’t even lock up.

facing the main entrance. Off to the side were the cleaning supplies, and I saw all of them being flung into the air to all corners of the gym. I swear I saw it with my own two eyes.

I can’t explain it; I can just say that in a highly trafficked area like a school or a church or a hospital, eventually some things happen that are unexplained. Maybe energy like that stays in a place.

I USED TO COACH VOLLEYBALL THERE, and about three or four years ago, we were in the gym for practice one Saturday. The girls were setting the net up and facing me, so I was

TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.

The Beastie Up I-77: Meet the Wampus, Iredell’s Bodacious, Voracious Cryptid

O.C. “CHIP” STONESTREET III has researched and written about Iredell County history for most of his life. He studied under longtime Charlotte historian Dan Morrill at UNC Charlotte and taught 8th-grade history at Iredell County Schools for more than 30 years.

He is also the author of Tales from Old Iredell County: Historical Legends, Murders, and Stories of the Unusual and Unique and They Called Iredell County Home. For the last 13 years, he’s penned a weekly column for the Statesville Record & Landmark. Here, he shares one of his favorite local legends: IT’S DIFFICULT to know what to do with reports of a quadrupedal mammal, a voracious omnivore that first appeared in and around Statesville 130 years ago. It would be easy to dismiss the so-called “sightings” of the beast as practical jokes or the misidentification of native but elusive species, such as foxes, bobcats, or even coyotes.

AND THEN THERE’S THE PROBLEM that reports of the Santer, as it was first called, or the Wampus, as it was usually called in the 1930s, is still occasionally spotted.

JOSEPH P. CALDWELL, editor of the Statesville Landmark and later The Charlotte Observer, introduced Iredell County readers to the Santer on the front page of his newspaper of August 28, 1890, with the headline, “The Antelope or Glutton—A New Sensation Among the Colored People.”

SOME CRITICS MAINTAIN that this initial story was pure fabrication—something to sell newspapers during a slow news time.

According to one eyewitness, this is how the creature appeared: “It is made in the shape of a lion, has a thick, short head, and a thick woolly body up to its head from his fore shoulders and runs out thin at the other end with a long thin tail with a brush on the end of it. It is as long as Mr. Key’s big black dog and has a white breast. It is about as high as a half-grown hound but heavier. It has a loping motion and clears about eight feet at a lope … ” It was also said to have had a peculiar, piercing howl, sometimes described as sounding like “a woman’s cry from inside a rain barrel.”

THE MYSTERIOUS BEASTIE was the chief topic of conversation around Iredell’s county seat in the days that followed. More rumors swirled. “It eats dogs, hogs, and young children bodaciously up and is a dangerous animal to be running loose …”

IN THOSE DAYS, newspapers unabashedly copied stories, and The Landmark’s article was republished widely. Soon there were similar sightings around the Piedmont and even further afield. Eventually the sightings subsided, only to reappear now and then, here and there. There was a rash of sightings in the Troutman/Amity Hill area, then further south around Mooresville and so on, down toward the Catawba River. Parents sometimes used the creature as a bugaboo to herd children, as in, “Child, you’d better not play in the woods after dark, or the Wampus just might get you!”

Parents used to warn children to get home before dark, lest a wampus attack them.

THERE HAVE BEEN MORE RECENT SIGHTINGS of an unknown, Loch Ness Monster-like animal, “Normie,” said to be a resident of Lake Norman. Whether this is our historical Santer or Wampus, or some new crypto-biological entity, remains to be seen—or, perhaps, not seen.

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ROBINSON-SPANGLER CAROLINA ROOM, CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG LIBRARY

Press clippings from the 1920s marveled at the grandeur of Charlotte’s new theater, from its chandeliers to the murals adorning its walls.

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Carolina Theatre is headed for a reopening.

Will Fred the Ghost join the curtain call?

BY

ANDY SMITH

Stage

FRIGHT

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SEAN BUSHER

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he story goes like this: During Carolina Theatre’s five decades of operation in uptown, strange things would happen during rehearsals, shows, and film screenings.

Meticulously placed lights would move and malfunction; props would scatter.

Bangs and clangs resonated from the empty projection room. Yet all you had to do was yell, “Knock it off, Fred!” and the troubles usually ceased. Thankful, actors and technicians would ask for a blessing or bid farewell when they left.

Uptown ghost tours stop at 220 N. Tryon St. to relate the tale of the naughty specter in the white Oxford shirt that’s taken up occupancy in the 93-year-old venue, which closed in 1978 and has been under renovation since 2017. Stephanie Burt Williams’ Ghost Stories of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, a popular 2003 volume for locals interested in the paranormal, made Fred one of uptown’s most famous phantoms.

But for more than 30 years, few people had a chance to encounter him. Then, in 2012, the City Council agreed to sell the theater to Foundation For the Carolinas for $1, which three years later announced its plans to renovate the historic structure into its offices and a civic space for town halls, arts and entertainment, and more inside the new Belk Place campus. They aim to finish work in early 2022, and the renovation has meant new people roaming the hallways and basements. They’ve seen things, heard things, that go beyond even the legends.

It turns out that Fred isn’t the only spirit that haunts Carolina Theatre.

A

ll old theaters have ghost stories, and North Carolina has plenty of both. Charlotte, Durham, Winston-Salem, and Greensboro have all had venues named “Carolina Theatre,” and they all opened in the 1920s— Charlotte’s 36,000-square-foot version debuted as a member of the national Publix Theatres Corporation family of theaters in 1927. All of the Carolina

Theatres have served multiple purposes, too, from vaudeville showcases to film screenings. Also: Staff and visitors at all four claim the theaters are haunted. (Fred is the name of the Durham Carolina Theatre’s ghost, too.)

Carolina Theatre in Charlotte is built on legends. Press clippings highlight sets from Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and one particularly electric performance from Elvis Presley in 1956. Ten years later, the film The Sound of Music ended a recordbreaking, 79-week run. In 1963, the segregated theater began to admit small groups of Black attendees before it eventually invited all of Charlotte. Then suburban sprawl took audiences away from uptown. The theater screened the Bruce Li film Fists of Bruce Lee on November 27, 1978, then closed its doors. (Li was a Leeimitator, part of the “Bruceploitation” movement of the era.)

Paranormal tales emerged as the years passed. Haunted theaters are so common that the otherwise-secular League of Historic American Theatres’ national conference offers a session on working with your local paranormal community.

Laura Smith, an executive vice president at Foundation For the Carolinas, attended that workshop last year, just before the most extensive renovations began.

The city had acquired the theater in 1986 and tried several times to resurrect it. Each attempt failed. Smith led one of those efforts during her time at the Arts & Science Council; even then, ghost tours stopped by to share Fred’s story. Like Foundation President and CEO Michael Marsicano, Smith made the leap from the ASC to Foundation For the Carolinas, where she decided to try again.

The Historic American Theatres’ conference session on the paranormal inspired her to call upon the Charlotte Area Paranormal Society (CAPS). “This was just right before we started construction,” Smith says, “because one of the things we wanted to do is, before we started disturbing things, see who’s already there, so to speak.” Even at that early stage, workers complained that their tools were moving or disappearing, seemingly on their own.

In recent years, the theater’s been marked by a neon sign and 2015 mural panels installed

by Matt Hooker and Matt Moore (opposite).

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(Above) Tamara Dobson starred in Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, one of several Blaxploitation films screened at Carolina Theatre in the 1970s.

(Right) In 1931, when this display at the theater was captured, Buster Keaton was a major figure in cinema.

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ROBINSON-SPANGLER CAROLINA ROOM, CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG LIBRARY; COURTESY FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROINAS; SEAN BUSHER

C

(Left) A view of the proscenium from the balcony around 2016.

The original murals along the walls, seen on page 48, were covered at some point with painted acoustical tiles. (Top) Elvis Presley fans line up for his February 1956 concert.

(Above) Ushers from the early days of the theater’s operation.

APS, led by founder and Executive Director Tina R. McSwain, insisted that payment for their survey of the theater would defile the group’s sacred service for Charlotte. The history of their industry, after all, is fraught with centuries of supernatural investigators exposed as money-hungry kooks. Despite that striving for spiritual purity, Smith immediately noted the scientific and pragmatic nature of the 15-year-old group and its leadership.

“The first thing we look for is a plausible explanation,” McSwain told this magazine in a 2012 story on CAPS. If a motion detector goes off or a camera captures strange forms, members are quick to offer several unghostly reasons, from dust particles to mice. CAPS sells a full lineup of plausibly useful (yet delightfully Ghostbusters-esque) devices for picking up disturbances, among them an air ion counter, electromagnetic field detector, HVAC multi-meter, and the Ovilus, “one of many paranormal field experimental devices created by Bill Chappell, a retired electronics engineer and founder of the digitaldowsing.com website.”

For the first visit, McSwain and a CAPS associate arrived without the rest of their crew or the usual equipment. They just wanted an initial impression. As Smith and a co-worker led them around, the two occasionally moved away from the group “to discuss things that we couldn’t hear.” Smith confronted the pair and asked why they kept slipping away to speak in private.

Their answer: They felt a presence, particularly in the balcony. A strong presence.

But it wasn’t Fred; it was a female. A female talking about shoes.

Smith couldn’t sense anything herself.

“I’m probably the least intuitive person in the world on a day-to-day basis,” she says today, with a laugh. “So the fact that, you know, I didn’t experience it would not cause me to disbelieve that someone else is having that experience.”

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She made a note to investigate whether any shoe stores had operated at or near Belk Place, from the days when retail ran uptown. (Sure enough, Ledbetter’s Shoe Store opened and closed during the mid-1900s in a space next to the theater.)

In Williams’ Ghost Stories, an effects and lighting technician named Bill Freeman says the name “Fred” entered his mind one day, and whether or not metaphysical forces placed it there, it took.

Likewise, the moniker for this newly discovered ghost appeared in the mind of a Foundation staff member and spread throughout the site. Her name is Clarissa.

S

mith and her group of Foundation employees and ghost hunters descended to the basement. “Down there, there’s a doorway that leads into what looks like a closet,” she recalls. “And in this closet, you’re actually looking underneath the stage. It’s just like the void of space.”

Before the group reached a doorway in the basement, one of the CAPS members stopped and said, “Wait, do you see that?”

Smith and her Foundation colleagues didn’t see or sense anything.

Moments later: “Wait, do you see that?”

Nope.

The onlooker asked everyone to stand behind her and look into the doorway.

The entire party, skeptics and believers alike, obliged.

“All of a sudden, this little ball of light, this little orb, shot across the other side of what would be the opening of this door,” Smith says with a chuckle of disbelief.

“And so I turn around to my colleagues and say, ‘Hey, did you see anything?’

When they said yes, I said, ‘Well, what do you think you saw?’ They described it the exact same way.”

A party member suggested it was a trick of the light, so they took turns trying to block gaps and holes in the walls where they thought light might be leaking in. The orb continued to float across the space.

“So [a CAPS member] is saying, ‘If there’s someone here with us, will you make yourself known?’” Smith continues. “She’s asking these kinds of questions, and I will tell you this, the light then came across the chest of that individual, and then appeared to go through her. Again, it appeared, went across her body and then actually went through her.”

The basement is just one area inside Carolina Theatre said to be haunted.

Ledbetter’s Shoe Store can be seen to the left of the theatre in this shot from 1945. The theatre, renovated in 1938 to accommodate “talkie” movies, featured the war film Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, starring Spencer Tracy.

Entrée Boo

RÍ RÁ IRISH PUB Rí Rá is on the ground floor of the second-oldest building in uptown Charlotte. The bar opened in 1997, but its ghosts have reportedly been there much longer. Sightings include a man in a Roaring Twenties-era uniform with white gloves and a pillbox cap. The pub’s website offers another mystery that centers on a single red brick: “The alarm system went off in the middle of the night, triggering a call to the police. ... The only thing out of place

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was a random red brick in the middle of the floor. The security cameras were checked and there were no signs of anyone entering the Pub or leaving the brick in this strange spot. To this day no one knows where the brick came from or who put it there but rumors are linked to its well-known prankster ghost.” 208 N. Tryon St. CASWELL STATION Elizabeth’s Caswell Station used to be Kennedy’s Premium Bar, which the

Charlotte Area Paranormal Society investigated in 2011. Over the years, staff at both restaurants reported strange sounds and radio interference; one even spotted an unknown figure inside the bathroom after the business closed for the day. A WCNC reporter accompanied the CAPS visit nine years ago, when paranormal investigator Tina McSwain heard noises that resembled a woman’s sigh. The reporter noted that they didn’t hear anything.

366 N. Caswell Rd.

COURTESY FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROINAS PETER TAYLOR

A new restaurant seems to open each week in Charlotte. Yet some of the city’s oldest have fed—and, in some cases, scared— us for decades. Meet the ghosties that inhabit five of them

CAPS returned days later, unpacked an artillery battery of beeping devices, and deployed its technicians throughout the theater for an extended, hourslong session. The group heard and felt odd things they couldn’t explain that night. But it’s that first visit—and the mysterious, floating orb—that sticks with Smith. “I don’t know what that was,” she says, “but I certainly saw something that I can’t explain today.”

A

history of hauntings is still history. Whether or not the ghosts exist, the Foundation embraces them as characters in Carolina Theatre’s story. It’s good PR: the League of Historic American Theatres recommends that theaters weave these stories and paranormal communities into their programming.

That doesn’t mean the philanthropic group is full of believers. “When most of the Foundation found out that I had brought the paranormal community to visit with us at the theater, I’m afraid my stock didn’t exactly rise with my colleagues,” Smith says, laughing. “I would get these pretty goofy looks.”

