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Good morning, Charlotte. Here’s a quick download of what’s happening in the Queen City today, pulled from today’s CharlotteFive newsletter. If you want this kind of local rundown delivered fresh to your inbox every weekday, sign up for the free CharlotteFive newsletter - it takes about 10 seconds.
🍓 Ayesha Curry’s Sweet July Cafe is officially open uptown
Ayesha Curry is back on home turf. Her new Sweet July Cafe - a partnership with chef Michael Mina - is now open just off the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, and Evan and Alex have the full scoop on what to expect before you head over. Think warm wood finishes, an open kitchen and a menu that leans into Caribbean-inspired flavors, health-conscious plates and - yes - that strawberry croissant everyone’s talking about.
“This is such a surreal, full-circle moment,” Curry said during a Friday preview. “I’m sure as many of you know, both Stephen and I grew up here in Charlotte.” Expect pita foldies stuffed with wagyu, ahi tuna or falafel, breakfast pitas, smash burgers, Jamaican beef patties, vegan soft serve and smoothies like the Island Love (coconut milk, ginger) and the Queen City (matcha, kale, pineapple). Entrees run $16 to $21; most drinks are $6 to $16. It’s the first of three restaurants coming to the Ritz - Bourbon Steak and The Eighth Rule follow later this year. 📍 The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte, 201 E. Trade St.
World's best ice cream, nachos voting and buzzy Charlotte openings
🥑 Vote for Charlotte’s best nachos - the Top 10 is locked in
The next CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice contest is officially rolling, Heidi writes, and this one is all about nachos. A field of 30 restaurant nominations has been narrowed to a Top 10 through reader voting, and now it’s down to picking the single best spot for cheesy, loaded chips in the Charlotte area - Lake Norman, Gastonia, Matthews, Mint Hill, Fort Mill and nearby communities all count.
You can vote as often as you want - refresh and vote again for your favorite, or spread the love.
👉 Cast your vote for the best nachos here.
🍔 JackBeagle’s Wesley Heights pub is officially closed
Sad news for the West Morehead crowd: JackBeagle’s Wesley Heights location shut its doors in late June after a change in ownership, Tanasia reports. General manager Anthony Reese, who runs the NoDa location, told CharlotteFive the pet-friendly pub was sold to Small Bar, a neighborhood dive known for craft cocktails and beer. A registration for “Small Bar Morehead, LLC” was filed with the NC Secretary of State’s Office on June 26.
Small Bar already has spots in South End, at AvidXchange Music Factory and in Fort Mill, with an Optimist Park location on the way. The good news for JackBeagle’s regulars: the NoDa and Mt. Holly locations are still open and still slinging breakfast biscuit sandwiches, burgers, wings and loaded waffle fries. 📍 Former JackBeagle’s Morehead: 1404 W. Morehead St.
🍳 Biscuitville named No. 1 fast-food breakfast in the US - again
North Carolina’s beloved Biscuitville just claimed the top spot on USA Today 10Best’s list of the country’s best fast-food breakfast restaurants - for the fourth straight year, Simone writes. The Greensboro-based chain, which bakes its biscuits fresh every 15 minutes, also landed at No. 3 on 10Best’s separate list of the most-loved regional fast-food chains in the country.
10Best editors and a panel of experts built the initial list, then readers voted. Charlotte’s own Bojangles also cracked the top of the breakfast list at No. 8. Biscuitville got its start more than 50 years ago and now has over 85 locations across the Carolinas and Virginia. Midwest-based Runza took the No. 1 spot for most-loved regional chain overall.
💬 Quote of the day
“Can’t wait to try it.” - Trina, via TikTok, on the opening of Sweet July Cafe in Charlotte.
🎉 Mi Cariño celebrates Guelaguetza
The Story of Mi Cariño is honoring one of Oaxaca’s most beloved cultural festivals with a limited menu running today through Aug. 1. Guelaguetza - also known as Los Lunes del Cerro, or Mondays on the Hill - is a centuries-old celebration rooted in community, generosity and cooperation, where the people of Oaxaca come together through music, dance, food and craftsmanship.
🍅 Happy news: peak tomato season
Heidi writes that her garden is overflowing with perfectly ripe tomatoes right now - most are being eaten fresh or slow-roasted for fall and winter sauces. Got a favorite way to use a mountain of tomatoes? Send ideas to [email protected]. And if something in your day made you happy, share that too - they might feature it.
🍣 Try a top restaurant: Yunta Nikkei
South End fusion spot Yunta Nikkei just landed at No. 38 on Yelp’s latest list of the country’s best Japanese restaurants. Per Yelp: “Must-try items include tiraditos with yuzu kosho, miso-marinated fish, and inventive sushi rolls spiced up with Peruvian aji amarillo.”
🗞️ News to use
- 🍹 Calle Sol is celebrating its 5th anniversary from 2-8 p.m. today with off-menu bites, merch and more.
- 🍝 Spaghett’s second floor is now available to reserve for small gatherings.
Nat Geo named this Charlotte-area shop No. 1 ice cream on the planet
📱 Stay plugged in
Follow CharlotteFive across the web for daily updates on what’s opening, closing and worth eating: @cltfive on Instagram, @cltfive on Threads, @cltfive on TikTok and @charlottefive.com on Bluesky.
And if you want this kind of quick, curated Charlotte rundown in your inbox every weekday, sign up for the free CharlotteFive newsletter right here. It’s the fastest way to feel like a local - no endless scrolling required.
This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists. To learn more about how The Charlotte Observer is using AI in our newsroom, see our policy here.
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