🥤 ☀️ Healthy Shakes and Teas Served with a Side of Sunshine

CBC’s Anniversary Celebration on March 17^th at 4pm Welcomes the Return of Food Truck Friday, Live Music from Unknown Artist, and a New Beer Release!

Cabarrus Brewing Company (CBC) is Cabarrus County’s largest full-scale craft brewery, and it was also one of the first, opening in March 2016. However, it is their commitment to the community, and the community’s commitment to them that has them still raising a glass 7 years later.

Scratch Made Hospitality has opened three new food concepts at Gibson Mill Market in the last few months, but they have been creating great food from scratch since right before COVID started. But even a pandemic couldn’t slow these motivated chefs down!

👨‍🍳 When they say, scratch-made, they mean it! From the ice cream at Churn Buddies to the noodles and sauces at Kuni’s Kitchen, owner Ryan Bybee and his business partner David Herzing say, “We believe where our food comes from matters most!”

You are probably reading this article from 1 of 2 perspectives…. “OMG! I’m obsessed with Boba tea and can’t wait to try out BOTH B&K Tea Cafe locations” OR “What in the world is Boba tea????”

Boba tea is a tea-based drink with chewy tapioca balls that originated in Taiwan in the early 1980s and has become increasingly popular over the past few years, with bubble tea chains popping up all over, including in Cabarrus County.

Cara’s Cookie Company owners Jennifer and Tom Hamilton didn’t start out as bakers, but their popular store is serving up delicious baked goods while also supporting their charity, Cara’s Purpose.

• Located in the bustling Gibson Mill Market food hall, Cara’s HUGE cookies are putting smiles on their customers’ faces, especially their best-selling chocolate chip and their toffee coffee cookie, which is a partnership with their neighbor at the market, Defined Coffee.

It’s a rainy Sunday morning and the Vortex Bottle Shop is filled with families, couples and individuals seated at the bar and the high-top tables spread throughout the restaurant, everyone enjoying Sunday Brunch from the scratch kitchen and drinks from the bar.

Owner Matt Widerman, a resident of Harrisburg, opened Vortex Bottle Shop almost 5 years ago. The shop is a combination of the food, music, beer, and wine that represent Matt’s personal vibe.

It’s noon on Saturday and the newly opened Hawthorne’s has people seated at every booth and table. The family-friendly pizzeria gives off uptown chic vibes with gold chandeliers and marble bar countertops. This is the 9th Hawthorne’s location for owners, John and Michael Adams and their partner Carlo Martinez. Michael sits and talks with us for a while, and you can’t help but get caught up in his excitement as he shares with us about this latest venture.

Christmas is over and the race to ring in the new year is upon us! Stay close to home with these local celebrations and make the commute easier on a night when careful travel matters. Secure your DD or make other arrangements to get home after saying farewell to 2022!

The beauty of March in Cabarrus County is having your social media feed loaded with pictures of juicy, delicious burgers and rave reviews.

Voting is Open for Cabarrus Burger Madness 2023, and we can see that our community is out taking them all in! We’ve seen posts from die hard burger fanatics like Garrett Price and social media influencers like the Downtown Dirty. Our own Abby Cagle even shared a video of how easily she got from the parking deck to 2 Gals doorstep and how she and her family scored their burger!

We RARELY encourage our readers to watch a video before reading our wonderful words about a local establishment but consider this virtual tour our way of “setting the table” for this feature. Just be sure to come back to read the rest of the article… 😊

Located in the restored historic Lentz building in the quaint town of Mount Pleasant, Café Lentz greets customers with a warm and inviting atmosphere whether dining inside on the comfy furniture or outside on their double-decker patio.

Old Armor Beer Company will be celebrating its 3rd anniversary and encourages you to “Come Grab a Pint of Freedom!”

Old Armor Beer Company is owned and operated by combat veterans Stefan Perrine and Kyle Lingafelt who met when they were studying for their MBAs at the University of Southern California.

• As a project for school, they had to create a business model for a fictional company, and they decided on a brewery. During the project, several of their professors helped them refine the plan, and it eventually became the basis for their popular brewery in downtown Kannapolis.

From a bottle shop, to the quirky but home-like bar they are today.

“If you lived here, you’d be home” has been the slogan at Lil’ Robert’s Place (LRP) for the past 13 years. There’s an eclectic vibe at LRP, from funky couches and chairs to an airplane hanging from the ceiling…there is a lot to take in, but it’s also easy to fit in. When Cabarrus Weekly contributor Jamie visited, there was a group of regulars hanging out at the bar and several people watching the keno numbers as they appeared on the television screen.

Overlooking the historic 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway and all that goes on in the bustling infield throughout the year, The Speedway Club might be Cabarrus County’s best-kept dining secret. With upscale seasonal menus, themed cocktails, and unparalleled views, The Speedway Club is open to the public and offers a world-class dining experience for lunch and dinner.

The West Ave District in Kannapolis has gained a hot new tenant in Cabarrus County’s ONLY Irish Pub, Gaelic Alley. They opened their doors in December just in time for Panthers games, the World Cup, and a New Year’s Eve bash. They are getting rave reviews from patrons already.

“I hate when I go to the kitchen looking for food, and all I find are ingredients.” If this sounds like you, you’re in luck!

The latest Clean Eatz franchise recently opened in the shopping center across from Concord Mills Mall where you find Viva Chicken and Jason’s Deli, thanks to local owners Sarah and Jason Conrad.

🥑 🍽️ 🐔 Clean Eatz is a healthy food restaurant that offers a variety of delicious and affordable options for their customers, and what better timing as we kick off National Nutrition Month!

Cabarrus Burger Madness is back for its third year and your local restaurants have turned up the heat on their unique culinary creations once again.

How does it work? Diners are invited to sample limited-time burgers from 15 participating local restaurants and vote on the ExploreCabarrus website for their favorites. Voting will be open March 1–31, 2023, with a winner announced on Tuesday, April 4th.

Cabarrus Weekly is continuing its celebration of Black History Month by spotlighting another up and coming business here in our community and just in time for National Wine Day on February 18th!

Genia Vanterpool and Deidra-Ann Varlack, natives of the U.S. Virgin Islands, launched U.S.V.I. Wine Company on International Women’s Day in 2021.

• Inspired by their homeland, and love of wine, founders, Genia (born in St. Thomas) and Deidra-Ann (born in St. John) met as Girl Scouts at the age of 9.

Cabarrus Weekly is giving you a peek inside this members-only social club that is actually affordable and packed with options.

Exclusive, private clubs are making a comeback and you don’t have to leave Cabarrus County to find one of the coolest and most unique. Located in the center of downtown Kannapolis, The Blind Fox has come to life in the former 1930s fallout shelter of Mr. Cannon.

Southern Grace Distilleries is America’s only distillery that’s housed in a former prison. The compound originally opened in 1929 as Mount Pleasant Prison, where it remained in operation until it was shut down in 2011.

Feast with friends and enjoy delicious 3-course deals during Queen’s Feast (#queensfeast) at 88 metro-area restaurants, January 20-29, 2023. While this is a great opportunity to visit our neighboring counties for some excellent food, we want to highlight the three Cabarrus County restaurants participating in this upcoming event with price points to fit every budget and three different cuisines.