CAJUN QUEEN Down the street from Caswell Station is 35-year-old Cajun Queen, a converted house that serves New Orleansinfluenced fare and live jazz throughout the week. There are two theories about the woman, the one-time owner of the century-old structure, who supposedly haunts the building. Some say she is angry that her house has been turned into a bar; others say she’s just looking for a drink. 1800 E. 7th St. ALEXANDER MICHAEL’S The Fourth Ward fixture opened in 1983. Jason Tapp of the @spookyclt Instagram account often posts about

the “Lonely Local” there. Servers cleaning up for the night have seen an unknown person sitting at Al Mike’s strange booth for one. “In the late 19th century, Alexander Michael’s, the popular Fourth Ward restaurant, used to be a grocery store, the Berryhill Store,” the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library explains on its website. “As legend has it, Mr. Berryhill now haunts the restaurant.” 401 W. 9th St. STAGIONI Bruce Moffett opened his Italian restaurant on Providence Road in a one-time home Blanche Reynolds built in the early 1900s. Reynolds was

She intends to bring CAPS back after construction finishes in 2022 to see if they can corroborate past phenomena and perhaps make new friends. Expect these bygone specters to be part of Carolina Theatre’s future—but not as hokey props. Smith invites those with real spiritual curiosity to explore the paranormal history of the theater, without the kitsch of paid actors or special effects carted out for Halloween.

“I don’t assume that I know everything that there is to know about this world,” she says, “and if there are those that believe this, who am I to disbelieve them? I can’t disprove it, you know?

I’m open to it. And I think we at the Foundation remain open to this because we think it’s a great piece of the history of the Carolina Theatre, whether it’s Fred, Clarissa with her shoes, or any other the other stories from this place. … And you know, I’m hoping, whoever’s been there before us, we’re in their good graces.”

ANDY SMITH is executive editor of this magazine.

known for her sense of humor and grand parties, and staff now says she hangs around as a scheming spectre. In 2016, chef Drew Dodd told this magazine about a night when he was working alone in the kitchen. He “sat his chef’s notebook on a counter,” wrote Kristen Wile. “It wasn’t near the edge, he points out, it was in the middle of the counter. He turned away and heard a smack. His notebook had flown off the counter and was several feet away from where it was sitting. He decided to go home. He’d met the Stagioni ghost.”

715 Providence Rd. —A.S.

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AP PHOTO/RUSTY BURROUGHS/SHUTTERSTOCK

The Charlotte Sting’s Allison Feaster celebrates a 58-55 home victory against the Cleveland Rockers on June 30, 2001. Two months later, Feaster and her teammates would make an unexpected appearance in the WNBA Finals for the only time in franchise history.

VAN METER T T E R R A J Y B

The team no longer exists. The players have scattered. But nearly two decades ago, in a dry season for sports in this city, the Charlotte Sting advanced to the WNBA Finals for the only time in its 10-year history, and the four women who led the charge—all with ties to the Carolinas—still find ways to push the ball downcourt

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T WAS THE QUIETEST ROOM IN MANHATTAN. No taxi horns, no sirens, no click-clacking of heels against pavement. The Charlotte Sting faced playoff elimination, but the locker room was suffused with a calm confidence, a collective belief that every piece they needed was within those four walls. All that lay between them and a WNBA Eastern Conference championship was the New York Liberty and … a training table?

Deep within Madison Square Garden, the team gathered for what threatened to be the final pregame address of the season. After New York claimed Game 1 of the conference finals in Charlotte, the Sting had to beat the Liberty twice on the road to win the best-of-three series. Head coach Anne Donovan reviewed the game plan and matchups, and her assistants followed up with spirited exhortations. But it was Charlotte Smith, the Sting’s unofficial team chaplain, who closed the meeting.

“There was a training table in the middle of the guest locker room where you sat to get treatment and your ankles taped,” Smith recalls 19 years later. “I got the team to march around the training table like we were marching around the Walls of Jericho. I told them that the walls would come tumbling down, and that we would win the series.”

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AP PHOTO/CHUCK BURTON

Sting Coach Anne Donovan, left, and Andrea Stinson were catalysts of the 2001 Sting’s run to the Finals.

Donovan, whom the players jokingly nicknamed “Big Sexy,” died in 2018.

EXACTLY TWO MONTHS BEFORE, the dream of a conference championship teetered between highly improbable and mathematically impossible. Despite a roster buoyed with big names like Smith, Andrea Stinson, Dawn Staley, and Allison Feaster, Charlotte’s WNBA team had followed its 8-24 record in 2000 with a 1-10 start to 2001. Yet even as the front office and fan base began to lose patience, the women within the locker room knew they were close.

They all understood they were talented enough to compete with any team in the league. The Sting won the 12th game of the regular season. Two nights later, they won the 13th. The night after that, the 14th, too.

“Once you start winning,” Staley says now, “things start connecting.”

Not much else in Charlotte sports was, not at the time.

These were still the early years of professional sports in Charlotte, and neither of the city’s major franchises was bathing in glory, on or off the field. The NBA Hornets, once the city’s darling, had fallen out of favor after revelations of team owner George Shinn’s infidelities emerged during a highly publicized lawsuit and trial over a sexual assault claim; humiliated, Shinn would move the team to New Orleans in 2002. The NFL’s Panthers, which had made its own conference championship game after the 1996 season, its second year of existence, was just a few months from beginning a 1-15 season, to this day the franchise’s worst record.

Worse, a jury in January 2001 had convicted a former Panthers first-round draft choice, receiver Rae Carruth, in a conspiracy to murder his then-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child. The year before, another former player, Fred Lane, had been shot and killed by his wife in their home in Charlotte. She eventually served six years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. And although no one could have known it in the visitors’ locker room at MSG on the afternoon of Sunday, August 26, 2001, another, more profound horror would strike New York City and the nation a mere 16 days later.

From this twilight, the Sting climbed quietly to the spotlight. Their star players—Smith, Staley, Stinson, and Feaster, all but Staley from the Charlotte region—led the trek.

The Charlotte Sting no longer exists; one of the WNBA’s eight original teams, the team ceased operations in January 2007. But the quartet of women who led the team to the 2001 Finals keeps pushing. All four were told early in their lives that they didn’t fully belong as women in a man’s game. Three are now head basketball coaches, two at the college level, and one of those two coaches the women’s team that will represent the United States in the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo next year.

The fourth works in the front office—not of a WNBA team but the NBA’s Boston Celtics. They keep in touch, discussing not just their memories of 2001 but what they want to keep doing as women—as Black women—in a world that nearly two decades later still offers resistance, even after all they’ve worked through.

A WALNUT TREE STANDS IN A FIELD approximately 50 miles south of Charlotte, across the South Carolina border and in the countryside outside the small town of Chester.

Before she led Harvard to one of the greatest upset victories in the history of women’s college basketball, before the WNBA, before the Celtics hired her as vice president of player development and organizational growth, Allison Feaster just needed a place to shoot hoops.

“We nailed a piece of wood to it and took a piece of wire and made a rim,” Feaster tells me in July. She’s on the phone from Orlando, Florida, where the Celtics are preparing for the NBA’s restart season. “That’s kind of how we started playing.”

Her future teammates have similar stories. Smith grew up with a makeshift hoop in her backyard in Shelby. In Philadelphia, Staley cut out the bottom of a milk crate, attached it to plywood, and nailed it to an electrical pole outside of the Raymond Rosen housing projects. The WNBA wasn’t around at the time, and women’s basketball was thought of as a second-tier sport, if that, in the 1970s and early ’80s. Staley remembers the NCAA championship and the Olympics as the only televised women’s games then. Some girls had the skill and passion to play, but they had to elbow their way onto the court with boys at parks and playgrounds.

“I only had the outdoor court at the recreation center, and that’s where I grew up playing with all the men,” Stinson says. “That’s how I learned to play the game of basketball, with my guys in the neighborhood.”

“There were definitely not many girls that played,” says Smith, whose uncle, David Thompson, was a legendary player at N.C. State, where a cousin of hers, Dereck Whittenburg, was a star on the Wolfpack’s 1983 national championship team. Another cousin, Alvin Gentry, a former Appalachian State star, now coaches the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. “I was probably one of the only girls that played most of the time, depending on the playground.”

Male players became heroes to little girls, too. Stinson idolized the early ’80s North Carolina teams with Michael Jordan, Sam Perkins, and James Worthy. Smith grew up watching her uncles and cousins on television at her grandmother’s house. Feaster chose her uniform number at Harvard and with the Sting, 21, because it was Dominique Wilkins’ number with the Atlanta Hawks, a team she’d watch on TV with her brother.

Playing with and against boys helped the four women develop skills they used to excel once they began playing with and against other women. Smith, who wore Jordan’s number 23 at UNC Chapel Hill, is most famous for a buzzer-beating three-pointer she hit to beat Louisiana Tech for the 1994 national championship. (“A Shot That Catches Nothing But History,” the New York Times headline read the next morning.) Staley played in three Final Fours at Virginia. In 1998, against top-seeded Stanford, Feaster guided Harvard to the first-ever victory for a 16thseeded team in an NCAA Tournament. The athletic and acrobatic Stinson, though she wore number 32, was often described as a female version of Jordan when she played at N.C. State.

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But in the early and mid-’90s, no professional women’s basketball league existed in the States. If women wanted to play basketball for pay, they had to go overseas. A shortlived women’s league, the American Basketball League, began play in 1996. The next year, after approval from the NBA Board of Governors, the WNBA began play with eight teams. Each was paired with an NBA franchise to harness the established league’s marketing and organizational support. After a brief tug-of-war between the two leagues, the ABL folded in late 1998, and its most talented players signed with the WNBA. The Sting acquired the rights to ABL crossovers Staley and Smith, who joined Stinson as the core of the team.

“That came at a time when my dad was diagnosed with cancer,” Smith says. “So it afforded me the opportunity to be able to spend a lot of time with my dad before he passed away and gave him the opportunity to come and see a lot of my games.” Ulysses Smith died in 2006.

Feaster, the youngest of the quartet, began her WNBA career with the Los Angeles Sparks and was traded to the Sting before the 2001 season. She felt the draw of family, too: Her aging grandparents still lived in the Charlotte area.

All four women had some tie to the Carolinas: Feaster was from Chester, Smith from Shelby, Stinson from Cornelius, and Staley’s parents were from South Carolina. They felt a connection to the city and fan base, and the fans felt a connection to them, too. They were hometown girls, and, Stinson says, “there was a great sense of pride.”

“

But then the Sting began to win. On June 27, the team crushed the Detroit Shock at home, 74-50. Five more wins followed, then a 4-4 stretch in July. The Sting ended the season on a seven-game winning streak. The 18-14 overall record was good enough to earn the Eastern Conference’s fourth and final playoff spot, and Charlotte upset topseeded Cleveland in the first round. New York took the first game of the Eastern Conference Finals in Charlotte. Then Smith led the team on its march around the training table in the visitors’ locker room in Madison Square Garden.

Yes, you miss playing the game, but I miss the sisterhood that we had.

UNDER FIRST-YEAR COACH ANNE DONOVAN, a serious, towering woman who blushed every time her players jokingly referred to her as “Big Sexy,” the 2001 team began to blossom behind the closed doors of practice. Donovan, who died in 2018, quickly earned the team’s respect through her willingness to listen to players, particularly Staley and Stinson. Practice was spirited, even as the Sting’s record plummeted to 1-10.

“Our practices were filled with competition and a little banter,” Staley says. “You could only really see and hear and feel where we are from when our competitive juices started flowing. Other than that, we were pretty chill people, but on the court, you could see the various places we grew up. I know my Philly-ness came out. You could hear the accents of the southerners, like Charlotte and Allison. They call Allison ‘Charley’ in South Carolina. And then Stint (Stinson).”

Early in the losing streak, Charlotte Smith started a tradition: In the locker room, she’d announce what the Sting’s record would be if they won every remaining game. On June 24, after the Sting lost to the Sacramento Monarchs, 85-82—its fifth consecutive loss by a single-digit margin— Smith proffered that the 1-10 Sting could still finish 22-10.

At the time, it seemed laughable.

64

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

”

—CHARLOTTE SMITH

THE 2001 TEAM’S CORE FOUR remain connected. Texts fly back and forth. It’s a personal bond, of course, but these days, as Black women who have succeeded in a realm once hesitant to grant them admission, all four say they feel a sense of responsibility, too. The police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day, and the nationwide protests that followed, touched them as well. Staley in particular—the coach of an Olympic team—has been outspoken on social media. In July, she publicly responded to former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s criticism of the WNBA’s decision to honor Black Lives Matter during its abbreviated 2020 season. In a tweet, Haley said the WNBA was “dividing people based on political agendas.”

Staley responded that Haley’s tweet reflected the “ultimate division” and added, “We shall and will overcome.”

“I think it’s really important that I use my voice in the way that I am because little girls and women who look like me, grew up like me, are the voiceless,” Staley tells me in late June, about a month after the Floyd protests began.

“I feel like if I silence myself and don’t speak on things that are near and dear to our lives and our sport, I’m doing a disservice to my mother, who was a very outspoken woman who spoke from her heart. She believed that there is a right and a wrong. There is not a gray area—it’s totally black and white—and when something hits me in my heart like the happenings in our world today, I have to say something.”

All four have spoken up for each other, long past their playing days. It was Staley who encouraged Smith to get “out of the nest” and pursue a head coaching job, and Elon has traveled to play South Carolina several times. Stinson takes her high school team to Elon practices and games every chance she gets. Feaster, who’s climbed through the male-dominated ranks of the NBA, recently invited Staley to speak to the Celtics during a team Zoom call.

