A new regional Mexican restaurant is set to open at The RailYard in South End early in September, bringing the flavors of Jalisco and Oaxaca to a Charlotte dining scene that already leans heavily on the cuisine. Raíces will take over Suite 140 at 1422 S. Tryon St., the space last occupied by fast-casual chicken spot Summerbird before it closed in April 2024, and its kitchen will be led by a chef with a Michelin-starred resume.
Raíces is the sixth concept from husband-and-wife restaurateurs Alfonso Bravo and Amalia Macias, who have spent more than 15 years in hospitality and already own five restaurants across South Carolina, according to The Charlotte Observer. Their South Carolina portfolio includes Salud Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Lounge in Camden, Coa Agaveria Y Cocina in Columbia's Vista district, and Masa Mexican Street Food locations in both cities, according to Who's On The Move. Raíces marks the pair's first concept in Charlotte.
“Raíces aims to welcome guests and showcase Mexico's diversity through food and drinks,” Macias said, per the Observer's reporting. She added that the restaurant shares Mexican cooking connected to place, family and tradition.
A Michelin-Starred Chef Takes the Kitchen
Executive chef TJ Steele, who will lead the Raíces kitchen, previously worked at Claro in Brooklyn, a Michelin-starred restaurant built around Oaxacan cuisine. Steele became Union Square Cafe's youngest executive sous chef at age 25 in 2005 before founding El Búho Mezcal in 2010 and eventually opening Claro in 2017, according to a StarChefs profile. Claro held a Michelin star for five consecutive years, from 2019 through 2023, per its Wikipedia entry. Steele lives part-time in Oaxaca, the Observer reports.
The Raíces menu will highlight handmade tortillas, seafood, moles, open-fire cooking and seasonal ingredients. Dishes will include carnitas de pancita, queso fundido with roasted poblano and wild mushrooms, guacamole tatemado with charred avocado and salsa macha, carne en su jugo, roasted bone marrow with mole negro, scallop ceviche and a Carolina shrimp and melon aguachile. Larger plates will feature Oaxacan-spiced pollo a la brasas, barbacoa de borrego, whole fish with mole verde, and a bone-in ribeye with mole negro, while sides include grilled elote, Mexican-style collard greens, roasted sweet potatoes and frijoles charros.
Farm-Sourced Ingredients Meet Imported Traditions
Alongside imported staples like heirloom corn from Mexico, Raíces plans to source seasonal produce and meats from local family farms across the Carolinas, according to K104.7. That blend of imported tradition and regional sourcing is meant to complement the restaurant's focus on Jalisco and Oaxaca cooking styles.
The bar program leans into the same regional inspiration. Cocktails developed with mixologist Edson Sanchez of Arca Tulum will incorporate tequila, mezcal and sotol, drawing on the craft cocktail scenes of Mexico City, per the same K104.7 report. Flavor components include coconut, lemongrass, cucumber, hibiscus, piloncillo, cacao and seasonal fruit, and the bar will also offer alcohol-free cocktails alongside its agave-forward lineup.
Opening Timeline and RailYard Neighbors
Raíces plans to open in early September, initially serving dinner Monday through Saturday before adding lunch service later in the fall, the Observer reports. The exact opening date is expected to be announced within two weeks. Ahead of the launch, the restaurant has set up its digital presence at raicesclt.com and on Instagram at @raicesclt.
The restaurant sits within The RailYard, a 300,000-square-foot mixed-use development from Beacon Partners that includes a 10,000-square-foot outdoor courtyard and sits one block from the LYNX Blue Line's Bland Street Station, according to property listing details on LoopNet. It will operate alongside established RailYard dining anchors STIR and North Italia, placing Raíces in one of South End's busiest restaurant corridors.
The opening also fits a broader pattern this summer of out-of-market hospitality brands choosing South End for their North Carolina debuts, following Hamptons-based restaurant flora, which opened at Atherton Mill in July, according to a report from Jonathan Winn. For Bravo and Macias, the Charlotte expansion represents a new chapter after building their reputation across South Carolina's Mexican dining scene, and for South End, it adds another regional heavyweight to an already crowded and competitive stretch of South Tryon Street.
