The Open Kitchen

Location

Stephanie Kokenes is part of the fourth generation of her family to work in the restaurant business in Charlotte. Her father Alex manages the Open Kitchen. Her grandfather Steve and his brother opened the restaurant in 1951. And her great-grandfather Constantine ran the Star Lunch in downtown Charlotte beginning in the early 1900s. All that tradition comes together at Open Kitchen, which got its name because Steve Kokenes wanted his customers to feel free to look inside the kitchen to see how the food was being prepared.

That tradition still holds. The food is Italian homestyle, even though the Kokeneses originally came from Greece. Sue Brandon, who waited on our group, informed me that the lasagna is the most popular dish. But John Malatras, who worked with the family for many years, says that the pizza is still a big favorite. “They introduced pizza to Charlotte back in 1952. And people would come from all over just to try it out. It is still good,” he adds.

Hrs: Mon.- Fri, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sat., 4-11 p.m.; Sun., 4-10 p.m.