Wine or Dine, You Can’t Lose

Article Adam Hartrum | Photography Mimi McLeod – Weinmiller, Inc.

The South Charlotte restaurant scene shouldn’t be ignored, and the residents living here have no shortage of choices. From fine dining to roadside diners, there are handfuls of eateries frequented and enjoyed day in and day out in the Charlotte area. Among the varied selection of cuisine, located in the oldest shopping center in Charlotte, Burtons Grill & Bar brings something fun and fresh to the table. Burtons’ mission is simple: Delight every guest, one at a time.

Located in Park Road shopping center, Burtons Grill serves an eclectic American menu, fresh from the kitchen every day, all day long. In terms of offerings, whether you’re a walk-in or just taking out, Burtons’ menu has something for everyone’s tastes. The atmosphere is a polished casual concept, and the kitchen works from scratch daily. The produce is fresh—nothing but the best. They source from local farms when they can, and they spare no expense. Every three months, their menu rotates, and nothing comes from the freezer here.

Burtons is also heavily conscious of food allergens, and the scratch kitchen allows them to omit certain ingredients easily if requested. In 2018, Burtons Grill & Bar was voted No. 1 in the Most Allergy-Friendly Restaurants category by AllergyEats.com.

The menu itself offers a wide variety of American staples: the Classic Burger with charbroiled Angus beef, cheese and a griddled bun; Pasta Carbonara; or even the delicious Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Bowl, just to name a few. Options abound, and appetizers, soups and salads are served for those looking for smaller bites. General Manager Marc Habbouche says their menu is valuable real estate, so there’s no way to lose. Whichever mood strikes you, Burtons Grill & Bar can whet your appetite.

Burtons is also home to a welcoming enclosed patio, open rain or shine all year, depending on the temperature, of course. Thankfully, this isn’t much of an issue in the Carolinas, and seating is available outside for 10 months of the year on average. Flowers and curated landscaping make for comfortable seating, and the views from the patio are lined with beautifully maintained historic storefronts, such as a 78-year-old theater with its vintage sign still intact. One can feel the historic Charlotte roots in this part of town.

Aside from the cuisine, Burtons offers a full-service bar. Wine, spirits and beers fill the glasses of those needing to mellow out after a full day’s work or those looking for fun on Sunday afternoon. Twelve beer taps are always rotating, mostly serving locally brewed craft selections.

“You can throw a rock and hit a brewery here,” Marc says, jokingly. “It’s almost like they’re competitors.”

Jokes aside, he and the staff are grateful to have such a variety of beers coming into the bar. Burtons cross-promotes with the breweries in town, so everyone benefits. It’s one of the secrets to their success in finding fun while working to make their restaurant the best it can be.

Who: Burtons Grill & Bar

Where: 1601 E. Woodlawn Road A, Charlotte

What to Order: Burtons old-fashioned, stuffed grilled zucchini, Asian Ahi salad and the street tacos

Queen City’s Own International Flavor Destination

Article Noah Milliken

With its second location opening in the Charlotte area, Bistro La Bon has become a true staple for brunch and small plates in the Queen City. This award-winning restaurant serves locally sourced dishes while providing a peaceful ambiance that is unmatched in the Cotswold and Plaza Midwood areas. With a mix of international dishes among its cozy atmosphere, you will really feel at home while experiencing flavors from across the globe.

When it comes to the food, Bistro La Bon delivers worldly cuts with a unique twist and features cuisine such as Mediterranean, Italian, German and French, to name a few. Bistro La Bon prides itself on providing locally based ingredients all bought in our local Queen City markets. Recently featured on the Charlotte morning news, its most famous dish is the gnocchi. This dish is made fresh from scratch every morning with homegrown ingredients, including wild mushrooms and spinach. These elements give this plate that real fresh, wild taste. In addition to claiming the Sunday brunch crown, Bistro La Bon offers a mix of delicious small plates and mouthwatering entrees with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.

You will feel right at home when entering Bistro La Bon with its natural earth-tone colors and relaxed atmosphere. The ambiance calls upon a French country vibe coupled with diverse international influences. Bistro La Bon has two convenient locations in Plaza Midwood and Cotswold. Featured as one of Charlotte’s 50 best restaurants and voters’ choice of Best Brunch, Bistro La Bon truly captures the international dining experience right in our backyard.

