The holidays are a time for celebrating alongside friends and family — with good food and drink enhancing the merriment. As we head into the season, keep these alumni-owned restaurants and breweries top of mind for delicious meals and festive spirits while supporting Niner Nation.
Are you a UNC Charlotte alum who owns a business? If so, register with Niner Business Network, an initiative from the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association to support and connect fellow alumni in the business community.
Restaurants
Open Kitchen
Charlotte, N.C.
Mother and son duo Christina ’76 and Stephanos Skiouris ’13 are behind one of Charlotte’s longest-operating restaurants. Founded in 1952 by Speros and Steve Kokenes (Christina’s uncle and father respectively), The Open Kitchen has served up Greek and Italian comfort food on West Morehead for close to 70 years. Christina, an English major, eventually took over running the family business and Stephanos, a finance major, worked at the restaurant from an early age but began managing “the home of the pizza pie” seven years ago.
Be sure to check out fan favorites like Mama K’s Supreme Pizza Pie, Chicken Livers Grecque, Chicken Scallopini and the Eggplant Parmigiana. But the Veal Barcelona, a healthy portion of veal with browned butter, oregano and lemon with mushroom marinara spaghetti is the family’s favorite. Says Christina, “We like to keep things real — all of our sauces are homemade. We specialize in really delicious, rich and hearty food.” With delectable daily specials, they’re open for lunch and dinner Monday-Friday and for dinner on Saturday and Sunday.
Red Rocks Cafe, Bar and Bakery
Charlotte, N.C., Huntersville, N.C., and Indian Land, S.C.
John Love earned an MBA in 1984 and helped open the first Red Rocks Cafe in 1992, tucked into Charlotte's Strawberry Hill at the corner of Providence and Fairview. Their classic American fare, combined with a full bar and inviting ambiance, quickly gained popularity with locals — in fact, many of the items are named for their “biggest supporters” like the Angie Harmon Southern Salad or the Eugene Robinson Shrimp and Scallops Fresco. Eventually, the group expanded to Huntersville’s Birkdale Village in 2003 and Indian Land’s RedStone in 2017.
The diverse menu has something for everyone, but check out crowd pleasers like Coconut Shrimp, the Cajun Ribeye or the Chicken, Spinach and Walnut Ravioli. Top off your meal with after dinner drinks like the Milky Way Martini or the Bavarian Coffee and a slice of Double Decker Tuxedo Cake for good measure. They even offer a special Sunday Brunch menu from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Individual menus vary by location.
El Puro Cuban Restaurant & Havana Carolina Restaurant and Bar
Charlotte, N.C., Concord, N.C.
Brother and sister dynamos Ana Acela ’22 and Manny Perez ’21 are the driving force behind El Puro, one of Charlotte’s hottest new restaurants and Havana Carolina, a Concord favorite — both dishing out crowd pleasing Cuban specialties. The siblings, along with their mother, are honoring their father’s memory after he tragically passed in 2017. Ana, a political science and philosophy major from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, puts it in perspective: “These two restaurants are the result of the strength and courage of my mom. They’re a love story about family, sacrifice, and dedication — an example of how to transform pain into something that keeps you going and inspires others.”
El Puro (an affectionate term for dad in the Cuban culture) brings the glamor of pre-revolutionary Havana to Charlotte with offerings like Langosta Macorina, lobster with an avocado cream sauce; Puriche, a twist on traditional ceviche; and Rabo Encendido, a Cuban classic take on braised beef oxtail. Head over to Havana Carolina for traditional favorites like Ropa Vieja, shredded beef brisket; Camarones al Ajillo, garlic sauteed shrimp; and Pargo Entero, an impressive whole fried red snapper. Both locations feature live music on certain nights — follow them on Facebook and Instagram to keep up to date.
The Office Craft Bar and Kitchen & Blue Bar and Smokehouse
Indian Land, S.C. and Fort Mill, S.C.