Staley could speak with authority, having coached South Carolina to a national championship in 2017 after losing records in each of her first two seasons. Whatever drove the Sting to turn its season around in 2001 lived beyond the franchise’s demise: Elon had never been to the NCAA Women’s Tournament before the university hired Smith

JEFF GROSS/ALLSPORT

The Sting lost a two-game sweep to the Los Angeles Sparks in the Finals, which was neither a surprise or a disgrace: That team, led by league MVP Lisa Leslie, lost only four of 32 games all year. Here, Sting players (from left) Allison Feaster, Dawn Staley, Summer Erb, and Charlotte Smith huddle during a June 2001 game in Los Angeles, which the Sparks won 73-69.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

65

WHERE THEY ARE NOW Allison Feaster, 44

Vice president of player development and organizational growth, Boston Celtics

Charlotte Smith, 47

Head women’s basketball coach, Elon University

Dawn Staley, 50

Head women’s basketball coach, University of South Carolina; head coach, USA Basketball Women’s National Team

Andrea Stinson, 52

SOUTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS; TROY SAYLES

Girls’ basketball coach, Walter M. Williams High School, Burlington

Two members of the 2001 Sting went on to become head college basketball coaches. Above, Dawn Staley cuts down the net in March after her University of South Carolina Gamecocks won the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament for the fifth time in the past six seasons. Below, Charlotte Smith coaches her Elon University players during a January game against UNC Wilmington that Elon won, 77-53.

66

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

Andrea Stinson coaches the girls’ basketball team at Walter M. Williams High School in Burlington. Here, she instructs her players during a holiday tournament in December.

Last year, the NBA’s Boston Celtics hired Allison Feaster as their director of player development. Feaster helped the Celtics, including former Duke star Jayson Tatum, adjust to the league’s restart this summer in its “bubble” in Orlando.

CELESTE MCCANDIES; BILL BAPTIST/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

as head coach in 2011. Smith led the Phoenix to consecutive appearances in 2017 and 2018. Stinson has found her niche teaching high school girls the skills, consistency, and accountability required to earn collegiate scholarships.

“We were always a family,” Smith says. “Always a family from the start to the end. We stuck together. That’s the one thing I miss the most. Yes, you miss playing the game, but I miss the sisterhood that we had.”

ONE NIGHT AND TWO GAMES after Smith’s Joshua moment in the locker room at Madison Square Garden, the members of the Charlotte Sting screamed, smiled, and exchanged sweaty hugs as they filed back into the same room. They had won two consecutive elimination games.

Anne Donovan—quiet, serious Anne Donovan—danced amid the sea of teal jerseys. Feaster, who sealed the win by hitting two three-pointers late in the game, let out a sigh of relief. Back in Stinson’s hometown of Cornelius, friends, family, and neighbors had taken to the streets in celebration. A contingent of fans greeted the team at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The Finals began August 30 at the old Charlotte Coliseum on Tyvola Road. The Los Angeles Sparks and league MVP Lisa Leslie, a team that had lost only four times all year, won that game, 75-66, then blew the Sting out by 28 points two nights later to win the title. The Sting would not make it past the first round of the playoffs again before it folded. But in that room in New York on that night in August 2001, everything the franchise needed was right there.

“Everybody always talks about the success. It’s easy to be 32-0 and only talk about the success, but that’s a great story that I can use for the rest of my life, even when I am going around giving motivational speeches to young kids talking about the power of belief and never giving up,” Smith says. “Until you have been down, you don’t know how to get up. So I am grateful for those times in my life when we were down and we had to be resilient and learn how to be fighters. At the end of the day, that’s what life is all about.”

JARRETT VAN METER is a writer based in Asheville and the author of How Sweet It Is, a history of high school basketball in his native Kentucky.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

67

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15 Open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST

VIRTUAL!

Video chat LIVE with school representatives from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

FREE Event!

Charlotte Parent’s School Fair is going virtual! We’re excited to connect parents with representatives from the top public, private and public charter schools in the Charlotte area — all in one place! Our interactive event platform allows parents to tour area schools, live chat with school representatives, download information and more. Explore education options for your family with us!

Learn more at CharlotteParent.com/schoolfair

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Many parents in the Charlotte region face the question year after year:

Which school is best for my child?

Find profiles of area schools at various levels, from elementary through high school, to aid in your selection process.

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Providence Day School With our mission to inspire a passion for learning, a commitment to personal integrity, and a sense of responsibility to the larger world, Providence Day School has a 50-year history of academic excellence.

Providence Day was the first independent school in the nation to offer a Global Studies diploma; we were the first in the nation to host a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School site.

We are widely recognized among our peers for our global focus; our achievements in the arts and athletics; our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and our innovations in learning.

Our classrooms are places of discovery, where learning about diverse cultures and shared experiences creates connections to a larger humanity.

We teach students to respect others, develop their communication skills, and build their confidence, so they can collaborate and lead in our culturally diverse society.

2020 Open House Thursday, Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m.

(Grades TK-5) Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.

(Grades TK-12)

5800 Sardis Road Charlotte, NC 28270 704-887-6000 ProvidenceDay.org/Admissions

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Covenant Day School At Covenant Day School, students thrive in an educational environment where academic excellence is infused with a biblical worldview. Established in 1989, Covenant Day is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school in Matthews, N.C. that serves more than 940 students in grades TK-12. Our exceptional faculty seek to ignite a hunger for lifelong learning in their students, helping them recognize the i ts and s ills that od has specifically provided for their lives.

In addition to a rigorous program for college preparation, st dents benefit rom a biblical worldview, small classes, community involvement, competitive sports, and quality fine arts ovenant Day st dents have received presti io s scholarships and have attended some of the nation’s leading colleges and universities.

Students are engaged in lessons and activities that foster restoration of broken aspects of nature and humanity. Additionally, they develop problem-solving skills to support sustainable environments and communities.

Restoration and sustainability projects include Restore 525, Monarch Buttery Pro ect, ontain t, rowin ope, and o r classes isit www covenantday.org/learnmore to see how students are making a global impact through these initiatives.

Open House: Friday, October 30, at 9:30 a.m.

Registration: www.covenantday.org/openhouse Covenant Day School.indd 1

St. Timothy’s School St. Timothy’s School is best understood by how our students are known: as self-possessed young women of intellectual curiosity, expansive worldview, and a strong-but-empathetic mindset.

Studying in the globally respected International Baccalaureate program, they are comfortable with rigor. Spirited conversations unfold around intimate seminar tables and cutting-edge innovation labs.

Intellectual challenge is met by resounding support. Devoted teachers understand and respond to students’ individual talents and learning styles. Fellow girls encourage each other as they embark on new adventures. It is our steadfast belief that the best learning emerges from the strongest relationships.

Balancing mind, body, and spirit, our student life curriculum builds an unshakable foundation for self-esteem and wellness. Spirited athletic competition, a vibrant arts scene, a joyful residential life, and a general atmosphere of encouragement and trust all strengthen bonds of sisterhood that last a lifetime.

St. Timothy’s girls are comfortable, creative, and fearless in their pursuit o nowled e hey are nown and respected by the nation s finest colle es and universities as independent-minded problem solvers who bring energy and optimism to an ever-changing world.

2020 Open House Please refer to stt.org for Open House dates and times.

St Timothys.indd 1

800 Fullwood Lane Matthews, NC 28105 704-847-2385 Covenantday.org

8/18/20 12:52 PM

8400 Greenspring Avenue Stevenson, MD 21153 410-486-7401 stt.org 8/31/20 12:14 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Carmel Christian School Carmel Christian School is a greater Charlotte area private Christian school serving approximately 1,000 students in Grades K-12. We offer an excellent education built upon biblical truth, which equips students to impact the world for Jesus Christ.Students participate in a challenging college preparatory curriculum taught through the lens of a biblical worldview.

In the midst of these extraordinary times, few things in our lives remain the same. The CCS mission of disciple-making education and Christ’s love stand firm armel hristian chool is committed to e cellence, discipleship, comm nity health sa ety and e ibility Quick Facts: • STEM: Award-winning International Space Station Team • Athletics: 27 Middle/High School Athletic Teams, Collegiate Athletic Signings, State Championships • Arts: Performing and visual arts, including theatre and musical productions • Missions: Students serve locally and internationally Join us for an Admissions Open House this Fall and discover our story by scheduling a tour at carmelchristian.org. We are currently accepting applications for 2021-2022.

Tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord and His might and the wonders that He has done. Psalm 78:4 CLTCM_201000_CARMELCHRISTIANSCHOO_00141644_#00544655.indd 1

Charlotte Preparatory School

1145 Pineville-Matthews Road Matthews, NC 28105 704-849-9723, #2 carmelchristian.org 8/26/20 9:46 AM

KNOWN, LOVED, CHALLENGED. Now more than ever, your children need a school where they are known for their unique personalities, loved by their teachers, and challenged to rise to their personal best. At Charlotte Prep, our intimate size and PreK-8th grade philosophy create a community where children receive an outstanding education in a safe, nurturing environment that fosters intellectual, expressive, physical, and ethical growth.

Although school looks different this year, rest assured that our dedication to remaining child-centered remains constant. The physical and emotional health and happiness of each child is always at the forefront of our minds. The size of our #OnePrep family means we have a pulse on every child’s needs in our community, be those academic or emotional, on-campus or virtual.

We value positive character and integrity as the essential building blocks of a truly meaningful life. With our intentionally designed small class sizes, we can ensure that every student is known, loved, and challenged. We recognize and appreciate the richness of a diverse student body, which accounts for appro imately o o r pop lation e develop principled, sel confident leaders who model self-control and creative problem-solving skills, and are able to lead others.

Contact us for enrollment information at admissions@charlotteprep.org charlotteprep.indd 1

212 Boyce Road Charlotte, NC 28211 704-366-5994 Charlotteprep.org 8/31/20 4:51 PM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Trinity Episcopal School Trinity Episcopal School, located in the heart of Uptown, inspires 435 students in grades K-8 to become insightful thinkers, engaged citizens and innovative problem-solvers.

Now in its 21st year, the Trinity community contin es to intentionally re ect the diversity o Charlotte, equipping students with values that endure, while challenging all to academic excellence.

Grounded in a foundation of reason, openness and inclusivity, Trinity students are inquisitive lifelong learners who respect and celebrate others across racial and ethnic differences, socio-economic lines, religions, genders, sexual orientations, generations and neighborhood fences.

At Trinity, students become scholars who use their ever-growing knowledge not just to impact their own lives, but to change the world around them for the better.

This Year’s Admission Season Please visit www.tescharlotte.org to access our virtual admission hub, inquiry form, application and event schedule.

Trinity.indd 1

750 E. 9th Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704-358-8101 TEScharlotte.org

ORDER YOUR FEATURED KEEPSAKE TODAY

9/1/20 9:31 AM

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NEW ITEM! PURCHASE AN ARTICLE AND COVER SPREAD Show off your recognition with a high-quality archival keepsake plaque. It ships to you ready to hang, no framing necessary. Choose from your choice of four edge colors. Acrylic standoff and glass plaques are also available.

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For pricing and order details, visit charlottemagazine.com/store

SPECIAL SPECIAL ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SECTION SECTION

Discover these wedding venues near Charlotte while you’re planning your special day

CARRIE FRIESEN PHOTOGRAPHY

JB MARIE PHOTOGRAPHY

Distinctive venues. Breathtaking views. World-class catering. Award-winning Service.

Amidst the vivid natural beauty of Hilton Head Island, weddings at The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa are nothing short of spectacular. With a variety of stunning venues to choose from, including several oceanfront spaces, the possibilities for your special day are endless. Your guests will relish the luxurious accommodations, renewing amenities, and exciting island adventures offered at our beachfront resort.

Call today to schedule your tour of our venues, and let our team of experts make your dreams a reality.

Vir tual Tours Available!

WESTINHHIWEDDINGS.COM

|

843-681-4000

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WESTINHHI@WESTIN.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa is an oceanfront venue located in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Named the “#1 Island in the Continental U.S.” by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler four years running, Hilton Head Island offers a blend of coastal luxury and southern hospitality. The Westin lies amidst the stunning natural landscape of coastal dunes, palmetto trees, and Spanish moss, along pristine, white-sand beaches. Offering an array of spectacular venues in one place, wedding celebrations are seamless and unforgettable, from Welcome Party to Farewell Brunch. The resort’s signature venue, the Grand Ocean Terrace, is a 5,000-square-foot, climate-controlled space with elegant coastal accents, panoramic ocean views, and sliding-glass doors to enjoy the year-round temperate climate. Oceanfront ceremonies are enchanting on the Oceanfront Deck, just steps from the sand, or along the picturesque beachfront for an intimate, toesin-the-sand ceremony. A variety of indoor venues can accommodate celebrations both intimate and grand. In addition to distinctive venues, exceptional service, and world-class catering, The Westin offers luxurious oceanfront accommodations, three swimming pools, the award-winning Heavenly Spa and Salon, historic golf courses, tennis, restaurants, and exciting customized island excursions to create an unforgettable celebration for you and your guests.

THE WESTIN HILTON HEAD ISLAND RESORT & SPA 2 Grasslawn Avenue, Hilton Head Island, SC 29928 | westinhhiweddings.com 843-681-4000

CLTCM_201000_THEWESTINHILTONHEADI.indd 1

8/19/20 3:49 PM

PLANNING A SPECIAL EVENT?

Explore more of the area’s top wedding and event providers online at: charlottemagazine.com/resources

WHERE FOREVER WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. Let your love story take center stage in the heart of Uptown, set against our artful spaces draped with elegance, ambiance and Argentinian-inspired backdrops.

With intuitive service and a passion for detail, we’ll deliver something truly exceptional—your love story brought to life. It will be everything you’ve ever imagined. And everything you never thought possible.

