INNINGS

Picture yourself in mid-20th century Charlotte, say, about 1955. You're tooling about town in your dad's DeSoto, listening to a song by a wild new singer known as Elvis Presley on AM radio station WBT. You're a teenager -- it's a given you don't have much money -- so where are you gonna take your date this weekend? Chances are you'll end up at a soda shop or diner, or maybe even one of those new drive-ins like South 21 over on South Boulevard. That'll be handy -- "cause then you and your favorite gal can head across the street to the Queen Park Drive-In and catch the new James Dean flick.

Some may think this sounds like the good ol' days, while others might say it's more like nostalgia for geezers. Either way, much has changed in Charlotte since that time. The city's population has quadrupled, almost all of the drive-in theaters are gone, and rarely, if ever, do you see a DeSoto.

It's an amazing story, then, that amid all the rapid changes, there are some things -- specifically, classic Charlotte restaurants -- that have stood the test of time. You can still get a good burger at South 21, or a delicious barbecue plate on the west side at Barbecue King. In fact, many of the mom & pop eating establishments that flourished in this city during the post-war boom continue to thrive, as if oblivious to the plethora of more recent nouveau dining opportunities.

According to Heather Wright, Communications Coordinator at Visit Charlotte, the city now boasts more than 1200 restaurants and, these days, a much more sophisticated palate. "There are some really great fine dining experiences to be had here," she explains.

Locals and out-of-towners alike flock to upscale eateries like Capital Grille, Sonoma, Zebra, and Bistro 100. Stylish places like these offer a taste of fine, subtle and new cuisine, served along with imported wines in elegant surroundings. So how have the meat-and-threes, the home-cooking joints that survived decades of change, carried on in the face of the new competition? The simple fact is that many Charlotteans continue to have an unbridled taste for down-home cooking --- right alongside their desire for glamour and haute cuisine.

"It's true," Wright says. "When people talk about food in this city, they always seem to be interested in stuff like barbecue."

Creative Loafing's food critic Tricia Childress concurs with Wright. "Charlotte is able to support these different types of venues because of our diversity," she explains. "Some folks want fried catfish with sweet tea at a fish camp, while others prefer dining on grilled sea bass and sipping a glass of chardonnay.

"The mom and pop recipe has been successful," she continues, "because they're as much a part of our culinary landscape as the corner deli is in the Northeast -- not to mention they produce good food at a reasonable price."

According to restaurant owner and operator Gary Anderson of Anderson's Restaurant near downtown, the diner-theory continues to work in Charlotte for a variety of reasons.

"There is a lot of new competition out there that we can't begin to keep up with," he says with a chuckle. "We can't compete with what they offer their employees, with their buying capabilities or their advertising dollars. We're a much smaller kind of business, but I actually think that works in our favor. It makes us a more personal experience."

Anderson confirms that both young and old alike continue to frequent his and other similar style Charlotte restaurants for the personal service they can't find anywhere else -- as well as for the sense of retro style apparent in both the history and decor.

"The older clientele appreciates our style because it's what they're used to. The younger generation has proven that they appreciate Charlotte's history with what they've accomplished in areas like Fourth Ward and the North Davidson district. I think our food, of course, is our main appeal, but that sense of history is one of the things that attracts younger people, too."

Indeed. It's not just the food that's rich here -- the history behind the city's restaurant scene is equally rich. Eight of the 10 establishments profiled in this story have deep roots in the city's Greek community. According to Anderson, that's no coincidence, either.

"A lot of immigrants came here and didn't know the language, so working in a restaurant, in the kitchen, was all they could do. After a while, they learned the business themselves and started their own restaurants."

It's no secret that the Greek community dominated the city's restaurant industry throughout much of the 20th century. That's not the case anymore -- at least not outside of the meat-and-three scene.

"That's true," Anderson says with a hint of melancholy. "These business owners worked very hard -- oftentimes seven days a week -- to make their lives better for themselves and their families. That's not something they wanted their kids to have to do.

"The older generations have come and gone and a lot of their children just didn't want to stay in the restaurant business. They became doctors and lawyers, or pursued other careers. So many of those restaurants closed."

Fortunately for the connoisseur of home-style eats, some of them have survived new generations and new ownership. Charlotte still has much to choose from when it comes to food like your mom used to make (or wished she could make). Here's a guide to a selection of the city's long-lasting home-cooking restaurants.

Gary's restaurant, Anderson's at 1617 Elizabeth Avenue, was originally opened by his pop Jimmy and Jimmy's brothers Bill and Pete in 1946.

"My dad created this atmosphere," Gary beams. "It's a family atmosphere and people continue to come back over and over because they know us, and the faces are the same.

