A staple restaurant many of us know and love here in Charlotte–one known for its timeless approach and comforting yet elevated cuisine– is expanding for the first time in more than a decade. Plus, it’s getting a fresh look that brings the outdoors into the dining room. Welcome to the new Rooster’s CLT.
This fall marks the opening of the fourth Rooster’s in North Carolina. But this is the first new Rooster’s location in 12 years. The new Rooter’s CLT NC location in Ballantyne at The Bowl brings all the aspects of Rooster’s that have made it a beloved Charlotte institution. However, now there’s an updated aesthetic and ambiance. Throughout, you’ll notice modern design trends with lighter wood on the tables, chairs and bar, medium brown leather tones, and tall ceilings and large windows to allow natural light to stream in. The location also boasts a very large covered patio to enjoy the bustle of The Bowl location. But, more than that, there’s a unique emphasis on one of Chef Jim Noble’s most beloved pastimes: enjoying the Carolina outdoors.
Noble first opened the doors of Rooster’s Wood-Fired Kitchen in Winston-Salem in 1992 under the name Noble’s Grille. It has been a part of the fabric of the North Carolina Triad ever since. Rooster’s in SouthPark opened in 2006. It has since led the transformational shift in popularity from fine dining to upscale casual dining in Charlotte. Back in 2006, the Charlotte dining scene looked vastly different than it does today. In fact, Chef Jim Noble’s Rooster’s in many ways shaped a new wave of dining in the city. Rooster’s was refined but welcoming, Southern but internationally-inspired, and known for using regional ingredients. This is something that would later become something of a trend Noble helped inspire. Uptown would join a few years later, in 2012 inside One Bank of America Center.
An Iconic Charlotte Restaurant Finds a New Home
In Ballantyne, the timeless menu and culinary perspective remains the same, but the overall feel and design is fresh. While the menu changes seasonally, you can always expect to find locally and regionally sourced proteins, like chicken, short rub, and strip steak, as well as various sides like Margaux’s succotash (named for his daughter), Carolina gold rice, and butter beans.
In this new location, there’s also a unique emphasis on one of Chef Noble’s most beloved pastimes: enjoying the Carolina outdoors.
“This new location was an opportunity for us to delve a little deeper into what Rooster’s has evolved into and where we want it to be as a restaurant. For me, there are parallels between what we do in this restaurant and what we do on the river. They both take precision, care, and time. So we brought those two worlds together with our design. We incorporated photography of one of my favorite rivers, the Holston. And there’s an ombre mural by a North Carolina artist to mimic the variations of green you see in a river,” Noble explains. “We’ve [also] sourced all kinds of antique fly fishing equipment like rods and reels as decor. Of course, we still have some of our signature roosters.”
Creative partners at The Plaid Penguin lent their vision to this new brand turn for Rooster’s. They also helped with many of the interior design details, like the art, photography and antiques.
Since Noble first opened back in 1992, he’s launched many other concepts across N.C. and in Fort Mill, South Carolina. This includes Noble Smoke, Bossy Beulah’s, The Jimmy, Copain Bakery and Field Pea Catering. He says it’s a bit “full circle to expand Rooster’s once again. It felt like the right place and time to do it, and it’s been great to see it all come together.” Rooster’s Ballantyne is next door to Bossy Beulah’s, which opened in August.
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