The light rail rushes to a squeaking stop at the New Bern Station in Charlotte’s South End, and as the doors whoosh open, an after-work crowd flows out, briefcases in hand. Just as quickly, many of them flow into the enormous brick building a few steps away. This is no typical happy hour: The 1950s-era former warehouse is home to a chic restaurant, café, brewery, and cocktail bar — all under the same (very high) roof.
In Suffolk County, England, where cofounder Dan Hyde’s family is from, a “Suffolk punch” is an energetic workhorse. That English influence translates from the name to the busy, pub-like community atmosphere — but not to the space itself. Instead of dim and intimate, it’s airy, with cement floors and a jungle of plants hanging from metal beams. Patrons belly up to a 50-tap bar, which wraps seamlessly around a corner into an espresso bar. Booths are packed with patrons ordering the Suffolk Punch Burger, made with Ashe County hoop Cheddar, fried onions, house-made pickles, and roasted tomato aioli on sourdough brioche. On weekends, the patio becomes a brunch wonderland, full of dogs and babies. It’s just what Hyde and cofounder Collin Ricks envisioned: Forget the food trucks and bar snacks — why shouldn’t you enjoy gourmet food with your brew? Why wouldn’t craft cocktails and craft coffee pair perfectly? What they created is a one-stop shop with all the bells and whistles.
The Suffolk Punch
2911 Griffith Street
Charlotte, NC 28203
(704) 319-8650
thesuffolkpunch.com
To commemorate our 90th anniversary, we’ve compiled a time line that highlights the stories, contributors, and themes that have shaped this magazine — and your view of the Old North State — using nine decades of our own words.
From its northernmost point in Corolla to its southern terminus on Cedar Island, this scenic byway — bound between sound and sea — links the islands and communities of the Outer Banks.
Us? An icon? Well, after 90 years and more than 2,000 issues celebrating North Carolina from mountains to coast, we hope you’ll agree that we’ve earned the title.
After nearly a century — or just a couple of years — these seafood restaurants have become coastal icons, the places we know, love, and return to again and again.
