Crescent Communities Announces Opening Date, Additional Vendors at Monarch Market

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Oct. 19, 2023) - Monarch Market is pleased to announce it will open on Nov. 2, 2023 with nine food stalls, one full-service sushi restaurant, and three bars in the heart of Uptown Charlotte. Monarch Market is a collective of local and national food & beverage brands, both new and established, located at 101 North Tryon St. on the ground floor of One Independence Center.

“We cannot wait to debut the unique culinary experience that is Monarch Market,” says chef Akhtar Nawab, co-founder of Hospitality HQ, the operating partner of Monarch Market. “With a diverse set of food & beverage offerings located in the center of everything Uptown has to offer for locals, tourists, business travelers, and offices, we look forward to expanding guests’ overall Uptown experience and their palates.”

In addition to five previously announced food stalls, Barley & Burger, Curry Junction, Kabab2Go, Rolled AF, and Seoul Good, four new vendors will join the culinary collective.

The new food stalls include:

• Brooklyn Dumpling Shop, offering traditional dumplings and specialty varieties that are classic diner stapes and sandwiches such as Philly Cheesesteak and Chicken Parmesan–in dumpling form
• Dock Local, serving fresh seafood in rolls, sandwiches, tacos, salads and creative sides
• Focaccina, a collaboration between seasoned chefs Albano Barjami and Manuel Scenna dedicated to the art of crafting exquisite focaccia bread for more than a dozen sandwich options, plus delicious Italian desserts
• Pha Khao Lao Cuisine, a quick service concept from the owners of Sosu that pays homage to the owner’s heritage with Laotian cuisine, such as grilled and fried meats, sticky rice, lettuce wraps, desserts, and milk tea.

Sushi Art will open in the full-service restaurant space, which has seating for 45 guests at a bar and tables in a dedicated space with accessibility from both the interior of Monarch Market and Tryon Street. Sushi Art will bring vibrant and exquisite flavors celebrating the essence of Japanese culture through food. A diverse menu boasts made-to-order rolls, customizable poke bowls, and the artistry of sushi crafting.

“We are thrilled with the collective experience we are creating through the individual vendors joining Monarch Market,” says Alex Hondros, Director of Asset Management and Acquisitions at Crescent Communities. “These are top notch operators offering unique menus and high quality hospitality. Uptown Charlotte will delight in exploring and tasting their way through Monarch Market.”

Finally, Monarch Market is pleased to share new details for two of the on-site bars.

• Lanai Terrace Bar will offer a coastal-inspired retreat from the hustle and bustle of Uptown, serving refreshing drinks in an open-air setting styled with oceanic hues and lush, hanging plants. Highlights of the menu include: Chichitini with pineapple-washed vodka, Bittermen’s Tepache spiced pineapple liqueur, and acidified coconut water, Pineau Colada with cognac, Pineau des Charantes, pineapple & lemon, cream of coconut, and nutmeg, and Mai Tai with rum, pecan orgeat, cointreau, lime, and mint. Lanai will seat just over 70 guests on its 1,800 square foot patio. For more information, visit lanaiclt.com.
• Aster Cocktail Room, located on a mezzanine above the main food hall featuring murals by local artist Rosalia Torres-Weiner, is an intimate lounge dedicated to the art of the cocktail. The menu includes the Three Martini Lunch, a flight of martinis made with vodka and gin, Blue Suede Cobbler with sherry, amaro, blueberry compote, citrus, and mint, and Rye & Chai with rye whiskey, blood orange, red wine, and chai spices. Aster will seat 45 guests in its indoor bar and on the outdoor patio overlooking Tryon St. Aster will be available for private event rentals. For more information, visit asterclt.com.

Monarch Market will be open daily, 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To stay current on future Monarch Market announcements, visit www.monarchmarketclt.com and follow @monarchmarketcharlotte on Instagram.

Collaborators for Monarch Market include Hospitality HQ (operator), Eimer Design (architect and interiors), JE Dunn (general contractor), Cushman & Wakefield (consulting services), Nuveen Real Estate (equity), PNC Bank, U.S. Bank and First National Bank of Pennsylvania (financing).

About Crescent Communities
Crescent Communities is a nationally recognized, market-leading real estate investor, developer, and operator of mixed-use “communities”. We create high-quality, differentiated multifamily and commercial communities in many of the fastest growing markets in the United States. Since 1963, our development portfolio has included more than 85 multifamily communities and 24 million square feet of commercial space. Crescent Communities has offices in Charlotte, DC, Atlanta, Orlando, Nashville, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. Our multifamily communities are branded NOVEL, RENDER and HARMON by Crescent Communities, our industrial developments are branded AXIAL by Crescent Communities,
and our life science developments are branded THE YIELD by Crescent Communities.

About Hospitality HQ
Hospitality HQ (HHQ) is a creative consulting and management group offering bespoke solutions for culinary-driven concepts across the United States. Helmed by award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV personality and cookbook author Akhtar Nawab, HHQ’s dynamic and comprehensive team prioritizes high quality service at all levels, producing systems for food and beverage concepts which consistently optimize guest experience. HHQ is currently the fastest-growing food hall management company in the country, with critically acclaimed restaurant and communal dining projects in more than 15 states.