Photo: Alexis Clinton/Axios Charlotte
Culinary Dropout — a popular restaurant chain with locations in Arizona, Texas and Colorado — is debuting its first North Carolina location in South End.
It opens in the Vantage South End building on Wednesday, Oct. 11.
Why it matters: The highly anticipated restaurant opening is the brainchild of Sam Fox, the James Beard-nominated restaurateur behind popular neighborhood spots like North Italia and Flowerchild.
- “Since opening other restaurants in the Charlotte market a few years ago, we’ve seen South End’s growth firsthand and are looking forward to adding Culinary Dropout to the mix,” Fox said in a press release.
Details: Culinary Dropout is at 1120 South Tryon St., near Sixty Vines.
- It’ll be open for lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday from 11am-11pm, Friday from 11am-12am, Saturday 10am-12am and Sunday from 10am-11pm. Weekend brunch will be served on Saturday and Sunday.
- You can validate your parking at the Vantage South parking deck for up to two hours.
Menu: Culinary Dropout is known for its classic comfort food, like its 36-hour slow-roasted pork ribs, wings, and soft pretzels.
- It’ll open with seasonal fall-inspired feature items including the fall roasted salmon served with butternut squash farro risotto and a butternut squash salad. They’ll also serve popular dishes including Detroit-style pizza, build-your-own charcuterie boards and pretzel fondue.
- The drink menu will include over 20 handcrafted cocktails, four mocktails, beer and wine.
- The restaurant will also have award-winning North Carolina brews on tap like Fullsteam Brewing’s Paycheck Lager and Sugar Creek Brewing’s Big ‘O’ Blood Orange IPA.
Everything we ate:
Whipped feta & tahini dip ($14) and caesar salad. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Gochujang Brussels sprouts ($8). Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Detroit-style pepperoni and Italian sausage pizza ($20). Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Soft pretzels and provologne fondue ($15.50). Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Korean-style ribeye cap ($33). They only serve about 30 of this dish each day. Fair warning: it’s very spicy. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
Steak frites ($31) Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
The space: The 13,312-square-foot restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating for about 600 people.
- It’ll also have rockstar-themed decor, three private dining spaces and a pet-friendly outdoor patio with yard games.
- An indoor stage for live shows will feature different genres of live music from local bands every week from Thursday to Saturday.
Take a look inside:
Photos: Alexis Clinton/Axios
What’s next: Culinary Dropout will expand to Atlanta, Dallas and Birmingham.
