Chefs and restaurateurs continue to enrich the North Carolina dining scene. Here’s a snapshot of new dining hot spots plus a preview of tables being set with opening dates to be announced.
Sweet July Café + 2, Charlotte
Stephen and Ayesha Curry and celebrity chef Michael Mina are bringing a trio of restaurants to the Ritz Carlton, Charlotte. Ayesha Curry, a cookbook author with Food Network fame, has brought her Sweet July brand to a café featuring coffee, baked goods and more. Sweet July Café opened in July. In partnership with the MINA group, four-time NBA champion Steph Curry targets a November opening for The Eighth Rule, a bourbon-forward cocktail lounge specializing in craft cocktails, rare bourbon pours and innovative bites. Mina adds a Bourbon Steak location with a late-winter opening planned. The Currys grew up in Charlotte; Mina was a guest judge during the recent "Top Chef" season filmed in the Queen City.
No Knife Chicken & Waffles, Charlotte
DaBaby, a longtime resident Queen City rapper (aka Jonathan Kirk), has raised the sign for No Knife Chicken & Waffles, a breakfast-lunch restaurant opening this summer. The website promises "a sophisticated yet welcoming environment where families and food enthusiasts can indulge in expertly crafted comfort dishes." The final menu and opening date are pending.
Hollywood East Brewseum, Wilmington
It's the marquis instead of the menu that's behind the buzz for Hollywood East Brewseum in Wilmington, where hundreds of film and TV projects have been shot. Tyler Christensen, who boasts credits of his own ("House of Purgatory," "My Crazy Sex") plans to transform the former Rose Ice & Coal building into a film-themed dining destination. A late summer opening is targeted. The 90-year-old building, by the way, had a role in the Netflix series "Hightown."
Deepwell, Mooresville
Joe and Katy Kindred, who scored recommendations for Kindred (Davidson) and Hello, Sailor (Cornelius) in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South, draw on New Orleans style for this downtown steakhouse. Deepwell will feature Indoor and outdoor seating, a menu with dry-aged steak and chops, local bars an classic NOLA cocktails. A September opening is planned.
Songbirds Wine Bar, Charlotte
Ashley Hunt, a singer who made it to the live "Showstopper Round" of 2022's "American Idol," will cater to independent artists and music lovers at Songbirds Wine Bar in University City. A late summer opening is targeted.
Union Sky, Concord
Rooftop views, handcrafted cocktails and elevated American fare extend Concord's appeal beyond its NASCAR fame. Perched atop the seven-story NOVI Lofts, Union Sky will include indoor space plus a patio. Expect an early fall opening for the restaurant, the second from Krushani and Ronak Patel of Red Chillez Indian Restaurant.
Ala Rahi, Cary
This born-in-Karachi concept arrives in the US with a Cary location that opens in July. The menu at Ala Rahi will feature a fusion of Pakistani, Turkish and Mediterranean cuisine in a family dining atmosphere.
Vitale Lakeside, Mooresville
Vitale Lakeside will add even more to love about Lake Norman. The waterfront destination will include a floating bar, rooftop stage and boat slips as well as a casual-to-upscale-dining menu. The new spot, which is expected to open in May, is the latest from Vitale Hospitality Group, whose other properties include Charlotte's Dilworth Social Health, Midtown Tavern and Bonnie & Clyde Lounge.
Lady Funari, Charlotte
Less than a year after opening the Story of Mi Cariño, a gastro-cantina and mezcalería, the owners of the neighborhood bar VINYL are turning their attention to pasta. With seasonal dishes and Negroni- and amaro-forward cocktails, Lady Funari will feature a chef's window, chef's table and a patio facing the Rail Trail. Expect a late summer opening.
Prime STQ, Research Triangle Park
Christopher Prieto, known for fusing Texas and NC traditions at Knightdale's Prime Barbecue, will add the Prime STQ steakhouse experience at Horseshoe at Hub RTP. Familiar from Food Network and Cooking Channel appearances, Prieto will serve his in-house-aged steaks with chimichurri in a nod to his Puerto Rican roots. Prime Barbecue earned a Bib Gourmand designation in November in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide American South. Prieto, a James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef Southeast, is co-author of "Southern Living Ultimate Book of BBQ: The Complete Year-Round Guide to Grilling and Smoking." A 2027 opening is targeted.
