A Tex-Mex closure, a new upscale restaurant and Charlotte’s best Greek food
Hey, Charlotte. If your bookmarks are mostly restaurant openings, closings and “where should we eat this weekend?” texts, today’s CharlotteFive newsletter is going to feel like it was written for you. From a Michelin Bib Gourmand chef setting up shop in South End to a Tex-Mex staple turning off the fajita skillets for good, here’s a quick rundown of what the C5 team is covering — with links so you can dig into the full stories.
Read more A daughter of Tiawana Brown pleads guilty to conspiracy in COVID fraud scheme
CharlotteFive’s Amari has a trio of stories worth reading before June 19. The first traces why Charlotte celebrates Juneteenth and how the tradition took root here. The holiday marks June 19, 1865, when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free — more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Opal Lee, the “Grandmother of Juneteenth,” pushed for years to get the day recognized nationally, which happened when President Joe Biden signed the federal bill in June 2021. Charlotte, though, has been celebrating since 1977, when the Charlotte Equal Rights Congress hosted the first documented event.
🎶 Need plans? Amari also rounded up Juneteenth events across the Charlotte region for 2026, packed with festivals, parades, vendors and educational programming.
And if you’re south of the border, she covered York County’s weekend-long celebration in The Herald, which kicks off Friday, June 19 at Fountain Park in Rock Hill, continues with Freedom Fest on Saturday, June 20, and wraps Sunday at Mount Prospect Baptist Church. The City of York also hosts its annual celebration Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. downtown.
📰 Check the full guides for the schedule.
“Jersey Shore” alum Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino is headed to the Charlotte area July 24, but he’s not filming. As Evan reports, Sorrentino will appear at the grand opening of Archangel Centers, the addiction-recovery organization he founded, at 11:11 a.m.
Sorrentino, who celebrated 10 years of sobriety in December, has spoken openly about his dependence on prescription painkillers and cocaine — an estimated $500,000 worth of oxycodone and cocaine before he entered treatment. “Sobriety gave me my life back,” he wrote on Instagram. “It gave me clarity, purpose, faith, family, and a mission bigger than myself.” The Matthews opening marks Archangel’s expansion into North Carolina.
📍 3326 Siskey Pkwy 300, Matthews, NC 28105
Sad news for fajita devotees. After more than 40 years, On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina is closing all of its company-owned restaurants — including the Concord Mills Boulevard location, which served its last meals Friday, June 12, Tanasia reports in this story on the chain’s latest closures.
🫔 The Dallas-based chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last March and had already shuttered 40 “non-performing” stores before this round. “This decision follows a thorough evaluation of the business and was not made lightly,” an On The Border spokesperson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Franchise locations in California, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota and South Korea will stay open. The Northlake Commons Boulevard spot was listed as permanently closed, and the Providence Road location in south Charlotte closed years ago.
Read more When will the Stanley Cup come to Raleigh? How can you see it?
📍 8001 Concord Mills Boulevard, Concord, NC 28027
CharlotteFive’s Readers’ Choice Best Greek Food poll has narrowed the field to 5, reports Heidi, and now it’s time to pick the Top 2. The contest is limited to restaurants with a Charlotte-area location and fewer than 20 locations nationwide (sorry, Showmars and Taziki’s, but we love you too).
🥙 Hummus, gyros, kebobs — go cast your vote, and feel free to refresh and vote again.
📰 The full ballot is on CharlotteFive.
Big one for Charlotte foodies. Zamindar’s Club House has officially opened in the former Link & Pin space on New Bern Street, Tanasia reports. The 7,500-square-foot space includes a 65-seat dining room and a cocktail lounge called Regiment One55, inspired by British colonial-era social clubs. A 30-seat patio adds outdoor space.
🍛 Owner David Pandoria pivoted from corporate life after a 2023 cancer diagnosis and has been planning this concept for a decade. Michelin Bib Gourmand Chef Vamshi Adi — who opened Gazab near New York City’s East Village in 2021, followed by Ishq in 2024 — leads the kitchen. Soft opening began Saturday, June 6; the official grand opening is the weekend of June 27, with reservations opening a week in advance.
📍 155 New Bern St, Charlotte, NC 28203
The tournament runs through July 19, and the city is ready. Evan — with reporting contributed by Heidi — pulled together his 10 favorite spots to watch matches in Charlotte. A few highlights:
📰 The full guide has addresses and what each spot is offering.
This is the kind of Charlotte news, food intel and weekend planning the CharlotteFive team delivers daily. Sign up for the free CharlotteFive newsletter here — and keep up with the team on Instagram, TikTok and at charlottefive.com.
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.
Read more Krispy Kreme debuts 2 new limited-time doughnuts. When can you get them?
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM.
