Now Open

FOOD DRINK

EXPLORE THE TASTES OF CHARLOTTE

NOW OPEN LIKE A DIAMOND IN THE SKY

Head to Cloud Bar by David Burke for a socially distanced night out in uptown

BY TAYLOR BOWLER PHOTOGRAPHS BY PETER TAYLOR

MERCHANT & TRADE, Nuvolé Roo op TwentyTwo, and Fahrenheit all host plenty of date nights and happy hours in uptown, but there’s always room for another roo op bar in Charlotte. The setup is remarkably conducive to COVID-era dining, too, so Cloud Bar landed in the right place when it opened in August.

Cloud Bar by David Burke is the rst of two restaurants the celebrity chef opened in uptown’s Le Méridien Hotel this year. (Burke’s second venture, Red Salt, opened in mid-September in the space formerly occupied by Evoke.) Enter through the Sheraton, which connects to Le Méridien’s lobby, then take the elevator to the 18th oor. From there, climb a ight of stairs to the roo op. The bar is in a glass-enclosed area with high top tables if you prefer indoor seating. If you came for the skyline views, keep walking toward the outdoor patio.

Chef David Burke’s avant-garde approach to food presentation includes the maple-glazed bacon clothesline.

(Right) Chilled shrimp and mozzarella skewers; (Below) Chef David Burke enjoys a Firebird cocktail on the rooftop.

(Clockwise from top) The French macarons and mochi dessert; chicken wing and shishito skewers; sweeping views of uptown from the rooftop terrace.

Oversized planters brim with greenery, and canvas canopies keep you shaded as the sun goes down. Once it gets dark, white string lights illuminate the terrace. Have a seat on one of the cushioned love seats or club chairs, or grab a table and order a drink. Start with a cold glass of prosecco or try the Firebird cocktail ($14), a refreshing mix of tequila, ginger syrup, lime, and pomegranate soda. There’s a full wine list, too, and local brews from OMB, Triple C, and NoDa Brewing.

Burke’s avant-garde approach to food presentation is on full display with the DB Bites menu. The maple-glazed bacon clothesline ($21) is exactly as it sounds: long strips of bacon that clothespins fasten to a string. The crispy Brussels ($11) is a heaping bowl of fried Brussels sprouts topped with bits of pancetta, shaved parmesan, and drizzled balsamic. Feel free to pop them in your mouth with the toothpicks provided; utensils are optional here.

If you’re a fan of food on a stick, order the chilled shrimp and mozzarella skewers ($16), which stand upright on a red wood block. Each skewer holds a jumbo shrimp, mozzarella ball, prosciutto slice, and a hunk of watermelon. The chicken wings and shishito ($15) also come on standing skewers, with seasoned wings, not-too-spicy shishito peppers, radish, cucumber, carrots, and a side of blue cheese-chipotle ranch.

The vertical display carries over to the dessert menu, too. The French macarons and mochi ($12) are three stacks of meringue sandwich cookies, strawberries, and bite-sized balls of sticky rice lled with ice cream. The cheesecake lollipops ($19) arrive on a silver display stand in chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry avors, which make a traditionally heavy dessert feel light and delicate.

Cloud Bar checks all the boxes for a safe night out in the year of coronavirus. There’s plenty of space between tables, the waitsta is properly masked, and you’re outside in the fresh air. So go ahead. Treat yourself to a ashy cocktail and some skyline views. This is still Charlotte, a er all.

CLOUD BAR BY DAVID BURKE

555 S. McDowell St. 980-237-5356 cloudbarbydb.com

Don’t leave without trying: The French macarons and mochi ($12) come with three skewers of meringue sandwich cookies, giant strawberries, and bite-sized balls of sticky rice lled with ice cream. Save room for this dessert.