FOREVER BEGINS HERE. 704.372.1877 | GrandBohemianCharlotte.com

THE GUIDE

Restaurants YOUR GUIDE TO CHARLOTTE’S DINING SCENE KID CASHEW

Dilworth ❤ 300 EAST

$-$$

NEW AMERICAN The interior of this old house-turnedrestaurant is welcoming, as is the menu of familiar and surprising sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Save room for dessert by pastry chef Laney Jahkel-Parrish. 300 East Blvd. (704-332-6507) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ✸☎

❤ BONTERRA

$$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Its setting may be a historic Southern church, but Bonterra serves up modern Southern flavors with top-notch service. Wine lovers will be impressed by the more than 200 wines by the glass. 1829 Cleveland Ave. (704-333-9463) D, BAR ✸☎

CAPISHE

$-$$

ITALIAN The pasta dishes and pizza prepared by Chef David Cavalier, previously of Kindred, are impressive for a fast-casual restaurant. Arrive early for lunch to beat the long lines. 500 E. Morehead St., Ste. 100. (980-8199494) L, D, BAR

❤ COPPER

$$$

INDIAN Ease into Indian cuisine with standard dishes like chicken tikka masala, or be more adventurous with the spicy seafood medley “anjeeri.” 311 East Blvd. (704333-0063) L, D, V, BAR ✸☎

DOLCE OSTERIA

AMERICAN The daytime partner to The Summit Room focuses on specialty coffees, quiches, and pastries, and, of course, chicken salad sandwiches. 1531 East Blvd.

(980-237-2543) B, L, B/W ✸

ZEN FUSION

$$

FUSION Here, fusion means a sampling of dishes from the Far East and Spain. 1716 Kenilworth Ave. (704-3589688) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

Elizabeth/Cherry CAJUN QUEEN

$$$

$$-$$$

AMERICAN This upscale marketplace, with sandwiches, salads, and daily specials, is a welcome afternoon spot for a grab-and-go meal or a bite and people-watching.

1609 Elizabeth Ave. (704-333-2757) B, BR, L, D, V ✸

❤ CUSTOMSHOP

$$-$$$

EARL’S GROCERY

$

❤ THE FIG TREE RESTAURANT

$$$$

NEW AMERICAN The No. 2 restaurant on our 2018 Best Restaurants list, the Fig Tree specializes in fresh and fla-

vorful cuisine with an emphasis on wine pairing in a 1913 bungalow. 1601 E. 7th St. (704-332-3322) D, BAR ✸☎

❤ PIZZERIA OMAGGIO

$$

PIZZA Among a sea of by-the-slice joints, owner Daniel Siragusa sticks by his Italian roots with personal pizzas.

Some think they can’t possibly eat the whole pie, but they do. And then they order dessert. 1055 Metropolitan Ave., Ste. 130. (704-370-0777) L, D, BAR ✸☎

❤ THE STANLEY

$$$

SUNFLOUR BAKING CO.

$-$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Paul Verica’s menu reflects a respect of seasonal produce, with playful dishes such as “Asparagus—as many ways as we could think of,” and a more robust cocktail program. 1961 E. 7th St. (980-2992741) D, BR (Sun), BAR ✸☎

BAKERY With locations in Dilworth, Harrisburg, and Ballantyne, Sunflour serves croissants, cinnamon buns, sandwiches, and soups. Regulars spend mornings here with a cup of coffee, letting them fade into afternoons.

2001 E. 7th St. (704-900-5268) B, L, D, V ✸

Huntersville/Lake Norman ALIÑO PIZZERIA

$$

❤ DRESSLER’S

$$$

PIZZA Enjoy your Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizza at a community table with paper towels on hand to catch the drips from crust dipped in herbs and olive oil. A second location is at Concord Mills. 500 S. Main St., Ste. 401, Mooresville. (704-663-0010) L, D, B/W ✸

NEW AMERICAN Part steak house, part upscale American cuisine, dishes are delivered with consistency and a smile, both here and at the Metropolitan Avenue location. 8630-1A Lindholm Dr. (704-987-1779) D, BAR

✸☎

FLATIRON KITCHEN + TAPHOUSE

$$$

STEAK HOUSE High-quality steaks are a given here, but the seafood and vegetables are treated with the same respect. 215 S. Main St., Davidson. (704-237-3246) BR, L, D, BAR ✸☎

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

PIZZA Two words: pistachio pizza. Seriously, try it. Then grab a spot on the patio beneath the bistro lights and enjoy a bottle of wine with friends. There’s a second location in Providence Commons, too. 2230 Park Rd., (704-900-0929) L, D, BAR ✸

78

$

$$

AMERICAN This small Dilworth restaurant has soups, salads, and delicious, oversized sandwiches made with fresh, thick bread filled with innovative combinations.

2410 Park Rd. (704-372-2009) L, D, BAR ✸

INIZIO PIZZA NAPOLETANA

THE MAYOBIRD

NEW AMERICAN Owner and executive chef Trey Wilson uses top-notch, seasonal ingredients to create fresh takes on American cuisine in a hip, rustic atmosphere.

1601 Elizabeth Ave. (704-333-3396) D, BAR ✸☎

ITALIAN The open layout lends an air of conviviality to this slick eatery, which has house-made pastas, thincrust pizzas, note-perfect risotto, and daring meat entrées. 2418 Park Rd. (704-333-3062) L, D, BAR ✸☎

FRAN’S FILLING STATION

$$

$$

VEGETARIAN Fern moved from Plaza Midwood to Dilworth in mid-2016. It still has ferns on the wall, and the menu is still full of flavorful vegetarian cuisine. 1419 East Blvd., Ste. A. (704-377-1825) L, BR, D, V, BAR ✸

FIAMMA RESTAURANT

LEBOWSKI’S NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL

AMERICAN Dishes at this neighborhood favorite include burgers, brats, and the popular “Beef on Weck.”

1524 East Blvd. (704-370-1177) L, D, BAR ✸

CAJUN Nightly live jazz complements New Orleans creole favorites like shrimp étouffée and crawfish Diane in this century-old house. 1800 E. 7th St. (704-377-9017) BR, D, BAR ✸☎

ITALIAN This classic, cozy, family-run neighborhood trattoria serves a mix of fresh, regional Italian cuisine and a tidy, all-Italian wine list. 1710 Kenilworth Ave. (704-332-7525) L (weekdays), D, B/W ✸☎

FERN, FLAVORS FROM THE GARDEN

$$

MEDITERRANEAN This bright and rustic restaurant from the owner of Georges Brasserie serves meat family-style from a wood-fired grill and a selection of small plates. 1608 East Blvd. (704-208-4148) L, D, BAR ✸

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

❤

Most entrées under $10 Most entrées $10-$17 Most entrées $18-$25 Most entrées $26 & up Best Restaurants

B BR L D V

Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar ✸ Patio seating available Reservations suggested

☎

REVIEW POLICIES—The restaurants on these pages are recommendations of the editors of Charlotte magazine.

They are not related to advertising in any way. Restaurant visits are anonymous, and all expenses are paid by the magazine. Reviews are written by members of the editorial staff. We regularly update these listings. New additions are denoted by “new listing” and revised reviews are indicated by “update.”

❤ HELLO, SAILOR

$$-$$$

❤ KINDRED

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Davidson’s sweethearts, Joe and Katy Kindred, opened this lakefront spot. Expect Carolina classics like fried catfish and seafood platters, as well as tiki drinks. 20210 Henderson Rd., Cornelius. (704997-5365) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

NEW AMERICAN Chef Joe Kindred, a James Beard Award semifinalist, serves homemade pasta dishes and creative small plates in historic downtown Davidson. 131 N. Main St., Davidson. (980-231-5000) BR, L, D, BAR ✸☎

SABI ASIAN BISTRO

$$

ASIAN Find Asian-inspired dishes, from sushi to stir fry to sweet-and-sour chicken, in a sleek interior. 130 Harbor Place Dr., Davidson. (704-895-5707) L, D, BAR ✸

Matthews/Mint Hill KABAB-JE ROTISSERIE & GRILLE

$$

MIDDLE EASTERN With a second location in Stonecrest, this Mediterranean and Lebanese spot serves dishes like hummus shawarma and lamb kabobs. 2233 Matthews Township Pkwy., Ste. E. (704-845-0707) L, D ✸

LOYALIST MARKET

$-$$

AMERICAN This charming eatery is a sandwich shop by day and a cheese shop by night. Choose from over 60 artisan cheeses and cured meats from the U.S. and abroad, along with gourmet food products, wine, and local beer. 435 N. Trade St., Ste. 102. (704-814-9866) L, D, BAR ✸

NEW ZEALAND CAFÉ

$-$$

FUSION A wooden latticework ceiling and indoor trellis add charm to this neighborhood favorite, where sushi is fresh and affordable. 1717 Sardis Rd. N., Ste. 6A. (704708-9888) L, D, B/W ✸

SANTÉ

$$$ - $$$$

FRENCH The food is far from colloquial here, and the exposed brickwork and antiqued tin roof lend credence to the French name. 165 N. Trade St., Matthews. (704845-1899) D, BAR

❤ YUME BISTRO

$$

JAPANESE The flavorful ramen and other Japanese classics here defy the restaurant’s plain interior. They also opened a new location in Wilmore last year. 1369 Chestnut Ln., Matthews. (704-821-0676) L, D

Myers Park/Cotswold DEEJAI THAI

$$

THAI This family-owned eatery offers takeout, but with its modern dining room and bright patio, you’ll want to settle into a table. 613 Providence Rd. (704-333-7884) L, (weekdays), D, BAR ✸

FENWICK’S

$$

AMERICAN A Myers Park mainstay since the 1980s, Fenwick’s is a go-to for a comforting meal made with fresh ingredients, delivered with warm service. 511 Providence Rd. (704-333-2750) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

LEROY FOX

$$

SOUTHERN A casual eatery known for its fried chicken, Leroy Fox serves Southern classics and upscale pub grub, with an additional location in South End. 705 S. Sharon Amity Rd. (704-366-3232) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

MAMA RICOTTA’S

$$

ITALIAN Frank Scibelli’s (Midwood Smokehouse, Yafo, Paco’s) first restaurant does simple Italian dishes with stylish twists in a spot fit for couples, families, and everyone else. 601 S. Kings Dr. (704-343-0148) L, D, BAR ✸☎

PROVIDENCE ROAD SUNDRIES

$-$$

AMERICAN Classic bar food and friendly service have made this a neighborhood hangout for generations.

1522 Providence Rd. (704-366-4467) L, D, BAR

❤ STAGIONI

$$$

ITALIAN Meaning “seasons,” this concept from Bruce Moffett serves Italian standards. A must-visit for Chef Eric Ferguson’s delicious, handmade pastas, wood-fired pizzas, and slow-roasted meats. 715 Providence Rd. (704-372-8110) D, BAR ☎

VOLO RISTORANTE

$$$

ITALIAN Volo translates to “flight,” which is the Italian answer to a tasting menu. Let the chef choose a meat, vegetable, or seafood flight for you, or order off the dinner menu and enjoy a plate of gnocchi, risotto, or tortellini paired with a glass of chianti. 1039 Providence Rd. (704-919-1020) D, BAR ☎

NoDa/North Charlotte AMÉLIE’S FRENCH BAKERY

$

FRENCH Enjoy a flaky croissant on the outdoor patio or order from the café menu of soups and sandwiches any time of day—or night. Amélie’s now has two additional locations in uptown and Park Road Shopping Center.

2424 N. Davidson St. (704-376-1781) B, L, D

BAO + BROTH

$-$$

ASIAN Follow the smell of ramen and steamed pork belly buns to this food stall, the fifth restaurant from chef Bruce Moffett, and have a seat among the other diners in Optimist Hall. 1115 N. Brevard St. (704-6252269) L, D

BENNY PENNELLO’S

$

PIZZA A full Benny P’s pie is 28 inches, almost double the standard—but if you divide it into eight slices, one is the ideal-sized meal for one person. 2909 N. Davidson St., Ste. 100. (980-949-8398) L, D, B/W

CABO FISH TACO

$-$$

CRÊPE CELLAR KITCHEN & PUB

$-$$

THE DUMPLING LADY

$-$$

SEAFOOD This NoDa “Baja seagrill” serves up the title dish as well as quesadillas, burritos, and salads in a fun, surf-themed atmosphere. 3201 N. Davidson St. (704332-8868) L, D, BAR ✸

FRENCH The crêpes—both sweet and savory—are delicious, but the restaurant’s fare goes beyond its French roots with flavorful salads, entrées, and craft cocktails.

3116 N. Davidson St. (704-910-6543) BR, L, D, BAR

ASIAN One of Charlotte’s most popular food trucks has a brick-and-mortar space in Optimist Hall. Order Zhang Qian’s authentic Sichuan dumplings, noodles,

Best Bites Our favorite dish this month, chosen

by Charlotte magazine staff

GREG LACOUR

WAFFLE SUNDAE, $10 HABERDISH DON’T KID YOURSELF. You foreclosed on the idea of a low-cal meal when you chose to eat here. You’ve already downed the fried chicken, maybe a side of smoky mac & cheese. Time to complete the glutton’s circuit. Oh, here she comes: a Belgian-style Liege waffle, made from risen dough prepared the day before and mixed with globules of pearl sugar that melt throughout the waffle while cooking and lend the exterior a crisp, hardened caramel-like sheen. The inside is denser, chewier than the spongy batter waffle you’re used to. Atop it rest two scoops of buttermilk ice cream, a vehicle for cold and a touch of tang to balance the sweet and warm, and—heaven help you—a pecan praline topping that acts as a kind of caramelized duvet for the whole thing. No syrup needed. That would be, oh, decadent. —Greg Lacour

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

79

THE GUIDE and dim sum, and brace for spice. 1115 N. Brevard St. (980-595-6174) L, D, V

EL THRIFTY

$-$$

MEXICAN The Mexican cantina and gaming venue in Optimist Hall serves creative tacos and cocktails with a side of duckpin bowling. 1115 N. Brevard St. (980-9497837) L, D, BAR ✸

THE GOODYEAR HOUSE

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Grab a table in the botanist room or the open patio on a warm night, and enjoy elevated comfort food like smoked cashew mac and cheese and guinea hen stew. 3032 N. Davidson St. (704-9100132) L, D, BAR ✸

❤ HABERDISH

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Southern appetizers, fried chicken, and apothecary cocktails from Colleen Hughes draw a hip crowd to this mill town southern kitchen. 3106 N. Davidson St. (704-817-1084) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

HARRIET’S HAMBURGERS

$

AMERICAN The burger joint with a pick-up window at Optimist Hall has a simple menu of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and fries, but they get everything right.

