North and South Carolina’s 17 Most Expected Restaurants in 2021

The past year has been difficult, with the pandemic closing many restaurants in North and South Carolina, but chefs, restaurant owners and investors are still busy with more new restaurants and bars coming here. As always, Eater is obsessively monitoring the progress of all the first ones – from menu launches to newly installed signage, come here for the latest updates. This list summarizes the places that are gaining excitement this year.

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

NENG JR’S

Location: 701 Haywood Road
Key players: Chef Silver Cousler
Projected aperture: Late January 2021 or early February 2021
When COVID appeared, chef Silver Cousler didn’t have the opportunity to travel to the Cayman Islands for a culinary residency, so they decided to open Asheville’s first Filipinx restaurant. Cousler’s mother is from Manila and their father is from North Carolina. They say on the Neng Jr website: “The intersection of Filipino and Southern food reveals a number of similarities, like all Filipinx Lechon pork and Eastern NC barbecue traditions.” Cousler imagines a menu full of lumpia, pancit, sinigang and more. Cousler comes from Mission Chinese, Gan Shan West, Buxton Hall and Admiral kitchens.

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

167 RAW SUSHI BAR

Location: 289 East Bay Street, city center
Key players: The group behind 167 Raw
Projected aperture: Spring 2021
The seafood restaurant, 167 Raw, was moved to Lower King last year, but now the group will transform its original location into an intimate sushi bar with a capacity for 12 to 15 customers.

Scarecrow website — Site of the next Bodega and Share House

BODEGA AND SHARE HOUSE

Location: 23 Ann Street, city center
Key players: Uptown social partners Keith Benjamin, Kara Graves, Bryn Kelly, Brian Dodd and Kat Moore; chef Alec Gropman
Projected aperture: Spring / Summer 2021
A group of New York restaurants brought Uptown Social to Charleston, and now the partners behind Uptown Social want to bring two more restaurants to Ann Street. Bodega will build the breakfast / brunch concept that already exists at Uptown Social, with coffee and morning sandwiches in New York style. Charcuterie and cocktails will be on the menu in the evening.

Share House will be a Hamptons-meets-Jersey-Shore seafood house with a party next door. Co-owner Keith Benjamin said Charleston City Journal expect a “coastal canteen”.

LENOIR

Location: 68 Wentworth Street, city center
Key players: Celebrity chef Vivian Howard
Projected aperture: Soonish
Lenoir comes from the hometown of Howard, Lenoir County, North Carolina. It will feature a refined menu inspired by North Carolina farmers.

THE LONGBOARD

Location: 2213-B Middle Street, Sullivan’s Island
Key players: Restaurateurs Clint Gaskins and Tyler Beckstead
Projected aperture: Early 2021
The US Virgin Islands restaurant, Longboard, will open a second location in Lowcountry. The food is inspired by the islands, with an emphasis on seafood, tropical products and coastal flavors. A glance at the St. John’s menu shows various selections of ceviches and poke bowls, grilled fish tacos, lobster tacos, island wings and more.

PINK BELLIES

Location: 595 King Street, city center
Key players: Thai Phi Chef / Owner
Projected aperture: Coming soon
Old Vietnamese food truck and pop-up Pink Bellies will soon have a new home on King Street. From banh mi to bowls of noodles and pho, fans of chef Thai Phi’s work eagerly await the opening.

Also, keep an eye on:
• 167 Raw’s (Downtown) unnamed Mediterranean restaurant
• Farmer and Exchange (Center)
• Garco Mill (Park Circle)
• Lady Xian (unknown)
• Miner (Johns Island

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

WHAT THE FRIES

Location: 10707 Park Road, Suite R
Key players: Chefs / co-owners Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams
Projected aperture: Early 2021
Popular food truck Charlotte The Fries will become a brick-and-mortar restaurant this year. Known for their gourmet French fries, tater tots and irresistible burgers, fans will no longer have to chase the mobile kitchen to feed their cravings for home cooking.

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA

WYATT BARBECUE

Location: 2431 Crabtree Boulevard
Key players: Chef / Owner Wyatt Dickson
Projected aperture: Spring 2021
Following the success of the Picnic barbecue in Durham, North Carolina, pitmaster Wyatt Dickson brings whole-breed pigs, fumigated with oak, raised locally, to Raleigh, North Carolina, with the opening of Wyatt’s Barbecue. The restaurant is not yet finished for internal meals, but he has prepared an extensive menu to take away for those who cannot wait any longer. Expect all the ingredients you would expect to find in any good choice of pigs, such as hot dogs, coleslaw and macaroni and cheese.

Also, keep an eye on:
• The Raleigh Cheesy

WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA

DOM’S

Location: 134 North Spruce Street
Key players: Chef / owner of Mozzarella Fellas, Brian Ricciardi
Projected aperture: Mid January
Downtown Winston-Salem hosts its first vegan restaurant with Dom’s opening later this month. Owner Ricciardi has been successful with the vegan Italian restaurant Mozzarella Fellas, but now he will stretch his culinary skills at Dom’s by adding more items like vegan nachos, tacos, small plates and more. There will be no pizza, as in Mozzerella Fellas, as the oven is too big to transfer.

Also, keep an eye on:
• Bossy Beulah Chicken Hut
• Roar

If we missed a grand opening, please write to [email protected]

Additional research by Eater Carolinas contributors, Matthew Lardie, Nikki-Miller Ka, Gina Smith and Jenn Rice.

Source