Since I moved to Charlotte, I have always really enjoyed Plaza Midwood. Not as beige and standard as parts of South End, but not as grungy (said lovingly) and cultural as NoDa (again, lovingly). As the Charlotte brewery scene exploded, one area was noticeably absent: Plaza Midwood.
Phil Buchy and Newton Carver have teamed up to change that and will soon be bringing Legion Brewery to the neighborhood. Located on Commonwealth (across the street from The Diamond Restaurant), Legion is adding another solid spot to Plaza Midwood’s blossoming drinking scene.
Photo via Google Maps
Walking in, the first thing that struck me was the wood. Wood is everywhere, there are all different kinds and it’s all reclaimed and salvaged. The bar has our state flag and American flag displayed, made from wood.
I loved the look of the tap room. It was really welcoming, and I felt like I could sit there all day drinking a beer.
Walking out of the tap room bars, you get to the upper level of the brewhouse. What’s really cool about this is the lounge area overlooking the brewhouse so you can essentially be “hanging out” with the brewers below as you drink their beer.
One thing that people will find interesting is a lack of food trucks. The reason? There are a ton of amazing restaurants in the area. You can get food at Dish, The Diamond, Whisky Warehouse, Pizza Peel, Pint Central, Peculiar Rabbit and more and bring it into Legion and enjoy the beer. One thing that was discussed on my visit (jokingly I think, but I hope it becomes a reality), is a food runner, someone that will literally run to the nearby restaurants for you and pick up your order.
They plan to open with 11 beers on tap, but have room for 20. I got to try a few of them (pilsner, brown ale, pale ale and witbier) and was a fan of them all. Very easy drinking and not palate destroying, which allowed me to taste each one of them. Beer stock will constantly be rotating. They’re taking a farmhouse approach and brewing beers with ingredients that are in season.
When Legion opens mid-December, they will be open 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. I am really excited about this place because it adds another layer to the nightlife (and daylife) scene in Plaza Midwood. It almost feels complete — now we just need a cocktail bar.
