Scratch kitchen concept plots new restaurant in Cotswold, marking NC debut
A scratch kitchen concept born in the Midwest is poised to plant roots in Charlotte.
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Kitchen Social will set up shop at the Cotswold Village Shopping Center with a target opening of January 2027, co-founder Brian O’Malley told CharlotteFive.
It will mark the chain’s first North Carolina restaurant.
“It’s Indian, it’s Asian, it’s Mexican, it’s Italian, it’s seafood and steak,” O’Malley said of the diverse menu, adding that everything is made in-house. “We think we offer something a little bit more unique — not just because of the quality of the food, but also the experience.”
Thrift Commercial Real Estate Services confirmed Kitchen Social’s plans to settle in Charlotte after the restaurant signed a lease for a 4,157 square-foot-space at 104 S. Sharon Amity Road back in March, Charlotte Business Journal first reported. Thrift CES represented the landlord in the deal.
“Offering great food, craft cocktails, and a lively atmosphere, (Kitchen Social) will be a strong addition to the area’s dining scene,” the commercial real estate firm wrote at the time.
Cotswold Village is already home to a mix of restaurants and retailers, including Smashburger, Harris Teeter, Ulta Beauty and the ultra-popular Crumbl cookies.
Club West Brewing, formerly Sycamore Brewing, was also on track to open a “family-friendly” taproom and beer garden at the busy shopping center, CharlotteFive previously reported. That’s before rape and assault charges against the company’s co-founder derailed those plans.
Kitchen Social officially launched in 2019 under O’Malley and partners Phil Yandolino, Brian Harvey and Justin Stratford. Today, the Ohio-based brand operates five restaurants in the Buckeye State and recently opened its first out-of-state restaurant in Sarasota, Florida.
O’Malley pointed to Charlotte’s white-collar, family-oriented environment as factors that made it the ideal spot for the chain’s newest restaurant.
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The Queen City “is a market where I feel that guests are going to react very similarly to how they do in the Midwest, and so it was a safe step for us,” he told CharlotteFive.
The restaurant is also preparing to open a location in Gaithersburg, Maryland, next month.
Described as a cocktail-forward scratch kitchen, the Kitchen Social menu runs the gamut from classic brunch offerings to burgers, sandwiches, pizza and a few family-style meal options. There are a few vegetarian options, too.
Featured entrées include:
“We’ve got a bit of an Asian flair to some of the things that we do,” O’Malley said. “The Szechuan noodles and Thai chicken bowl are two of my favorites.”
The blackened shrimp capellini, eggplant meatballs and whipped feta are also crowd favorites, according to the Yelp page for the restaurant’s Dublin, Ohio, location.
Looking ahead, O’Malley said he sees room for growth in the Charlotte metro — enough for possibly two or three more Kitchen Social restaurants. The company is considering the Birkdale Village and Ballantyne areas as potential spots.
“North Carolina I think is a great state … for us, but I think we could do three restaurants in Charlotte easily.”
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Location: 104 S Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Cuisine: Global bites, craft cocktails
Instagram: @ks.kitchensocial