"I'm not kidding," he chuckles. "There are guys that have been coming here everyday for years and they sit in the same booth -- and people don't sit in those booths because they know they're coming. The waitresses will see them coming through the door and go ahead and get their order ready."

Charlotteans who've been here for more than a few months know Anderson's for their age-old slogan, "the world's best pecan pie." The phrase is even emblazoned on the side of the building just beneath the restaurant's giant neon sign. But there's a whole lot more there to choose from. Popular items include "delicious golden fried chicken" and a breakfast to brag about that boasts Smithfield country ham. In addition to the pecan pie, there's another signature item known as a "Hot Dorsey Sandwich." According to Gary, pop Jimmy named the sandwich after Charlotte furniture mogul James Dorsey, who described the sandwich to Jimmy after Dorsey had tasted one during an out-of-town dining experience. "My dad told Mr. Dorsey that he'd try to recreate it and if he liked it, he would name it after him." Ironically, the "Hot Dorsey" isn't even a sandwich -- it's baked in a casserole dish with white meat chicken, sharp cheese, mushrooms, crisp bacon and Anderson's "special sauce."

In 1964, Angelo Politis and his brother opened Athens Restaurant, 101 E. Independence Boulevard. After more than 15 successful years, Politis sold the business to current owner Sam Housiadas who, with partners Bill Mantis and Bill Nikopoulos, continues to run the Greek-American eatery today. Little has changed since the business passed from one owner to another back in 1980. Atop the building, the restaurant still sports its original trademark signage boasting the delicacies within ("charcoal steaks" in cursive neon) while out front a chubby chef over a giant flickering yellow arrow flashes his blinking light bulb eyes above the slogan "try our famous Greek dishes."

Inside, the decor's been updated a little -- the booths are now maroon instead of yellow -- but that's where the changes stop. Much of the menu, and even an employee or two, remains unchanged from the previous ownership.

"Oh, I've tried adding a few new dishes," Housiadas explains. "But that's about it. People like it the same. We've always believed in taking care of our customers, hard work, and giving quality food."

Athens is famous for staying open 24 hours a day, seven days a week; consequently, they've become a favorite late-night hangout for clubgoers and other denizens of the night.

Another distinct Athens difference -- they serve traditional Greek food right alongside a typical American menu. It's not unusual for 34-year veteran waitress Annie McClean to serve a burger and fries at one table while delivering a plate of mousaka or souvlaki the next booth over.

"I like to give people a variety," Housiadas offers. "I think that, and the fact we're open at all hours, is what keeps people coming back."Barbecue King

Pete Gianikas' voice cracks a little when he talks about the giant pink and blue neon sign in front of his drive-in restaurant Barbecue King, 2900 Wilkinson Boulevard.

"That sign," he pauses for a moment as he regains his composure. "I get emotional when I think about that sign. It's been destroyed twice. Once by a tornado and, before that, a truck hit it." Gianikas kept the sign exactly as it was when it was originally built in 1960. Clearly, it represents more to him than just an advertisement. As corny as it may seem, it's about the accomplishment of his American dream. Gianikas immigrated to the United States from Greece in 1951. He came to work at Barbecue King in 1961, and in 1972 he became the owner. During his 41 years at the business, he's watched the students of nearby Harding and West Mecklenburg high schools cruise the drive-in lot, grow up, and start families of their own.

Gianikas isn't the only one with a long history at the westside drive-in. Regulars always recognize red-headed Martha Tarleton, who's taken orders over the vintage drive-in intercom system for 36 years, and 30-year veteran Michael Cureton, who's served in just about every job capacity the business has to offer. What keeps Gianikas' customers coming back over and over?

"Well, there's a lot that we serve that's popular. Seafood, the Poor Boy Sandwich -- but the Barbecue Sandwich is the most popular."

"Once you get the taste of Barbecue King in your mouth," he boasts, "it's hard to forget it!"

The Coffee Cup Grill

Photo  Radok

In all likelihood, The Coffee Cup Grill, 914 S. Clarkston Street, in Third Ward, is probably Charlotte's oldest restaurant. It's definitely Soul Food Central for the city. Originally opened by Mertice Heath in 1935, the small diner with the octagonal-shaped windows and distinctive deco signage (original, no less) passed through two other owners before Sylvia and Kevin David bought it from Christine Crowder in 1999. Despite the ownership change, a lot has stayed the same at the little grill. "We're still serving a lot of the same things they did years ago," says Sylvia David. "We're even still using some of the equipment that was used in 1935." That equipment includes a countertop used to make their own bread in-house, with the same recipe preferred by the original owners. The edibles that people like City Councilmember Pat Cannon and wrestler Ric Flair keep coming back for include such soul food delicacies as salmon and fatback biscuits, red-eye gravy, country-style steak with real mashed potatoes, and cut-with-a-fork pork chops and gravy. Lean cuisine it's not, but when you want a taste of what original, grassroots Southern cooking is all about, this is the place to go. "People come here everyday from all over the place," says Sylvia's business partner and husband, Kevin David. "In fact, there are people who tell me they've been coming here for years and years.

