What’s new and coming soon in Charlotte area’s dining scene

CHARLOTTE — May marked the end of the road for several restaurants across the Charlotte area.

In the Elizabeth neighborhood, Paul Verica called it quits on The Stanley in mid-May after a nearly four-year run, as the James Beard-nominated chef made the decision to take a step back from the industry. That 2,800-square-foot restaurant’s lease and assets have been sold.

Also near center city, Bocado Bar & Diner announced on social media it had shuttered its space at South End’s Atherton Mill less than a year after replacing Big Ben Pub there. A new concept is expected to take its place. And Rocket Pizza appears to have closed its 4,100-square-foot location in the FreeMoreWest neighborhood.

In the outlying area, establishments to close last month include the Local Dish, a longtime restaurant in downtown Fort Mill.

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It wasn’t all bad news last month for local restaurants, however. Several new concepts made their debut in May, such as Drift on Lake Wylie, a chef-inspired chophouse in Belmont that offers lake views and access.

In closer-in neighborhoods, Enat Ethiopian filled out the food-stall offerings at adaptive-reuse complex Optimist Hall, and Super Abari Game Bar marked its return to Charlotte, moving from the NoDa area to a larger space in the Belmont neighborhood.

And there are a lot more dining-and-drinking additions still to come. In just a few days, Asheville-based Burial Beer Co. will open its taproom and bottle shop in Plaza Midwood. South End’s lineup continues to grow with upcoming establishments like Canopy Cocktails & Garden and Culinary Dropout; the Rea Farms development in south Charlotte will see two new spots open later this year; and a celebrity chef is bringing G.O.A.T. Pizza — his latest concept — to Cornelius.

For a closer look at the latest restaurant, brewery and bar happenings across the entire area, check out the latest installment of Restaurant Bites here.

(WATCH BELOW: Uptown restaurant reinvents itself after pandemic closure)