1115 N. Brevard St., Ste. 6 L, D

HEIST BREWERY

$-$$

AMERICAN This is bar food to the extreme. Beer is incorporated into several dishes at this brewpub. The beer cheese is made with Heist’s own beer and served alongside pretzels made with leftover mash. 2909 N. Davidson St., Ste. 200. (704-375-8260) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

JACKBEAGLE’S

$

tion in Optimist Hall. 1115 N. Brevard St. (704-5791779) L, D, V

ROOM AND BOARD

$-$$

AMERICAN Inside a two-story Victorian home and former boarding house, have your choice of sandwiches, burgers, and wings, or come for Sunday brunch and get a “hangover pizza.” 3228 N. Davidson St. (980-4303136) BR (Sun) L, D, BAR NEW LISTING

ROY’S KITCHEN & PATIO

$$

CARIBBEAN Come for a fruity cocktail, but don’t expect a trip to Margaritaville—this is a relaxed neighborhood hangout with cornhole, ping-pong, and rotisserie chicken you can smell cooking down the street. 3112 N. Davidson St. (704-910-2031) BR (Sun), D, BAR, ✸

Plaza Midwood/East Charlotte ACE NO. 3

$-$$

LEAH & LOUISE

COMMON MARKET

DIAMOND RESTAURANT

$-$$

DISH

$-$$

B BR L D V

80

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar ✸ Patio seating available Reservations suggested

☎

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

AMERICAN This 1950s-style diner features retro teal booths, a jukebox, and classic dishes like burgers, fried pork chops, and fried chicken. 1901 Commonwealth Ave. (704-375-8959) L, D, BAR ✸

SOUTHERN A neighborhood joint with an eclectic clientele, good, down-home Southern food, and a funky wait staff. 1220 Thomas Ave. (704-344-0343) B, L, D, BAR ✸

❤ INTERMEZZO PIZZERIA & CAFÉ

$-$$

FUSION Even the pickiest eater can find something to order here, with menu options ranging from burgers and pizzas to cabbage rolls and stuffed peppers. 1427 E. 10th St. (704-347-2626) L, D, V, BAR ✸

LANG VAN

❤ NC RED

$$

SAL’S PIZZA FACTORY

$$

❤ SOUL GASTROLOUNGE

$$

SNOOZE: AN A.M. EATERY

$$

THREE AMIGOS

$$

PIZZA The New York slices at this east Charlotte joint have thick cheese and generous toppings—the classic style of pizza that fuels nostalgia and harkens back to a time when you didn’t know what calories or gluten were. 3723 Monroe Rd. (980-219-7108) L, D, BAR

AMERICAN The Denver-based breakfast spot has a huge menu, but you’re free to mix and match. Choose any two benedicts with the Benny Duo, or get the Pancake Flight with three different flavors. There’s also a morning cocktail menu with mimosas, mojitos, and a dirty drunken chai. 1331-A Central Ave. (704-2435070) B, BR, L, BAR ✸

PAPI QUESO

❤

$$

NEW AMERICAN Expect to wait a while at this no-reservations spot, known for small plates like pork belly tacos with compressed watermelon, and a rotating list of craft cocktails. 1500-B Central Ave. (704-348-1848) D, BAR ✸

DELI A neighborhood hangout with additional locations in South End and Oakwold, this market and deli serves quick and delicious sandwiches, local craft beers, snacks, sweets, and more. 2007 Commonwealth Ave. (704-334-6209) B, L, D, B/W ✸

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up

MOO & BREW

$

SOUTHERN A James Beard-nominated chef and Soul Food Sessions co-founder Greg Collier serves the dishes he grew up on, like hot fried quail and dirty grits, in a space modeled after a Memphis-style juke joint. 301 Camp Rd., Ste. 101 (980-309-0690) D, BAR ✸ ☎

AMERICAN Expect all the staples from the popular food truck, along with new grilled cheeses, mac and cheese, and melts from the brick-and-mortar loca-

$$

SEAFOOD/SOUTHERN The fourth restaurant from Bruce Moffett serves a mix of Rhode Island shore food, like oysters and stuffed clams, and southern comforts, like fried chicken and mac and cheese. 1205 Thomas Ave. (704-321-4716) D, BAR ✸

AMERICAN Rotisserie chicken with South Americaninspired sides makes for a healthy and fast lunch or dinner. 1518 Central Ave. (980-265-1290) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

$-$$

❤ MIDWOOD SMOKEHOUSE

BARBECUE With North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and dry or sauced ribs, there’s a ’cue for everyone—and traditional sides to pair. The restaurant has a number of Charlotte locations including Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center, but the Plaza Midwood spot is its flagship post. 1401 Central Ave. (704-295-4227) L, D, BAR ✸

$-$$

AMERICAN A mainstay for the locals, this place serves unconventional bar bites like mac-and-blue-cheese with bacon. 3213 N. Davidson St. (704-334-5140) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

$$

$

AMERICAN A playful list of burgers, craft beers, and friendly servers make this spot an easy choice for a casual dinner out. The patio is packed on nice nights.

1300 Central Ave. (980-585-4148) L, D, BAR ✸

VIETNAMESE Even if you think cilantro tastes like soap, don’t let the name of this fast casual restaurant fool you—the herb add-on is optional. Structured like Chipotle, build-your-own meals include a base starch (banh mi, vermicelli noodles, white rice, fried rice), one protein, and five toppings. 2001 Commonwealth Ave. (704-345-9490) L, D, V, B/W ✸

COALTRANE’S

LUPIE’S CAFE

AMERICAN The building, interior, and menu have barely changed since owner Lupie Duran opened in 1987. It’s an ideal spot for cold days, specializing in handmade burgers, four kinds of chili, meatloaf, and “chicken n dumplins.” 2718 Monroe Rd., (704-3741232) L, D, B/W

$

AMERICAN The new counter-service burger joint from the team behind Sea Level and the Waterman offers a straightforward menu of burgers, fries, and shakes.

1001 Belmont Ave. (704-910-2200) L, D, ✸

CILANTRO NOODLE

dients. 3019 Shamrock Dr. (704-531-9525) BR, L, D, V, B/W

$

VIETNAMESE Regulars love this no-fuss spot for its authentic cuisine, with loads of flavor and fresh ingre-

MEXICAN Three Amigos remains a constant on Central Avenue, specializing in enchiladas and other Mexican staples like tinga de pollo and carne asada tacos.

It’s always fresh, too—they’ll never save rice, beans, or meat for use the next day. 2917A Central Ave., 704536-1851. L, D, BAR ✸

THE WORKMAN’S FRIEND

$$-$$$

IRISH Enjoy Irish classics like fish and chips and shepherd’s pie in this rustic dining room, or grab a pint at the custom-built walnut bar. 1531 Central Ave. (980224-8234) BR, L (Fri-Sun), D, BAR ✸

Charlotte’s Top Spots Go Curbside Amid the coronavirus epidemic, many restaurants on our “50 Best” list started offering curbside options. As of late August, these spots were doing just that:

Uptown THE ASBURY

235 N. Tryon St. 704-342-1193 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. and Sat-Sun, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.-8:30 p.m. To-go menu on its site.

Chef Mike Long’s inventive menu mixes countryside favorites like biscuits and deviled eggs with bold flavors and contemporary techniques.

STOKE

100 W. Trade St. 704-353-6005 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. To-go menu on its site.

Hotel dining gets an upgrade with this wood-fired grill, family-style concept in Marriott City Center.

ANGELINE’S

303 S. Church St. 704-445-2540 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Sun-Thurs, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., and Fri, 5 a.m.-11 p.m.

The Italian-inspired entreés at this uptown spot are all excellent, and the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio is the most imaginative appetizer on the menu.

South End/Dilworth BARDO

1508 S. Mint St. 980-585-2433 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Tues-Thurs, 5 p.m.-10 p.m., and Fri-Sat, 5 p.m.-11 p.m. (They’re also offering to-go cocktail kits for $8 that make two cocktails and include instructions.)

This foodie destination serves seasonal small plates and creative cocktails. The dining room looks into a big, open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work.

COPPER

311 East Blvd.

704-333-0063 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pickup during regular hours.

The restaurant also has free delivery with a minimum order of $40 within a 5-mile radius. Ease into Indian cuisine with standard dishes like chicken tikka masala, or be more adventurous with the seafood medley “anjeeri” and dial up the spice.

300 EAST

300 East Blvd.

704-332-6507 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, with regular menu options and new family-style options. Owners say hours vary based on demands.

The interior of this old house-turned-restaurant is welcoming, as is the menu of familiar and surprising sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Save room for dessert by pastry chef Laney Jahkel-Parrish.

BONTERRA

1829 Cleveland Ave. 704-333-9463 OPTIONS: Takeout, curbside pick-up, and delivery (within 3 miles) are available. Hours are 5:30 p.m-9 p.m. right now.

Its setting may be a historic Southern church, but Bonterra serves up modern Southern flavors with top-notch service. Wine lovers will be impressed by the more than 200 wines by the glass.

FUTO BUTA

222 E. Bland St. 704-376-8400 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pick-up daily until 9 p.m.

This ramen house promises authenticity, irreverence, and delightful, salty bowls of the hot noodle soup.

NoDa/North of Charlotte HABERDISH

3106 N. Davidson St. 704-817-1084 OPTIONS: Order online and pick up to-go orders on the patio or curbside 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

Southern appetizers, fried chicken, and apothecary cocktails from Colleen Hughes draw a hip crowd to this mill town southern kitchen.

KINDRED

131 N. Main St. 980-231-5000 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up, Tues-Sat, 5 p.m.-10 p.m.

Every meal at the Davidson restaurant starts the same way: with cloud-like milk bread, an appetizer with such a following, Kindred made T-shirts. The subsequent dishes are just as beautiful, and they’ve earned chef and co-owner Joe Kindred a James Beard nod for the past four years.

HELLO, SAILOR

20210 Henderson Rd. 704-997-5365 OPTIONS: Takeout, Wed-Sun, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Davidson’s sweethearts, Joe and Katy Kindred, opened this lakefront spot. Expect Carolina classics like fried catfish and seafood platters, as well as tiki drinks.

Plaza Midwood/Elizabeth MIDWOOD SMOKEHOUSE

1401 Central Ave. 704-295-4227 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up for online orders, with hours varying between locations With North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and dry or sauced ribs, there’s a ’cue for everyone—and traditional sides to pair. The restaurant has a number of Charlotte locations including Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center, but the Plaza Midwood spot is its flagship post.

SOUL GASTROLOUNGE

1500 Central Ave. 704-348-1848 OPTIONS: Takeout or curbside pickup 5-11 p.m. daily Expect to wait a while at this no-reservations spot, known for small plates like pork belly tacos with compressed watermelon, and a rotating list of craft cocktails.

SWEET LEW’S BBQ

923 Belmont Ave. 980-224-7584 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Wed-Thurs, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., and Sun, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Demand for Lewis Donald’s barbecue hasn’t wavered since the “shack” opened last year. Donald co-owns Dish in Plaza Midwood, and he’s currently selling his Sweet Lew’s to-go items there.

PIZZERIA OMAGGIO

1055 Metropolitan Ave., Ste. 130 704-370-0777 OPTIONS: Sun, 12 p.m.-9 p.m., Mon-Wed, 10:30 a.m.9 p.m., Thurs-Fri, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sat, 11 a.m.10 p.m.

In a sea of by-the-slice joints, owner Daniel Sira-gusa sticks by his Italian roots with personal pizzas. Some think they can’t possibly eat the whole pie, but they do.

And then they order dessert.

South Charlotte ROOSTER’S WOOD-FIRED KITCHEN

6601 Morrison Blvd.

704-366-8688 OPTIONS: Orders can be placed online and hours vary by location Guests can park in one of the designated Rooster’s To-Go parking spaces outside of the restaurant and pick up at the hostess stand.Chef Jim Noble’s menu features gussied-up, Southern-tinged American and European peasant fare, like hand-tossed pizzas and roasted chicken. A second lo-cation is in uptown.

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

81

THE GUIDE

Night Life Our city, which once banned cocktail sales, offers plenty of opportunities to imbibe. Try one of these after-dark spots THE QUEEN & GLASS

$$-$$$

COCKTAIL BAR / LOUNGE This intimate Dilworth lounge has creative cocktails and a small plates menu of shareable spreads, salads, and flatbreads. 1315 E. Blvd., Ste. 115 (980-299-0816)

THE CRUNKLETON

$$$

COCKTAIL BAR The region's best bartenders applied to work at Gary Crunkleton's Elizabeth bar and restaurant.

