What’s happening in Charlotte food? A new LoSo restaurant + more chicken fingers
The visionaries behind Michelin-recognized restaurant teams in Charlotte and Miami are teaming up in LoSo, a beloved chicken finger chain just opened nearby, and CharlotteFive readers are now voting to name the area’s 10 best bakeries.
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If you missed today’s CharlotteFive newsletter, here’s the latest on the Queen City food scene. 🍽️
Charlotte’s dining scene keeps pulling in serious talent, and the latest collab is a big one.
Chef Andres Kaifer — co-owner of Michelin-recognized Customshop and Emmy Lou’s — is teaming up with Miami chef Michael Beltran to open Roe & Olivia’s in late 2026. Beltran runs Michelin-starred Ariete and Michelin Bib Gourmand Chug’s Diner in Miami, and he’s a 2026 James Beard semifinalist. 🌟
The two both grew up in Miami, became friends and have been circling the idea of a joint project for years. A year ago, Customshop and Ariete threw a one-night, six-course dinner featuring both chefs. And here’s the kicker — their daughters, Roe and Olivia, were born about six hours apart. Kaifer’s wife, Cristina, gave birth to Olivia the morning after her due date, while Beltran’s wife, Rachel, gave birth to Roe seven days late. The restaurant name basically wrote itself. 👶👶
“The goal is to become a part of that community, and hopefully bring a restaurant that can be a pillar of that neighborhood for years to come,” Kaifer said.📍 3531 Dewitt Lane, Charlotte, NC 28217
👉 Heidi’s story has the details.
If you’ve ever argued with friends about who makes the best chicken fingers, here’s fresh material. Guthrie’s — the Alabama-based chain that basically invented the chicken-finger-only restaurant back in 1965 — opened a new location last week in Indian Land. 📍 8462 Charlotte Hwy, Indian Land, SC 29707
It’s the chain’s second Charlotte-area spot. The other is in Monroe. Guthrie’s also has locations in Raleigh, Hickory and Jacksonville (that one opened in late May). 🍗
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“Whether a customer grew up eating Guthrie’s every Friday night or it’s their first time trying our golden-fried chicken fingers, we hope that they are just as excited as we are for Guthrie’s to expand further into the Carolinas,” Tom Carr, president and CEO of Guthrie’s Franchising, said in a news release.
👉 Tanasia’s story tells you more.
Charlotte has no shortage of talented bakers turning out croissants, muffins, cookies and cakes. But which spot deserves the crown? 👑
The latest CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice poll has narrowed the field to the Top 20, and voting is underway to find the Top 10.
Voting isn’t a scientific survey — it’s meant to be fun and show off what local businesses have to offer. You can refresh the page and vote again, so rally your team Slack if you want. 🗳️
👉 Cast your vote with Heidi’s bakery.
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Keep up with what’s new, what’s opening and what to eat: @cltfive on Instagram, @cltfive on Threads, @cltfive on TikTok and @charlottefive.com on Bluesky. 💙
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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This story was originally published August 19, 2026 at 2:45 PM.