James Rivenbark is a Charlotte alum twice over, getting his undergraduate concentration in Commercial Bank Management in 2005 and his MBA in 2020 — the latter providing knowledge that proved incredibly useful during a difficult time. In the midst of a pandemic, Rivenbark not only completed a masters degree but opened two restaurants with a third on the way.
The Office CBK opened in August 2019 serving up craft beers and cocktails alongside a mouthwatering menu including an Angus Beef Short Rib Grilled Cheese, the Deep South Pork Belly Burger and Chipotle Braised Lamb Shank. Rivenbark opened Blue Bar and Smokehouse in October 2020 showcasing Southern favorites like fried pickles, smoked wings, pulled pork sandwiches and brisket burgers. To make holiday cooking easier, Blue is selling smoked hams while supplies last, and both locations are adding an extra $10 gift card with the purchase of a $50 card. Rivenbark’s next concept, TWF Burgers (Tenders, Wings and Burgers) is slated to open in early 2022.
Breweries
Summit Seltzer
Charlotte, N.C.
Kristin Cagney ’19 is a trailblazer in the seltzer world, opening the first spiked seltzery on the East Coast and one of only a handful in the United States. Cagney was a fan of the craft brew scene but always wondered if she could replace beer with seltzer. After encouragement from friends and creating the business plan in one of her Belk College of Business MBA classes, Cagney took the leap. While the pandemic threw an unprecedented curve ball, she forged ahead with her trademark optimism and opened Summit Seltzer in September 2020.
Summit has several spiked seltzers on tap ranging from non-alcoholic to 8% AVP. All are made from a real fruit puree and have a trademark hue depending on the flavor. Current selections include BaseCamp, a tart seltzer made with real lime; Boots With The Fur, a fall berry blended with apricot and caramel; and a shout out to UNC Charlotte’s famous crosswalk, Craver Road, a pineapple and blood orange blend with a citrus punch. You also can find several seltzer-based cocktails, a selection of beers from fellow Niner alumni at Vaulted Oak Brewing (see below) and even Jolly Rancher seltzer jello shots. Summit keeps an action-packed events schedule including Bachelorette Bingo, Yoga and Dance Fusion Classes and Mindless Minutia Trivia. Follow on Instagram for more offerings and events.
Royal Bliss Brewing
Denver, N.C.
Larry Griffin Jr. ’84 earned his undergraduate degree in business administration and is no stranger to running a company — for years he handled the day-to-day operations of the family-owned Griffin Brothers Tire Co., which had 10 stores in the Charlotte area before selling five years ago. This gave Griffin and wife Ginger, who ran her own marketing and design firm, the chance to step into a new arena. As the craft beer industry grew, the couple visited several taprooms and breweries conducting their own research … and the dream became a reality.
Built on the philosophy that “In life and beer, balance is bliss,” Royal Bliss Brewing opened on March 26, 2020 — just nine days into the COVID shutdown. And they’ve weathered it beautifully. Lincoln County’s first brewery quickly gained popularity with beers like Denver's First Pilsner; Cali King, a West Coast IPA; and Naughty & Nice, a winter ale just in time for the holidays. They also serve up bar munchies, wraps and sandwiches — but take note that every Tuesday is Beer-Brined Smoked Wings and Pizza night. Adding to the fun, Wednesdays are reserved for Music Bingo, Thursdays for Trivia in the Taproom and live music on most Fridays and Saturdays. Follow them on Instagram for all the latest.
Vaulted Oak Brewery
Charlotte, N.C.
Kiel Arrington ’08 and Chuck Kistler ’06 put their business degrees to the test this June, opening Vaulted Oak Brewing, Charlotte's best new brewery, in the Oakhurst neighborhood. The friends met as students in the Belk College of Business and kicked around the idea of a brewery for a while. When the two spied a former BB&T building was available for development, they jumped on it. According to Arrington, “We didn’t seek out a bank but loved the idea of breathing new life into an existing space, especially in a time where that’s a rarity.”