Known for his impeccable classic cocktails, the mixologist and restaurateur opened the first Crunkleton in Chapel Hill. 1957 E. 7th St. (704-919-0104)

IDLEWILD

$$

COCKTAIL BAR You can't go wrong with a classic Manhattan, but if you’re feeling adventurous, Idlewild's bartenders will create a cocktail based on your drink preferences. 424 E. 36th St., Ste. 2 (704-572-8678)

CICCHETTI

$$-$$$

WINE BAR / RETAIL At this wine bar, restaurant, and retail shop, it’s drinks first, food second. Shop the shelves for a bottle of wine, and savor it over a small plate of meatballs or bruschetta. 100 N. Tryon St. (980299-0039)

SOPHIA'S LOUNGE

$$$

COCKTAIL BAR If the ornate armchairs or the velvet sofas on which you could pose like a French girl don’t make you feel like royalty, the custom-designed chandeliers and regal artwork should do it. The cocktails here, rightfully, are fit for a queen. 127 N. Tryon St., Ste. D (704) 503-9322)

NUVOLE ROOFTOP TWENTY-TWO

$$-$$$

BAR / LOUNGE Sip a cocktail and take in sweeping views of uptown from this sleek rooftop lounge on the 22nd floor of the AC Hotel & Residence Inn. Bring a few friends and order shareable plates like lobster club sliders and the bison tartare. 220 E. Trade St., Ste. 2200.

(980-960-9800)

MERCHANT + TRADE

$$

BAR / LOUNGE This 19th floor rooftop lounge overlooking Romare Bearden Park is a great place to visit before dinner, or to cap off the night. Just remember to dress to impress, because access to sweeping views of the city requires some style. 303 S. Church St. (704445-2550)

FOXCROFT WINE CO.

$-$$

WINE BAR The wine bar, restaurant, and retail hybrid has a relaxed atmosphere, wines from every region

of the world, and deliciously simple food. Dilworth is Foxcroft's flagship post, with additional locations in SouthPark and Waverly. 1235 East Blvd., Ste. 1 (704602-2133)

DILWORTH TASTING ROOM

$$

WINE BAR On a warm summer night, there’s no better place to savor a glass of chardonnay. Grab a table on the patio under the trees and relish the little white lights when the sun goes down. 300 E. Tremont Ave. (704-595-3337)

PETITE PHILIPPE

$-$$

WINE BAR / RETAIL Wine bottles are on display in cabinets resembling bookcases, and chocolates are clustered under glass on a marble slab at this Myers Park tasting room. Milling around, asking questions, and sampling are encouraged. 2820 Selwyn Ave., Ste. 160. (704-332-9910)

LINCOLN STREET KITCHEN & COCKTAILS

$$

COCKTAIL BAR Grab a spot in the main dining room, step outside to the ground floor patio, or head upstairs to the rooftop patio and take in views of uptown as you sip on a signature cocktail—they're all $13 here.

1320 S. Church St., Ste. 400, (704-595-3337)

Breweries Here’s a directory of local breweries, where you can enjoy award-winning beers—and the latest libations Charlotte NODA/OPTIMIST PARK/ NORTH CHARLOTTE BIRDSONG BREWING COMPANY

1016 N. Davidson St. 704-332-1810 birdsongbrewing.com

HEIST BREWERY

2909 N. Davidson St. #200 704-375-8260 heistbrewery.com Other location in Druid Hills

NODA BREWING COMPANY

3701 N. Davidson St., Ste. 203 980-237-1803 divinebarrel.com

2921 N. Tryon St. 704-900-6851 nodabrewing.com Other locations in Optimist Park and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport

FONTA FLORA OPTIMIST HALL

PROTAGONIST CLUBHOUSE

DIVINE BARREL

1115 N. Brevard St., Ste. D 980-207-2470 fontaflora.com

FREE RANGE BREWING

2320 N. Davidson St. 980-201-9096 freerangebrewing.com

82

3123 N. Davidson St., Ste. 104 980-938-0671 protagonistbeer.com

SALUD CERVECERIA

3306-C N. Davidson St. 980-495-6612 saludcerveceria.com

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

ELIZABETH/PLAZA MIDWOOD CATAWBA BREWING COMPANY CHARLOTTE

933 Louise Ave., Ste. 105 980-498-6145 catawbabrewing.com

DEVIL’S LOGIC BREWING

1426 E. 4th St. 704-666-1001 devilslogic.com

LEGION BREWING

1906 Commonwealth Ave. 844-467-5683 legionbrewing.com Other location in SouthPark

PILOT BREWING COMPANY

1331 Central Ave., Ste. 104 704-802-9260 pilotbrewing.us

RESIDENT CULTURE BREWING COMPANY

LOWER LEFT BREWING CO.

2101 Central Ave. 704-333-1862 residentculturebrewing.com

4528 Nations Crossing Rd. 704-469-9861 llbrewco.com

SOUTH END/SOUTH CHARLOTTE/MORA BREWERS AT 4001 YANCEY

OLDE MECKLENBURG BREWERY

4001-A Yancey Rd. 704-452-4001 visit.brewersat4001yancey.com

EDGE CITY BREWING

6209 Old Post Rd., Ste. 109 980-949-6199 instagram.com/edgecitybrewery

LENNY BOY BREWING CO.

3000 S. Tryon St. 980-585-1728 discoverlennyboy.com

4150 Yancey Rd. 704-525-5655 oldemeckbrew.com

THE SUFFOLK PUNCH

2911 Griffith St., Ste. A 704-319-8650 thesuffolkpunch.com

SUGAR CREEK BREWING COMPANY

215 Southside Dr. 704-521-3333 sugarcreekbrewing.com

Best Sips

SUNSTEAD BREWING

1200 S Graham St. 980-949-6200 sunsteadbrewing.com

Our favorite brews this month, chosen by Charlotte magazine staff

SYCAMORE BREWING

2161 Hawkins St. 704-910-3821 sycamorebrew.com

Gordgeous, $11.99, NoDa Brewing Company I’M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE who buys Gordgeous when NoDa Brewing releases it in August. But for my friends who couldn’t possibly enjoy a pumpkin-flavored treat before October: It’s time for us to imbibe Charlotte’s flagship fall beer. The brewers use 50 pounds of pumpkin and 42 pounds of brown sugar per batch, plus “whole-seed spices cracked at the brewery on brew day, including allspice, cardamom, cloves, and freshly shaved whole ginger root.”

Translation: liquid autumn. —Andy Smith

TRIPLE C BREWING COMPANY + THE BARREL ROOM

2900 Griffith St. 704-372-3212 triplecbrewing.com

THE UNKNOWN BREWING CO.

1327 S. Mint St. 980-237-2628 unknownbrewing.com

WOODEN ROBOT BREWERY

1440 S. Tryon St., Ste. 110 980-819-7875 woodenrobotbrewery.com Other location in NoDa

UNIVERSITY ARMORED COW BREWING

8821 JW Clay Blvd., Ste. 1 704-277-6641 instagram.com/ armoredcowbrewing

WEST CHARLOTTE TOWN BREWING CO.

800 Grandin Rd. 980-237-8628 townbrewing.com

BLUE BLAZE BREWING

528 S. Turner Ave. 980-859-2586 blueblazebrewing.com

Belmont PRIMAL BREWERY

16432 Old Statesville Rd. 704-947-2920 primalbrewery.com Other location in Huntersville

Concord CABARRUS BREWING COMPANY

COURTESY

329 McGill Ave. NW 704-490-4487 cabarrusbrewing.com

COMMONER’S BREWING COMPANY

1048 Copperfield Blvd. NE, Ste. 101

704-886-6002 commonersbrewingcompany. com

HIGH BRANCH BREWING CO.

325 McGill Ave. NW, Ste. 148 704-706-3807 highbranchbrewing.com

RED HILL BREWING COMPANY

21 Union St. S, Ste. 3511 704-784-2337 Redhillbrewing.Com

TWENTY-SIX ACRES BREWING COMPANY

7285 W. Winds Blvd. NW 980-277-2337 26Acres.Com

SOUTHERN STRAIN BREWING CO.

65 Brumley Ave. NE, Ste. 3001 704-218-9106 Southernstrainbrewing.com

Cornelius ASS CLOWN BREWING COMPANY

10620 Bailey Rd. E 704-997-8490 Assclownbrewing.com

D9 BREWING COMPANY

11138 Treynorth Dr. 704-247-7200 D9brewing.com

ELEVEN LAKES BREWING COMPANY

10228 Bailey Rd., Ste. 201 704-998-9017 Elevenlakesbrewing.com

LOST WORLDS BREWING

19700-D, One Norman Dr.

980-689-2467 lostworldsbeer.com

Denver ROYAL BLISS BREWING

7532 Royal Bliss Ct. 704-951-8388 Royalblissbrewing.com

Fort Mill, S.C. AMOR ARTIS BREWING

204 Main St., Ste. 101 803-547-6464 amorartisbrewing.com

LAKE WYLIE BREWING CO.

1741 Gold Hill Rd., Ste. 100 803-802-0001 lakewyliebrewingcofortmill.com

Gastonia CAVENDISH BREWERY

207 N. Chester St. 704-830-0435 cavendishbrewing.com

Harrisburg PHARR MILL BREWING

105 Oakley Dr. 704-456-7657 pharrmillbrewing.com

PERCENT TAP HOUSE

4250 Main St., Ste. 109 980-258-8651 percenttaphouse.com

Indian Land, S.C. LORE BREWING CO.

1218 Rosemont Dr., Ste. 100 lorebrewing.com

Indian Trail

Pineville

SWEET UNION BREWING COMPANY

MIDDLE JAMES BREWING

13717 E. Independence Blvd.

704-628-5211 sweetunionbrewing.com

400 N. Polk St., Unit B 704-889-6522 middlejamesbrewing.com

Kannapolis

Rock Hill, S.C.

OLD ARMOR BEER CO.

LEGAL REMEDY BREWING

211 West Ave. 704-933-9203 oldarmor.com

129 Oakland Ave. 803-324-2337 legalremedybrewing.com

Matthews

SLOW PLAY BREWING

SEABOARD BREWING, TAPROOM, & WINE BAR

274 Columbia Ave. slowplaybrewing.com

213 N. Trade St. 704-246-6575 seaboardbrewing.com

ROCK HILL BREWING COMPANY

121 Caldwell St., Ste. 101 803-366-7266 rockhillbrewingcompany.com

Monroe SOUTHERN RANGE BREWING CO.

DUST OFF BREWING

151 S. Stewart St. 704-706-2978 getsrb.com

130 W. White St. 803-324-4610 dustoffbrewing.com

Mooresville

Waxhaw

GHOSTFACE BREWING BREWERY & PIZZERIA

THE DREAMCHASER’S BREWERY

427 E. Statesville Ave. 704-799-7433 ghostfacebrewing.com

KING CANARY BREWING CO.

115 E. North Main St. 704-843-7326 dreamchasersbrewery.com

562 Williamson Rd. 704-967-8472 kingcanarybrewing.com

JOLLY ROGER BREWERY

236 Raceway Dr., Ste. 12 704-769-0305 jollyrogerbrewery.com

OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

83

THE GUIDE YAMA IZAKAYA

$$

JAPANESE Enjoy true, labor-intensive ramen, complete with add-ons like corn and pork belly, as well as traditional Japanese small plates and a sushi menu.

1324 Central Ave. (704-910-6387) D, V, BAR ✸

ZADA JANE’S CORNER CAFE

$-$$

SOUTHERN This funky neighborhood restaurant with shuffleboard courts, a large patio, and colorful walls serves breakfast and brunch all day. 1601 Central Ave. (704-332-3663) B, BR, L, BAR ✸

South End $$$

NEW AMERICAN Nosh on Spanish and Mediterranean-inspired tapas or customize a charcuterie board with meats from different regions in Europe. Choose from more than 400 wines, and don’t miss the olive oil cake. 101 W. Worthington Ave., Ste. 110. (704-7410300) D, BAR ✸☎

❤ BARDO

$$$

NEW AMERICAN This foodie destination serves seasonal small plates and creative cocktails. The dining room looks into a big, open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work. 1508 S. Mint St., Ste. B. (980585-2433) D, BAR ☎

❤ BEEF ’N BOTTLE

$$$

STEAK HOUSE An old favorite, this steak house is just what you’d expect, serving up thick and juicy cuts in a dark interior. 4538 South Blvd. (704-523-9977) D, BAR

BILL SPOON’S BARBECUE

$

BARBECUE Stop by for true eastern-style barbecue, mustard-based slaw, homemade banana pudding, and Mr. Spoon’s special sauce. 5524 South Blvd. (704-5258865) L (Mon-Sat)

BREWERS AT 4001 YANCEY

$$

AMERICAN In addition to craft beers, this LoSo brewery has Southern-inspired bar food like fries topped with jalapeño gravy and bacon crumbles. 4001-A Yancey Rd. (704-452-4001) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ✸☎

THE DUNAVANT

$$$

STEAK HOUSE The signature steak and bottomless fries dinner, which includes bread, a choice of soup or salad, and the option of three sauces, tastes more expensive than its $25 fixed price. 2322 Dunavant St., Ste. 200. (980-335-0125) BR, D, BAR ✸

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up

❤

L D V

84

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar ✸ Patio seating available Reservations suggested

☎

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

$

❤ FUTO BUTA

$$

JAPANESE This ramen house promises authenticity, irreverence, and delightful, salty bowls of the hot noodle soup. 222 E. Bland St. (704-376-8400) L, D, B/W ✸

ILIOS CRAFTED GREEK

BARCELONA WINE BAR

B BR

EIGHT + SAND KITCHEN

AMERICAN Come here for breakfast, brunch, lunch, an afternoon snack, or an evening out. The made-fromscratch bakery has sandwiches, salads, and artisan breads, and the café serves drinks all day. 135 New Bern St. B, BR, L, B/W

$-$$

MEDITERRANEAN Get authentic Greek fare from the team behind Ilios Noche in a fast casual setting. Build a dish with your choice of roasted chicken, lamb, or pork, and chose from a rotation of sides like chickpea salad, Aegean slaw, and zucchini fritters. 1514 S. Church St. (980-237-1949) L, D, ✸

INDACO

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Atherton Mill’s rustic Italian restaurant serves wood-fired pizzas and hand-crafted pastas, proving certain dishes are classics for a reason. 2046 South Blvd. (704-741-9004) L, D, BAR

LET’S MEAT KBBQ

$$$$

KOREAN BBQ Marinated meats at this all-you-caneat hangout come with Korean sides like steamed egg soufflé. 1400 S. Church St., Ste. B. (980-299-4389) L, D, (Mon-Fri) BAR

LUNA’S LIVING KITCHEN

$$

ery time. 1414 S. Tryon St., Ste. 140 (980-279-8900) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

O-KU

$$-$$$

SUSHI This second location of the Charleston-based Indigo Road restaurant group’s Japanese spot has great service, a beautiful interior, and dishes full of flavor.

