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Restaurant Bites: The Cheesecake Factory to open, SouthPark spots closing

By WSOCTV.com News Staff

Cheesecake Factory: Huntersville, Source: MELISSA KEY/CBJ The Cheesecake Factory is opening its Huntersville restaurant at Birkdale Village on Aug. 15 — its second location in the Charlotte market. It will occupy about 9,500 square feet, with indoor and outdoor seating, at 8701 Townley Road in a space that was formerly home to Gap. The Cheesecake Factory is known for its extensive menu, with more than 250 dishes freshly prepared and made from scratch daily. The dessert menu features 30-plus cheesecake options with flavors such as salted caramel, red velvet cake or white chocolate raspberry. There’s also carrot cake, tiramisu and a Chocolate Tower Truffle Cake.

By WSOCTV.com News Staff

CHARLOTTE — Expansion was on the menu for several Charlotte food and craft-beer operators in July.

The People’s Market, for starters, is teeing up its second location in Charlotte about a year after making a revival in the Elizabeth neighborhood. The locally based all-day market, which also serves food and cocktails, announced late last month that it is taking 5,000 square feet at The Station at LoSo development near the light rail’s Scaleybark Station. It plans to open there next spring.

READ MORE: Cook Out’s spinoff taco restaurant headed to Charlotte, permit shows

In Uptown, well-known Italian restaurant Portofino’s is opening an express version on the ground floor of One Independence Center, at the intersection of Trade and Tryon streets. That 2,500-square-foot location will mark the fifth for the brand. Charlotte brewery Resident Culture is also putting its next location in uptown, at The Market at 7th Street. It plans to open that 300-square-foot bar — its third location in Charlotte — this month.

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True Food Kitchen: South End, Source: True Food Kitchen The Phoenix-based wellness-driven restaurant company will occupy 6,000 square feet on the ground level at Linea, a 24-story tower at 2161 Hawkins St. It will dish up a chef-crafted menu, with dishes and drinks that look to defy expectations of what healthy food tastes like — and how good those foods can make a diner feel. True Food has gained momentum since being founded by Dr. Andrew Weil in 2008. Weil, an integrative medicine specialist, created the anti-inflammatory food pyramid and anti-inflammatory diet, which is proven to help prevent cancer and other diseases. Signature items include the Ancient Grains Bowl and Tuscan Kale Salad, but the menu has evolved to include burgers, pizzas, desserts and cocktails. True Food expects to open in late spring 2025.

While on the topic of craft beer, Royal Bliss — which became Lincoln County’s first brewery in 2020 upon opening in Denver — is planning to expand its Lake Norman-area presence with a new location in Cornelius.

In a different part of the Charlotte area, local chef Jim Noble just opened his fourth location of Bossy Beulah’s Chicken Shack in Fort Mill. That’s as local franchisees brought the region’s third Slim Chickens to Indian Trail.

Though not locally based, The Cheesecake Factory is set to open its second Charlotte-area restaurant this month at Birkdale Village in Huntersville.

READ MORE: Popular Dilworth restaurant temporarily closes for upgrades

There are also new-to-market additions in Charlotte. One such concept, Puerta, will be opening later this month, paying homage to Mexican food and spirits in Elizabeth.

Charlotte wasn’t without its restaurant closures in July either. Bonterra closed in SouthPark late last month, ending its 24-year run in Charlotte. And Dogwood Southern Table & Bar, also in SouthPark, will close in August, with celebrity chef David Burke buying its lease and assets to open a new concept there.

For a closer look at these projects and more, check out CBJ’s latest installment of Restaurant Bites here.

(WATCH: Food truck brings Japanese comfort food to Charlotte)

Food truck brings Japanese comfort food to Charlotte

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