mean Cagney will have to scale back those plans.) For the best seltzer, Cagney says, it’s all about how you ferment the yeast. “We focus on a really clean base because the littlest bit of yeast residue can throw off a seltzer,” she says. “Once you have that base, you make the flavors.” With garnishes like rosemary, mint, and basil, a seltzer cocktail at Summit has more personality than a glass of club soda. You have the basics like citrus and berries, which Cagney likens to lagers and pilsners, and more unexpected flavors like juniper, fennel, and cucumber. “We’re pioneering this, so there’s nothing tried and true yet,” she says. “What’s the staple going to be? What small batches will we have? We’ll just ride the wave until we find what works.” She had to remain flexible with her opening date due to COVID-19, but after months of home confinement, she knows people are ready for this. “It took awhile to get where I am now. There were hiccups with the loan, the permitting, and when we finally got to construction, the coronavirus hit,” she says. “But I can pivot. I’ve been adapting this whole time.”
(Above) The 3,880-squarefoot space in Wesley Heights has seating in the taproom and on the patio, plus activities like shuffleboard, badminton, and foosball. Cagney (left) created the business plan for Summit Seltzery while she pursued her MBA at UNC Charlotte.
TAYLOR BOWLER is lifestyle editor of this magazine.
B I T E - S I Z E D STO R I E S
Foodie News on a Small Plate
TOUCAN LOUIE’S is now open in South End, in the space formerly occupied by Sunstead Brewing. Look for sandwiches, wings, and salads with a Caribbean flair, as well as Sunstead’s beers, which Sunstead’s owners will continue to brew in the building. HARRIET’S HAMBURGERS’ new stall inside Optimist Hall opens Labor Day weekend. The burger joint is a collaboration between Papi Queso and The Plaid Penguin, a Charlotte-based communications, branding, and design agency. The immersive fine dining restaurant COUNTER- is now open in Wesley Heights. Chef Sam Hart surprises guests with multi-course meals designed to appeal to diners’ senses of taste, sight, and smell.
COURTESY
SUMMIT COFFEE will expand with a new shop in NoDa this month. It’s the first of 10 planned locations for the Davidson-based brand. VANA, a new restaurant from the team behind Bardo, is coming to South End. Look for family-style meals like ribeye and whole fish, plus a cocktail program headed up by mixologist Amanda Britton. —Taylor Bowler
SEPTEMBER 2020 // CHARLOTTE
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