2000 South Blvd., Ste. 510. (704-594-1922) D, BAR ☎

PRICE’S CHICKEN COOP

$

SOUTHERN Expect to eat your meal standing up—or sitting in your car—but rest assured it’s the best damn fried chicken in the country. 1614 Camden Rd. (704333-9866) L, D (until 6 p.m.), Cash only. No seating.

RAI LAY THAI CUISINE

$$

SEOUL FOOD MEAT CO.

$$

THAI Upscale Thai food in a sleek interior with attentive service makes this a fitting spot for South End. 1520 South Blvd., Ste. 130. (980-207-0991) L (MonSat), D, BAR ☎

FUSION This hip spot fuses traditional American barbecue with Korean flavors all the way to the sides, which include ramen mac-and-cheese. 1400 S. Church St., Ste. A. (980-299-5143) L (weekends), D, BAR ✸

SOUTHBOUND

$-$$

BAJA The breezy vibes and bright flavors at this taco joint call for a Pacifico or a margarita. 2433 South Blvd.

(704-912-1889) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

SUPERICA

$$-$$$

THE WATERMAN FISH BAR

$$-$$$

❤ ZEPPELIN

$$-$$$

VEGETARIAN This vegan gem is known for its raw version of lasagna, made with zucchini noodles, sundried tomato sauce, mushrooms, and a cashew-basil cheese.

Its juice bar is also a popular draw. 2000 South Blvd., Ste. 300. (704-333-0008) B, L, D, B/W, V ✸

TEX-MEX Atlanta chef Ford Fry brings the newest location of his Tex-Mex concept, with tacos, fajitas, and enchiladas, to the Design Center. 101 W. Worthington Ave., Ste. 100 (980-321-9914) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

MAC’S SPEED SHOP

SEAFOOD This oyster bar has all the staples: lobster rolls, clam chowder, and oysters four ways. At sunset, head to the rooftop terrace for a cocktail and views of uptown. 2729 South Blvd., Ste. D. (704-275-5558) L, D, BAR ✸

$-$$

BARBECUE Solid barbecue and cold beer (150 choices) in a bike-themed space draw fun-loving crowds, with additional locations in Matthews and Lake Norman.

2511 South Blvd. (704-522-6227) L, D, BAR ✸

MIDNIGHT DINER

$

MOCCO BISTRO

$

AMERICAN This 24-hour classic diner has everything you’d expect, including an all-day breakfast, onion rings, milkshakes, burgers, and hand-cut fries, along with Southern fare. 115 E. Carson Blvd. (980-207-3641) B, L, D, B/W ✸

GREEK Despite the sounds of South Boulevard, the Greek pastries and coffees here can transport you to the Aegean Sea in just one taste. 4004 South Blvd., Ste. E. (980-207-0508) B, L, D, B/W ✸

NIKKO

$$-$$$

JAPANESE Artistic sushi, a moody interior, and thumping sound system bring in dinner and late-night crowds, but quick service makes it a great lunch spot.

325 Arlington Ave., Ste. 108. (704-370-0100) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

NORTH ITALIA

$$-$$$

ITALIAN Head to the ground floor of the RailYard for a dressed-up entree like squid ink mafaldine, or get the basic spaghetti and meatballs, which is good ev-

NEW SOUTHERN A seasonal menu includes small plates like Korean-inspired calamari and barbecueroasted octopus. The cocktail program focuses on innovative interpretations of classic drinks. 235 W. Tremont Ave. (980-209-0008) BR (Sun), D (Tues-Sat), BAR ✸

South Charlotte (Arboretum, Ballantyne, Pineville, Fort Mill) BIG VIEW DINER

$$

AMERICAN This spot serves up hearty portions of diner staples, such as meatloaf and fresh-roasted turkey clubs, all made in-house. 16637 Lancaster Hwy. (704544-0313) B, L, D, BAR ✸

CIVETTA ITALIAN KITCHEN + BAR

$$-$$$

ITALIAN This eatery in StoneCrest at Piper Glen has Italian-American dishes like snapper picatta, penne alla Civetta, and scallops risotto. Save room for a lasagnasized slice of tiramisu for dessert. 7828-E Rea Rd. (980335-2758) BR (Sun), L, D, V, BAR ✸

THE BLUE TAJ

$$-$$$

INDIAN The sister restaurant of Copper has contemporary decor and a sharply dressed wait staff delivering Indian dishes to each table. 14815 Ballantyne Village Way., Ste. 170. (704-369-5777) L, D, V, BAR ✸

THE FLIPSIDE CAFÉ

$$-$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chefs Jon and Amy Fortes’ first restaurant makes you feel right at home, but the food lets you know it ain’t your mama in the kitchen.

3150 Hwy. 21 N., Fort Mill. (803-802-1711) B, BR, L, D, B/W, ☎

FLIPSIDE RESTAURANT

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This sister restaurant of Flipside Café has a more formal and spacious dining room, which fits with its elevated menu. 129 Caldwell St., Rock Hill. (803324-3547) BR, L, D, V, BAR ☎

GALLERY RESTAURANT

$$$-$$$$

NEW AMERICAN Inside the Ballantyne hotel, you’ll find Southern-inspired, white-tablecloth dining with dishes sourced from local farmers. 10000 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy. (704-248-4100) B, BR, L, D, BAR

THE PORTER’S HOUSE

$$$-$$$$

STEAK HOUSE The newest member of the Rare Roots Hospitality Group (Dressler’s, Dogwood) is known for thick-cut steaks, modern sides, and craft cocktails. 7417 Waverly Walk Ave. (704-930-7878) D, BAR ✸☎

RED ROCKS CAFÉ

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Consistently good pasta,rock seafood, and steak make this restaurant a mainstay in the Strawberry Hill shopping center. Additional locations are in Indian Land and Birkdale Village. 4223 Providence Rd., Ste. 8 (704-364-0402) BR (Sun), L, D, V, BAR ✸

SPICE ASIAN KITCHEN

$$-$$$

ASIAN The dumplings and Pad Thai are consistently good, but the bibimap, bossam, and curry dishes are great for adventurous palates. During patio season, enjoy a cocktail or dessert at the rooftop terrace bar. 251 Textile Way, Fort Mill. (803-548-6868) L, D, V, BAR ✸

WALDHORN

$$

GERMAN Family-friendly Waldhorn offers authentic German dishes in a Bavarian-style setting. 12101 Lancaster Hwy., Pineville. (704-540-7047) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ✸

CANTINA 1511

$$$-$$$$

$$-$$$

OAK STEAKHOUSE

$$$$

STEAK HOUSE Chef Tyler Honeycutt aces steakhouse classics like ribeye or filet, and be sure to save room for some lemon olive oil cake for dessert. 4477 Sharon Rd., Ste 125. (704-954-8900) D, BAR ☎

❤ DOGWOOD SOUTHERN TABLE + BAR

$$$

MEXICAN Although you’ll find plenty of options on the menu, there are 10 varieties of tacos and more than 60 kinds of tequila. 6401 Morrison Blvd., Ste. 8A. (704-7168226) L, D, V, BAR ✸

❤ DOT DOT DOT

$$$

FUSION Chef Bill Greene serves a rotation of artistic small plates with unexpected pairings like lamb belly with kimchi porridge, or smoked butternut squash with miso. 4620 Piedmont Row Dr., Ste. 170B. (980283-2333) D, V, BAR ✸☎

MEXICAN This easy, casual spot draws crowds for its fresh takes on Mexican cuisine and fine margarita list.

4271 Park Rd. (704-331-9222) L, D, V, BAR ✸☎

NEW SOUTHERN Ingredients are fresh and cocktails are innovative at this spot, a sister to Dressler’s. 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Ste. D. (704-910-4919) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ☎

NEW AMERICAN Stefan Huebner’s creative cocktails may be the main attraction at this membersonly speakeasy, but chef Daniel Wheeler’s sweet potato gnocchi with bourbon glaze will convince you to stay for dinner. 4237 Park Rd., Ste. B. (704817-3710) D, BAR NEW LISTING

EASY LIKE SUNDAY

$$

AMERICAN The fried chicken and cornmeal pancakes are worth standing in line for, but if you’d rather skip the weekend rush, go in the evening and have a boozy brunch after dark. 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., Ste. 100.

(980-335-2428) B, BR, L, D, BAR ✸

❤ FLOUR SHOP

$$$

ITALIAN Watch your pasta get prepared in the open kitchen. Chef Trey Wilson’s shared plates are great for larger groups, but if you don’t want to share, get the lamb Bolognese. 530 Brandywine Rd. (980-299-3754) D, BAR ☎

❤ GOOD FOOD ON MONTFORD

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Bruce Moffett’s small-plates bistro unites a variety of influences and flavors onto one menu, and each dish is worth ordering. 1701 Montford Dr. (704-525-0881) D, BAR ☎

HARPER’S RESTAURANT

$$

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Bruce Moffett’s first restaurant is one of the best in town, with a classic menu and stel-

LITTLE MAMA’S ITALIAN KITCHEN

ITALIAN Think of this eatery as the prequel to Mama Ricotta’s, with family recipes and scratch-made pastas and mozzarella. Settle into one of the dining rooms with a plate of pappardelle or cozy up at the “Mozz Bar” and watch the chefs at work. 4521 Sharon Rd. (980209-0323) D, BAR

$$

ASIAN Roger and Robert Kongham, the sons of Thai Taste’s owners, serve creamy curries, Thai classics, and sushi in a more formal dining room. 1600 E. Woodlawn Rd., Ste. 150. (980-256-4380) L, D, BAR

JAPANESE Black and red decor, delicious sushi, techno beats, and a large pair of geisha eyes staring out at the crowd make for a dramatic setting in this shared plates restaurant. 4515 Sharon Rd. (704-817-7173) D, BAR ☎

❤ BARRINGTON’S

$$-$$$

$$-$$$

FUSION The menu features shareable plates of beef carpaccio or truffle and herb frittes—but order a flatbread pizza for yourself. 3920 Sharon Rd., Ste. 160.

(980-237-1919) L, D, BAR ✸☎

BAKU

CAFÉ MONTE

FRENCH Monte Smith has done a bang-up job re-creating a classic French restaurant, and diners react enthusiastically at brunch, lunch, and dinner. 6700 Fairview Rd. (704-552-1116) B, L, D, BAR ✸☎

AMERICAN Jazzed-up American cuisine makes Harper’s a place to take out-of-town guests with varying palates. 6518 Fairview Rd. (704-366-6688) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ✸

SouthPark/Park Road ❤ BAR MARCEL

lar service. 7822 Fairview Rd. (704-364-5755) D (MonSat), BAR ☎

HIBISCUS

LEGION BREWING

$-$$

$$-$$$

AMERICAN Unlike its flagship location in Plaza Midwood, the SouthPark brewery serves more than typical bar snacks. Chef Gene Briggs cooks pork belly gyros, duck fat chicken wings, and a full Sunday brunch. 5610 Carnegie Blvd. (980-256-4167) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

PACO’S TACOS & TEQUILA

❤ PEPPERVINE

REID’S FINE FOODS

$$

$$$$

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Stellar service and a reliable menu have earned this market and restaurant a loyal following. 4331 Barclay Downs Dr. (704-377-7686) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

RH ROOFTOP RESTAURANT

$$$-$$$$

AMERICAN The dining room has retractable glass walls, Japanese boxwood hedging, and a fountain in the center. The menu is standard (but upscale) American fare like lobster rolls, truffled grilled cheese, and ribeye steak.

6903 Phillips Place Ct. (704-790-4970) BR, L, D, V ☎

ROASTING COMPANY

$

AMERICAN Since adding a full bar, Roasting Company fits in more comfortably with the Montford Drive scene, but still sets the standard for rotisserie chicken.

1521 Montford Dr. (704-521-8188) L, D, BAR ✸

ROCKSALT

$$$-$$$$

SEAFOOD Head to RockSalt for the spacious patio and fresh seafood—from the raw bar, with several varieties of oysters on the half shell, or the daily catch.

512 Brandywine Rd. (704-503-9945) BR, L (weekends), D, BAR ✸☎

❤ ROOSTER’S WOOD-FIRED KITCHEN

$$-$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Jim Noble’s menu features gussied-up, Southern-tinged American and European peasant fare, like hand-tossed pizzas and roasted chicken. A second location is in uptown. 6601 Morrison Blvd.

(704-366-8688) L, D, V, BAR ☎

SIR EDMOND HALLEY’S

$$

AMERICAN This pub, named for the astronomer and mathematician, serves its entire menu until closing at 2 a.m. 4151 Park Rd., Ste. A. (704-525-7775) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸

TOSCANA

$$$

ITALIAN An authentic northern Italian menu is paired OCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

85

with an extensive wine list, while courtyard dining adds to the experience on a nice night. 6401 Morrison Blvd., Ste. 6B. (704-367-1808) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

YAFO KITCHEN

$$

ITALIAN The Italian-inspired entreés at this uptown spot are all excellent, and the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio is the most imaginative appetizer on the menu. 303 S. Church St. (704-445-2540) B, BR, L, D, V, BAR ✸☎

FUSION This upscale Japanese restaurant has sushi, hibachi, and Asian-inspired entrées. A second location opened in Waverly last year. 720 Governor Morrison St., Ste. 130. (70s4-295-0905) L (Mon-Sat), D,BAR ✸☎

University Area $$

ITALIAN The only other places where Italian food is this real, this good, and this cheap are called trattorias, and you have to take a plane to get to them. 8542 University City Blvd. (704-547-8651) L, D, B/W ✸

FIREWATER

$$-$$$

AMERICAN The food here is primarily American bistrostyle, but the owner’s family tuna business makes apps like the tuna tartare standouts. 8708 J. W. Clay Blvd.