Wyatt's Superfine, Charlotte
After saving and moving the historic Leeper-Wyatt building, Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown are transforming it into Wyatt's Superfine, a four-story dining experience with a parlor-style space, fine dining, and a solarium for drinks and small bites. Opening in 2027. The Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group includes MICHELIN-recognized Supperland (beverage director Colleen Hughes won The Guide's 2025 American South Exceptional Cocktails Award), Leluia Hall, Haberdish and Ever Andelo.
Ayra, Chapel Hill
Chef Sujan Sarkar of the MICHELIN-starred Indienne in Chicago partners with Ravi Jeyaraman and Mayil Rajendran from NC's Lime & Lemon Indian Bar & Grill restaurants to add Ayra to the scene. With a focus on modern Indian fare, Ayra will include a bar Indian-inspired cocktails and separate dining areas for a five- to seven-course tasting menu and a la carte orders. Opening TBD.
Guard and Grace, Charlotte
Charlotte will become the third location for the acclaimed Guard and Grace steakhouse, whose Houston flagship carries a MICHELIN recommendation. The 10,224-square-foot restaurant, expected to open in the fall, will feature rooftop views and a 2,000-square-foot terrace along with prime beef, seafood and cocktails. Guard and Grace, which also has a Houston location, is part of Chef Troy Guard's TAG Restaurant Group.
Smitty & Pearl’s, High Point
Smitty & Pearl's, a dining and entertainment complex, will include the oyster-focused Umbo seafood restaurant; Siren Lounge, a nautical-themed cocktail and tapas-style dining space; and the Smitty and Pearl's wing, serving casual fare alongside duckpin bowling, arcade games, music and more. A September opening is targeted.
Lloyd's Full Service, Cary
A 1950s auto repair shop is being reimagined as a retro neighborhood restaurant in Cary, a Raleigh suburb whose walkable downtown has made it a dynamic destination. Lloyd's Full Service will feature indoor and outdoor seating, a patio and fire pit, and a stage for live music. Early Bird Night Owl, the company behind The Durham Hotel, The Mayton, Peck & Plume and other properties, plans to keep the spirit of the original business alive. Opening late summer.
High Horse, Research Triangle Park
Katsuji Tanabe of “Chopped” and “Top Chef” fame will revive his Raleigh concept at RTP’s Horseshoe at the Hub. The original High Horse, which drew on Mexican, Japanese and American flavors through live-fire cooking, opened in 2019 and closed as the COVID-19 pandemic set in. Opening TBA.
Raíces, Charlotte
An elevated Mexican eatery, Raíces promises deeply rooted Mexican cuisine drawn from the owners' family table in Jalisco plus culinary traditions from Oaxaca and Mexico City. A late summer opening is planned for the restaurant, whose name means "roots."
The Forge, Fayetteville
Fayetteville, a city known for international culinary flair, will boost the eatery count this summer with the opening of The Forge food hall. Tenants will include Kusinera Filipino Cuisine, Ichi-Kaku and The Greek Goat. Also planned: a second-floor bar or pub. A summer opening is targeted.
Fullsteam Brewery, Durham
An anchor of NC's craft brewing scene, Fullsteam Brewery is creating its "forever home" at the American Tobacco Campus. The 9,000-square-foot space, which opens in September, will include a supper club-themed restaurant, a casual bar and lounge, a fermentation lab and pickling kitchen, outdoor seating and a 100-seat theater. While Fullsteam has closed its original location, Fullsteam at Boxyard RTP is pouring beer and serving pizza.
Basic Brewing, Raleigh
Downtown Raleigh's Platform Apartment development will soon be home to a restaurant-brewery offering pizza and American-inspired dishes as well as craft beer and cocktails. Basic Brewing targets a fall opening.
Battleground Butcher Bar plus Float Dirty Soda and Ice Cream, Greensboro
Two new concepts are coming to Greensboro's heart-of-the-city Midtown neighborhood. Targeting a late summer opening, Battleground Butcher Bar will feature scratch‑driven bar food and rotating entrées along with to-go orders butcher‑quality cuts, sides and provisions. The team behind The Daily Grind cafe in Burlington plan to sweeten the scene with Float Dirty Soda and Ice Cream. The businesses will share an address: 1013 Battleground Ave.
Bistro Roca, Blowing Rock
Forced to close by a structural fire, the landmark restaurant on Wonderland Drive is rebuilding with a target reopening in 2027. In the meantime, Bistro Roca is serving at Hellbender Bed & Beverage (a sister property) and hosting periodic Local Legacy Events to maintain the status of its Antlers Bar as the state's longest continually serving bar.