Bite-Sized News

It can be hard to imagine a world in which students are sentenced to hard labor for ordering a hamburger. But for many, their struggle is painfully present, as activists demand recognition of Black people as people and bail policy once again makes headlines. The bare space creaks with history and possibility. What does it mean to truly honor the Friendship Nine? How could Masone, Yearwood, and Mueller make the historic building not just a memorial but a venue for the ongoing civil rights struggle? These questions used to be beyond a chef’s ken, but Masone occupies a space where the lunch order is less important than what happens next.

(Top) Bacon-wrapped meatloaf; the “lamborghini” sandwich with fries (above); Chef Rob Masone of the Kounter (left); and spaghetti-o’s with lamb meatballs (below). ACE NO. 3, the Belmont burger joint from the team behind Sea Level and The Waterman, will expand with two new Charlotte locations this year—one in Myers Park, the other at Concord Mills. Expect the same simple menu of burgers and shakes in a counterservice setting.

BITE-SIZED NEWS Foodie Tidbits on a Small Plate

VAULTED OAK BREWING is now open in a former bank on Monroe Road. The brewery, which repurposed the drive-up teller area into a walk-up window, serves a mix of lagers, IPAs, and sours, plus a selection of ciders and wine.

LULU’S, the popular Marylandstyle chicken and seafood eatery that opened on Tuckaseegee Road in 2019, opens its second location this month on Central Avenue in Plaza Midwood. Look for indoor and outdoor seating and an expanded brunch and dinner menu.

Atlanta-based restaurant BOCADO BAR + DINER will open a second location in the former Big Ben’s Pub space in Atherton Mil this summer. Come for brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner, or late night and order bar snacks, Southern-inspired entrees, or BOCADO’s signature double burger stack.

THE EAGLE FOOD & BEER HALL, a Cincinnati-based restaurant known for fried chicken, has opened its rst Charlotte location at Atherton Mill. Brian Riggenbach, who also owns Bakers eld in Dilworth, is behind the venture. —Taylor Bowler