The Perfect Venue for Your Next Team-Building Event

Article Wesley Smith

If you’re searching for a unique space to host your upcoming corporate event, look no further than Lucky Clays Farm. They have amenities, sophistication and style that is sure to satisfy each and every guest that you invite. An added bonus: Lucky Clays offers the largest private residential renewable energy system in the state. For functionality, beauty and an atmosphere of environmental consciousness, they’ll be the place to go for your next social soiree.

Lucky Clays started with the intention and overall mission of achieving and promoting conservation, preservation and a push toward renewable energy. They have luscious surroundings, offering each guest an experience that embodies a return to nature with a modern-day feel. One spectacular attribute that makes this a superior venue is that its founders have achieved a top energy star rating.

Companies who utilize this venue will find that it is quite a business-friendly facility. The main conference center is a substantial 4,800-square-foot two-story space. It has internet and HDMI connection ports plus Blu-ray players, wireless microphones and projectors on each level to reach your expansive audience. There is also the option to separate the space so that different activities can be conducted on both the lower and upper levels depending on the needs for your team-building exercises, PowerPoint presentations, seminars or awards ceremonies. This space also comes with a complete kitchen, should an event require refreshments during meetings. Additionally, the conference facility is surrounded by a wooded area and pond for a serene contemplative work environment sure to enhance productivity.

Their “claim to fame” is their Five Stand and Trap Field. There is such a short list of business conference centers that offer such a unique activity and it provides an opportunity to bask in nature during important business learning and meetings. Time can be scheduled to participate in the challenging clay-shooting sport, regardless of the group’s varying knowledge of shooting. The activity will put your retreat a cut above the rest, offering your guests a memorable experience.

For an overnight stay, Lucky Clays has cottages as well. They are all built on the sustainable and renewable energy theory that Lucky Clays mission is founded upon. Names such as “The Angler,” “The Covey” and “The Meadow” personify the laid back intention of the properties and the lingering feeling of a connection with clean energy and nature that your guests are sure to enjoy. With open floor plans and easy access to Wi-Fi, the cottages offer a great place for reflection after daily meetings. The serene surroundings work to help guests relax and review the concepts they’ve learned in an environment designed to promote positive contemplation without information overload.

Lucky Clays is the “it” spot for business events offering an exciting and informative convention to be remembered. The coordinators will make your event planning a breeze while offering the best facilities and attractions around. If your goal is to have healthy, successful team building and a strong core family of employees and staff, try Lucky Clays Farm for the 3 R’s: Reinforcement, re-building and relaxation!

Article Noah Milliken | Photography Destiny Johnson

The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is set in the heart of south Charlotte and features a famous Biergarten with world-class beer in a stunning and park-like haven. OMB’s ‘garten is located on eight acres consumed by hickory, pecan and 100-year-old oak trees. The inviting open spaces make for an enjoyable time to roam and sip on OMB’s premium, all-natural beer.

Kids and canines are welcomed to OMB with open arms thanks to the grassy areas, pet-waste bags available and countless benches with umbrellas for sitting. Your children will have a ball with cornhole available on those warm nights and fire pits ready for those chillier nights. Dogs are only permitted in the Biergarten outdoors and must be leashed. Upon taking in the relaxed setting OMB has to offer outside, you will see pups happily relaxing in the shade and children enjoying a carefree evening of tag with their siblings and best buds.

On most Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, OMB hosts live music performances, all of which present local musicians from the Charlotte area. The music quite literally sets the stage for an evening getaway, making OMB the perfect place for a mini vacation when checking out for a week isn’t an option. OMB also provides tours of the brewery that are family-friendly and informative for all.

This historic brewery truly captures a safe, family atmosphere that can be enjoyed by every member of your family. For parents who want to try in-house brewed beers, kids who want a fun place to meet new friends and pups who want to walk around the ‘garten sniffing in the good vibes, OMB is perfect place for the entire family to savor a relaxing summer evening.

