New Charlotte concept promises a ‘nomadic dining experience.’ What to know

A new dining concept is coming to Charlotte, but diners won’t find it at a traditional brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Twenty & Odd, created by Charlotte chef Oscar Johnson, describes itself as a “nomadic dining experience” that will bring food, stories and cultural experiences to different locations throughout the city.

Johnson is a familiar name in Charlotte’s culinary scene, having been named a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef: Southeast alongside Daryl Cooper for their work at Jimmy Pearls, which closed in March 2024, CharlotteFive reported.

Johnson and Cooper previously operated Jimmy Pearls at The Market at 7th Street, later taking the concept on the road with their food truck before continuing with pop-ups and other dining experiences around Charlotte.

Earlier this year, Johnson launched Biscuit Jam, a breakfast-leaning pop-up centered on scratch-made biscuits with a hip-hop theme, CharlotteFive reported.

Now, Twenty & Odd takes that spirit of mobility a step further. The concept was introduced Tuesday on Instagram, describing its approach as “food without a fixed address.”

The name Twenty & Odd is rooted in a significant moment in American history, according to the restaurant’s Instagram.

In 1619, the English ship White Lion arrived at Old Point Comfort in Virginia, carrying “20 and odd” Africans who had been forcibly taken from the Kingdom of Ndongo in Central Africa and sold into colonial Virginia, the post reads.

Their arrival is among the earliest documented beginnings of the presence of enslaved Africans in the English colonies that would become the United States.

For Twenty & Odd, the name is meant to acknowledge that history while also celebrating the resilience, creativity, culture and community that grew from it.

The “odd” in the name also reflects the concept’s offbeat approach to dining.

“We’re unconventional. Unexpected. A little different,” the Instagram post reads.

The website linked to Twenty & Odd’s Instagram account currently lists two menu items: an $18 fried fish plate with fried whiting, potato salad and a yeast roll, along with $5 sorrel lemonade, a tart, sweet and spiced drink made with hibiscus that’s popular throughout the Caribbean.

Additional details have not yet been announced.

Location: Mobile

Cuisine: Virginia-inspired seafood

Instagram: @twentyandoddclt

This story was originally published August 18, 2026 at 1:34 PM with the headline “New Charlotte concept promises a ‘nomadic dining experience.’ What to know.”