(704-549-0050) L (weekends), D, BAR ✸

ZAPATA’S CANTINA

$$

MEXICAN Expect typical Mexican fare in a high-energy dining room, with an additional location in Ballantyne.

8927 J.M. Keynes Dr., in University Place shopping center. (704-503-1979) L, D, BAR

Uptown 204 NORTH

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This uptown spot with modern Southern food is best for cocktails and conversation at the bar. 204 N. Tryon St. (704-333-3747) BR, L, D, BAR ☎

❤ 5CHURCH

$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN Top Chef alum Jamie Lynch’s innovative, seasonal menu includes morel mushroom flatbread and mint crusted lamb loin. 127 N. Tryon St., Ste. 8. (704-919-1322) BR, L, D, BAR ☎

$ Most entrées under $10 $$ Most entrées $10-$17 $$$ Most entrées $18-$25 $$$$ Most entrées $26 & up

❤ B BR L D V

86

Best Restaurants Breakfast Weekend brunch Lunch Dinner Vegetarian friendly

❤ ANGELINE’S

$$$

❤ ARIA TUSCAN GRILL

$$$

ITALIAN This restaurant serves up an extensive Italian menu in an elegant, modern space. 100 N. Tryon St. (704-376-8880) L (weekdays), D, BAR ☎

❤ THE ASBURY

AMALFI PASTA ’N PIZZA

$$ -$$$

$$

MEDITERRANEAN With additional locations in Dilworth and Plaza Midwood, this fast-casual concept serves Middle-Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired fare in a wrap, salad, or grain bowl. 720 Governor Morrison St., Ste. 120. (704-365-7130) L, D, B/W ✸

YAMA ASIAN FUSION

❤ ALEXANDER MICHAEL’S

AMERICAN The blackened catfish is cooked just right, the Cajun pasta is piping hot, and chatter fills the noreservations dining room. 401 W. 9th St. (704-3326789) L, D, BAR

B/W Beer and wine only BAR Full-service bar ✸ Patio seating available Reservations suggested

☎

CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Chef Mike Long’s inventive menu mixes countryside favorites like biscuits and deviled eggs with bold flavors and contemporary techniques.

235 N. Tryon St. (704-342-1193) B, BR, L, D, BAR ☎

BASIL THAI

$$-$$$

THAI Thai lovers can sate their cravings with tasty pad Thai, while the more daring can try dishes like crispy red curry duck, a rich, deep-fried half duck in a spicy red curry sauce. 210 N. Church St. (704-332-7212) L (weekdays), D, V, BAR ☎

THE CELLAR AT DUCKWORTH’S

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN The focus is on small plates, craft beer served in its proper glassware at proper temperature, and craft cocktails. 330 N. Tryon St. (980-3494078) D, BAR ☎

COCO + THE DIRECTOR

$

AMERICAN Marriott introduced this coffee and sandwich shop for locals and hotel guests alike to have a comfortable, casual dining option. 100 W. Trade St. (704-353-6003) B, L, D, B/W

COWBELL BURGER & BAR

$$

AMERICAN This sister restaurant to Leroy Fox has a trendy, pop-culture vibe—and a roster of fancy burgers (including a foie gras-topped offering for $20). 201 N. Tryon St., Ste. 1010. (980-224-8674) L, D, BAR

DANDELION MARKET

$$-$$$

NEW AMERICAN On weekends, this Irish pub turns into one of uptown’s hottest nightlife spots. But during the day, come for a cozy meal with flickering candles and shared plates. 118 W. 5th St. (704-333-7989) BR, L, D, BAR

ESSEX BAR & BISTRO

$$-$$$

GLOBAL Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences run through this menu. Order a few tapas and a bottle of wine, head out to the patio, and watch the activity at Trade and Tryon. 101 S. Tryon St., Ste. 14.

(980-406-3857) L, D, BAR ✸☎

FAHRENHEIT

$$$-$$$$

NEW AMERICAN Located on the 21st floor of Skye Condos, chef Rocco Whalen’s restaurant is the place in Charlotte to eat a meal and see the city twinkle. 222 S. Caldwell St. (980-237-6718) BR, D, BAR ✸☎

❤ FORCHETTA

$$-$$$

❤ FIN & FINO

$$$

ITALIAN Chef Luca Annunziata serves lasagna just like his mom made it and carbonara as it’s served in Rome. 230 North College St. (704-602-2750) B, L, D, BAR ☎

SEAFOOD Come for the raw bar, but stay for bartender Brittany Kellum’s drinks. Then splurge on a slice of cheesecake. 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts, Ste. 100. (704-8005680) L, D, BAR ✸☎

❤ HALCYON, FLAVORS FROM THE EARTH $$$-$$$$

NEW SOUTHERN With views from the Mint Museum Uptown, this restaurant’s local menu is popular for lunch and pretheater dinners. 500 S. Tryon St. (704-9100865) BR, L, D, V, BAR ✸☎

❤ HAYMAKER

$$$ - $$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Enjoy locally and seasonally inspired dishes from North Carolina chef William Dissen in this bright, stylish space next to Romare Bearden Park. 225 S. Poplar St. (704-626-6116) BR, D, BAR ✸☎

THE KING’S KITCHEN

$$-$$$

❤ LA BELLE HELENE

$$$ - $$$$

SOUTHERN Chef Jim Noble’s restaurant, which serves traditional Southern fare, donates profits to faith-based feeding centers and employs troubled youth and people who have just come out of rehab or prison.

129 W. Trade St. (704-375-1990) L (weekdays) D, B/W, ✸☎

FRENCH The Parisian menu offers rotisserie chicken and a mix of pour commencer and plats, plus decadent desserts and specialty cocktails. 300 S. Tryon St., Ste. 100.

(704-969-2550) BR (Sun), L, D, BAR ☎

LUCE

$$$

ITALIAN Luce is a beautiful, intimate, luxurious restaurant with simple but innovative northern Italian cuisine. 214 N. Tryon St., Ste. J, in Hearst Plaza. (704-344-9222) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

MALABAR SPANISH CUISINE

$$

SPANISH This sister restaurant to Luce serves authentic regional cuisine from Spain for lunch and dinner. 214 N. Tryon St. (704344-8878) L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

❤ McNINCH HOUSE

$$$$

NEW SOUTHERN Guests order from a daily prix fixe menu (ranging from five courses to nine courses), choose their wine and entrées, and the staff takes care of the rest. 511 N. Church St. (704-3326159) D, BAR ☎

MERT’S HEART AND SOUL

$-$$

SOUTHERN James Bazzelle’s pride and joy serves down-home Southern cooking, with a dash of Lowcountry, in a downtown-

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THE GUIDE

feeling place. 214 N. College St. (704-342-4222) BR, L, D,B/W ✸

MIMOSA GRILL

$$$

NEW SOUTHERN This popular after-work spot has a seasonal menu, friendly service, tasty seafood dishes, and interesting grits. 327 S. Tryon St. (704-343-0700) BR, L (weekdays), D, BAR ✸☎

MURPHY’S KITCHEN & TAP

$$

IRISH Pies, tarts, meats, potatoes—everything you’d expect, you’ll find at this Irish pub with a large range of alcoholic beverage options. 445 W. Trade St. (704-3320557) BR, L, D, BAR ✸

❤ SEA LEVEL NC

$$-$$$

SEAFOOD Concrete beams and rustic brick give an industrial feel to this seafood restaurant, which serves up dishes that are accessible, inventive, and sustainably sourced. 129 E. 5th St. (704-412-2616) L, D, BAR ✸☎

SOHO BISTRO

style brisket, and grab a drink at the “Legends Counter” with custom plaques for Southern barbecue icons.

2216 Freedom Dr. (704-703-5252) L, D, BAR ✸☎

BOSSY BEULAH’S

$

PINKY’S WESTSIDE GRILL

$

AMERICAN Think of Bossy Beulah’s as the kid sister— or sidekick—to Noble Smoke. Order your fried chicken sammie bunless or add American cheese, and pair it with a sweet tea or Cheerwine. 2200 Freedom Dr. (980-737-1400) L, D, ✸

spot serves great burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and salads, as well as tasty sides like waffle fries. 1600 W. Morehead St. (704-332-0402) L, D, BAR ✸

TOUCAN LOUIE’S

$

CARIBBEAN With state-sourced meats smoked inhouse and strictly N.C. cheese, this new cafe’s commitment to local ingredients is notable, but it’s their food’s Caribbean flair that elevates their grab-and-go sandwiches. 2753 Rozzelles Ferry Rd. (980-209-9791) B, L, D, B/W ✸

AMERICAN Housed in an old auto shop, this funky

CROSSWORD OF THE MONTH

By Andy Smith

ANSWERS can be found online at charlottemagazine.com/ crossword.

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ASIAN Lightning-fast, friendly service complements hot, savory Chinese favorites such as Sha Cha Shrimp and Mongolian Chicken. 214 N. Tryon St., Ste. 110.

(704-333-5189) L, D, B/W

❤ STOKE

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NEW AMERICAN Hotel dining gets an upgrade with this wood-fired grill, family-style concept in Marriott City Center. 100 W. Trade St. (704-353-6005) B, BR, L, D, BAR

SUKOSHI

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SUSHI Think high-quality sushi in a fast-casual setting.

Chef Michael Chanthavong brings favorites from his menu at O-Ku, like tuna wrap-it-up and salmon citrus rolls. 101 S. Tryon St., Ste. 120. (980-495-3800) L, D, V

THE YOLK

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AMERICAN Greg and Subrina Collier’s breakfast-focused concept in 7th Street Public Market is open for breakfast and lunch, but shrimp and grits topped with Gouda cheese, jerk seasoning, and scallion pesto is delicious any time of day. 224 E. 7th St. (704-230-4346) B, L

West/Northwest Charlotte COMMUNITY TABLE BISTRO

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SOUTHERN At the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, a small, cafeteria-style restaurant sears, bakes, and fries comfort food on a daily rotation for an affordable price. 5301 Wilkinson Blvd. (980-636-1000) B, L (weekdays), V ✸

ESTIA’S KOUZINA

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❤ HEIRLOOM RESTAURANT

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GREEK This upscale Mediterranean restaurant offers healthy and delicious dishes like gyro pitas, lamb burgers, and hearty salads. 609 N. Main St., Belmont. (704825-7005) BR, L, D, V, BAR ✸☎

NEW AMERICAN Ingredients are sourced almost exclusively from North Carolina, and the tasting menu includes options like fried chicken and pork and beans.

8470 Bellhaven Rd. (704-595-7710) D, V, BAR ☎

❤ NOBLE SMOKE

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BARBECUE Feast on Carolina-style pork and TexasOCTOBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE

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YOU ARE HERE

Each month, we’ll throw a dart at a map and write about where it lands.

LOCATION: 8829 E. W.T. Harris Blvd.

Blvd.

8829 E. W.T. Harris

¡Feliz Quinceañera!

HUNDREDS OF QUINCEAÑERA DRESSES in every color of satin, tulle, and lace imaginable hang from shiny metal racks in the Novedades Yadira dress shop on East W.T. Harris Boulevard. They’re frothy, fairytale gowns fit for a Disney princess, some with dazzling beadwork, others with swarms of intricate fabric butterflies sewn onto voluminous skirts.

The shop, and the Latino community it serves, were both much smaller when owner Zoila Nuñez started the business 17 years ago and named it after her daughter Yadira. But as demand for gowns and other formalwear grew through the years, she expanded further into the L-shaped strip mall near the Albemarle Road intersection, a hub for Latino-owned businesses.

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CHARLOTTEMAGAZINE.COM // OCTOBER 2020

Novedades Yadira is now a family operation and destination for mothers and daughters throughout the Southeast who want to feel lace under their fingertips and hoop petticoats under their skirts. A quinceañera celebration is a rite of passage for Latina girls on their 15th birthdays that signifies their transition to womanhood. Online retailers abound in the quinceañera marketplace; a big shop with ready-towear gowns isn’t as common. “Girls come in, and they say they really want a red dress, but then they leave with teal,” says Carla Hernandez, one of Nuñez’s nieces, who works at the shop.

About half of the store’s sales come from quinceañera dresses, priced from $400 to more than $1,000. Baptismal gowns, first

communion dresses, and wedding attire fill the aisles, too. This year’s sales started strong, but families have postponed or cancelled celebrations since COVID-19 struck. The shop’s staff tries to compensate through long-term purchase plans that let customers space out their payments.

On a summer Saturday, customer Nicole Wiggins’ daughter slips into a dressing room and walks out in a skyblue confection of a gown—one of two dresses she’ll wear during her quinceañera next spring in a Monroe event hall. It’ll be a few months past her actual 15th birthday, but celebrating properly seems worth the wait. “I’m spending more on her quinceañera dresses,” Wiggins says with a laugh, “than I spent on my wedding gown.” —Cristina Bolling

SHAW NIELSEN; CRISTINA BOLLING

In the heart of Charlotte’s Latino community, Zoila Nuñez and her family sell a kaleidoscope’s worth of dresses

Floral Engagement Ring by Diamonds Direct Designs

4521 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211 www.diamondsdirect.com

Official Jeweler of the Carolina Panthers

(704) 532-9041