Where to Eat, Drink & Be Merry with Your Buds

Article Wesley Brown

Sometimes, you just need a guy’s night out, a time to catch up with your buds over a couple of brews and a good meal. Now, we recognize that Charlotte is teeming with cool bars and eateries perfect for such a night, but the best outing requires a specific set of elements: a rustic brewery to ring in the night, a meaty meal to set the stomach, and an after-hours escape to wash it all down with a good cocktail.

Check, check and check. We’ve rounded up your itinerary for your next guy’s night out, drinks and dines included.

Begin the night at Plaza Midwood’s popular fledgling brewery, Resident Culture. The roomy, rustically industrial interior opens seamlessly onto the sprawling patio and beer garden via garage doors, so it feels like you’re drinking in a (much cooler) version of your man cave. There’s lots of IPAs on draft for you hop-heads, and for the adventurous imbibers, nose-tickling wild beers and sours from the coolship, Charlotte’s only open-air tank for spontaneous fermentation.

Residentculture.com

As every man knows, a night out on an empty stomach only leads to trouble. That means it’s time to head to your dinner destination, Kickstand Burger Bar, where the burgers are big—and so is the beer list. Just around the corner from your first stop, the Plaza Midwood gem does all things “craft”: beer (lots of local brews to choose from), cocktails (especially classics like a Dark and Stormy or Boulevardier), and burgers, which come with tons of build-your-own, stacked-high options.

Kickstandcharlotte.com

After the dinner parties of yore, gentlemen would retreat to the library to drink fine liquor, smoke cigars, and pass hours in intellectual conversation. The Ritz-Carlton’s Punch Room harbors that feeling of old-world gentility with world-class cocktails. For something sweet, try one of their signature punches (hence the name), but they also do the classics. Feeling fancy? Try the The $400 Cocktail: Remy Martin Louis XIII Cognac, Byrrh, Sassafras & Sorghum Bitters. All pair well with long conversations on the leather sofas.

Ritzcarlton.com

Article Chloe Watson | Photography Deatric Smith

Located in the heart of South Park, Dogwood Southern Table prides itself on locally sourced food and beverages. The restaurant’s products put a contemporary twist on southern cuisine. Tim Buchanan, General Manager states, ”We are an upscale, southern, neighborhood restaurant.”

Owners, Kim and Jon Dressler, own several other restaurants in the Charlotte area including Dressler’s. Most of the managers in The Dressler’s Restaurant group have been with the company for at least 10 years.

Beer and Cocktails

Beer at Dogwood is 100% Southern craft beer. Beers are sourced from as far north as Virginia and as far south as Georgia with North Carolina being the main provider.

Dogwood is the go-to bourbon bar in Charlotte. The restaurant has a bourbon-heavy menu with over 80 different bourbons.

“Bourbon is essential to Southern Cuisine. There are very few places that are bourbon and craft cocktail heavy,”

says Brian “The Hammer” Lorusso. Lorusso has worked with the Dressler’s for more than ten years and has opened the bars in all of their restaurants.

Guest favorites right now are the Salty Dog and The Old Fashioned. Frequent diners like to choose something at the top of the cocktail menu called, “Barkeeps Call.” This is when the bartenders create a custom cocktail for each visitor. You choose the liquor and style of drink and let the barkeep do the rest.

Food

Dogwood’s dishes are “locally produced, regionally inspired.” They work closely with local farms to source most of their ingredients. “We like for our kitchen staff to be creative as long as they are enjoying creating new things and finding ways to introduce the public to the local farm scene,” says Buchanan. Their menu changes frequently because it is heavily affected by what products are in-season.

Dogwood describes its food as “elevated southern cuisine.” Their signature dishes are their bacon jam and pimento cheese. A dollar from every pimento cheese appetizer is donated to a charity that helps the homeless.

Community Suppers

Twice a month Dogwood hosts a community supper where the owners and employees honor farmers, brewers, distillers and artisans at a four-course dinner. The producers bring their families and have dinner with other people in the community. “It is a great time to introduce the farmer, the farmer’s story and the passion for what they do to our patrons,” says Buchanan.

Dogwood Southern Table is doing great in its first year.

“So far, South Park has embraced us. We appreciate all the love the area has shown us,”

states Buchanan.