Charlotte restaurant closures spark economic debate

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A string of restaurant closures across Charlotte — particularly in Uptown — has raised concerns about the city’s economic health, but some say the trend may not be as alarming as it appears.

In recent weeks, businesses including Bella Ciao and Essex Bar and Grill in Uptown, Mattie’s Diner in the Plaza, and Resident Culture in South End have all announced plans to shut their doors.

“It’s definitely sad. You always want the consumer to have options,” Tom Owen, who works in Uptown, said.

Each restaurant cited different reasons. Mattie’s Diner pointed to rising labor and food costs, while Bella Ciao’s owner attributed the closure to “economic conditions in Uptown.”

Bella Ciao’s owner explained to WCNC Charlotte via text that customer traffic had dropped significantly, blaming the lingering impact of remote work and a city decision to eliminate free sidewalk parking after 6 p.m. and on weekends.

Despite visible foot traffic in Uptown, some business owners say it’s no longer enough to sustain operations.

“One thing that is very important to understand, the food and beverage sector is a really highly competitive market, and we see the recent closings as a piece of a natural churn as well as tough economic factors,” James LaBar, senior vice president of economic development at Charlotte Center City Partners, said. “So that natural churn, only 50% of restaurants are still around after five years.”

According to LaBar, Uptown and South End have seen a combined 35 new businesses open or be announced in 2025 alone — evenly split between the two areas. That follows 59 new small business openings in 2024.

While the challenges are real, LaBar said, so is the momentum.

Contact Walker Lawson at wlawson@wcnc.com or follow him on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

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