Designed for people to gather and relax, the brewery has several seasonal offerings to help you get in the spirit. They just released a winter warmer “Holiday Overdraft,” a Cranberry Gose and a Porter they have some fun one-off ideas for like toasted coconut and cacao nibs, as well as some flavored coffees.
Giving Back: Kistler is a huge supporter of the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and always has a special beer with proceeds benefiting the cause. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for all the details on Trivia Nights, the latest specials and food truck schedules.
Pharr Mill Brewing
Harrisburg, N.C.
It was a passion for craft that inspired owner Alston Richardson ’07 to venture into brewing. As an economics undergraduate student at UNC Charlotte, Richardson lived in neighboring Harrisburg. When he visited the town several years following graduation, he was impressed by its growth and development. He knew then it was the perfect place to open shop and chose a former race-car garage with exposed brick, giant windows and rollup doors to bring Pharr Mill Brewing to life. Opened in March 2019, the name is a nod to one of Harrisburg’s original grist mills — a historic social gathering point and hub of activity.
Pharr Mill Brewing offers a variety of craft beers from Hazy IPAs and Sours to Lagers and Blondes brewed on their 7 bbl brewhouse. The Check Yourself Lager and the Shifty Hazy IPA are other popular staples. Richardson keeps the good times flowing with music bingo, trivia, live music and Sunday Fundays. This summer, they launched an on-site BBQ food truck inspired by the Texas Craft BBQ scene. When you smell hickory in the air, that means briskets, pork shoulder and ribs are being cooked in the pit. Pharr Mill boasts the distinction of being the only location in the region that offers housemade craft beer and BBQ on site. Stop by to grab a brew and some brisket and get the full experience — their Instagram will keep you in the loop.
Special Mention: Cabarrus Brewing Company
Concord, N.C.
We couldn’t miss the chance to give a special shout out to our favorite crew at Cabarrus Brewing Company, including alum Jason McKnight, for this fall’s debut of Gold Rush Gold Lager. In partnership with the Charlotte 49ers and LEARFIELD, Cabarrus Brewing is developing a series of special craft beers for Niner Nation. The first in the series, Gold Rush, is sold at Harris Teeters throughout the Charlotte region and available at Charlotte 49ers home athletic events. "As a partner and our founding brewer, I'm beyond excited about joining with Charlotte Athletics and creating a series of beers that will reflect the Niner spirit," says McKnight. Go Niners!
Bakery
Smallcakes Utopia
Charlotte, N.C.
Alumni owners Steve “C.J.” White ’13 and Samantha White ’11, found their happy place with Smallcakes Utopia. While CJ focused on mathematics in business from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and Samantha studied athletic training in the College of Health and Human Services, they were ultimately inspired by the joy that a simple cupcake could bring. When C.J. and Samantha were searching for cupcakes for their wedding, they realized the Charlotte market — especially University City — needed a sweet spot. Thus, Smallcakes Utopia came to life.
Freshly baked cupcakes are their mainstay with tempting daily offerings like Lemon Drop, Wedding Cake and Red Velvet. But the seasonal specials are head turning as well: the Gingerbread features spiced cake topped with cinnamon, cream cheese icing and a gingerbread man. Feeling fruity? Try the Apple Crisp, an apple streusel cake filled with caramel and topped with brown sugar cream icing and toasted strudel. For those on special diets, they routinely have vegan, gluten-free and keto offerings. As if that weren’t enough, Smallcakes also serves up cookies, whole cakes and several varieties of ice cream — even a red velvet waffle cone. Follow their Instagram for your daily bliss.
Are you a UNC Charlotte alum who owns a business? If so, register with Niner Business Network, an initiative from the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association to support and connect fellow alumni in the business community.
Photo credit: Alex Cason, CHARLOTTEFIVE (Open Kitchen); Visitnc.com (Pharr Mill Brewing); WCCB Charlotte (Summit Seltzer)