The Copal Grill

If Thanksgiving is one of your favorite holidays, then you can celebrate the taste of the season year "round at The Copal Grill, 5923 Wilkinson Boulevard. Owner Kleomenis Balatsias sees to it that his customers can have turkey and dressing for lunch or dinner regardless of the time of year.

"It's one of our customers' favorite items," Balatsias explains. "People also love to come here for our breakfast and the steak and prime rib specials we have every Friday and Saturday."

The Copal is the very personification of the classic American roadside diner. Opened on Wilkinson Boulevard in 1948 by Mike Hunter and Gene Galenge, the twosome aimed their business at truck drivers traversing the route (prior to I-85) and customers from the nearby airport and suburban neighborhoods that had begun to crop up. Balatsias bought the business from the previous owners in 1966. Spiro Kalyvas came on board as his partner in 1973 and continues with the business today.

Although customers might dismiss the Copal's well-worn interior as well-loved, Balatsias seems to think the joint could do with a bit of a facelift.

"Things are looking a little tired around here," he says with a touch of sadness. "But we haven't done anything because we may have to move." Since 1982, the restaurant has been on alert that a proposed bridge to the airport may run directly through the restaurant's lot. For Copal regulars, the loss would be heartbreaking.

"It's like a family here," Balatsias explains. "I have employees that have been here 35 years, and customers that have been coming here everyday for as many years. Hopefully, if we ever have to, we can relocate."

Billy Reid breaks out in a big infectious grin when he talks about his family-owned and operated restaurant The Cupboard, 3005 South Boulevard. "I'm the third generation in my family to be in the restaurant business," he boasts.

Reid's grandfather Theo Robertson sold sandwiches and snacks to Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II. In the 1950s, he would open Robertson's Drive-In Grill.

Reid's father, William, opened The Varsity Diner in 1960 in the same parking lot where The Cupboard, which he opened in 1967, stands today. Billy took over the biz 12 years ago, after his father passed away. Judging by the retro-styled interior (including aqua dining booths and 50s-influenced light fixtures), things look pretty much the same now as they did back then.

Somehow it's not a surprise that there are a number of customers and employees who've stuck around for more than just a few years, too.

Waitresses like Barbara Crump and Felicia Kendrick -- both charmingly vague about their longevity with the business -- dish out familiarities like "honey" and "sweetie" to customers just as quickly as they serve up the restaurant's legendary coconut cream pie. Local celebs like Felix Sabates and Sheriff Jim Pendergrass (who, interestingly enough, has been reported at all the restaurants included in this article) frequent The Cupboard for a menu that includes popular regional edibles like fried chicken livers, grilled country livermush, and fried chuckwagon steak. Open only for lunch, The Cupboard still turns a tidy profit and maintains a more-than-satisfied fan base. "This is food like your grandmother used to make," says Reid. "And it's always fresh!"

The Diamond, at 1901 Commonwealth Avenue, is an unassuming little brick building in Charlotte's Elizabeth neighborhood. What's not unassuming is the massive sign in pink cursive neon across the restaurant front. Originally opened in 1945 when ommonwealth Avenue was directly accessible from Independence Boulevard, the sign made it visible from the busy thoroughfare, even though it was the next block over. Current owner Jerry Pistiolis purchased the business from the original owners in 1982 (brothers James, Robert and Ross James, who took over from their parents after World War II).

"I've kept everything pretty much the same," he says matter of factly. "Just added a new food item here and there."

Seems the formula is one that works. The Diamond's devoted followers keep coming back for more of their favorites prepared fresh and hot by cook Parnesh Lowry, a 45-year veteran of the establishment. Among the restaurant's specialty items are baked and fried chicken, a chicken potpie that can't be beat, and corn muffins so good you could make a meal out of them.

The restaurant at the corner of Monroe and Wendover has been a fixture in Charlotte dining since 1968. Gus' Sir Beef has always stood out on the landscape, probably as much because of its curious name as its outstanding food.

Original owner Gus Bacogeorge opened several other restaurants with various family members around the Charlotte area over the years -- two of which continue today: the 4101 Monroe Road location and another that opened downtown in 1993 at 324 South Tryon Street. As for the unusual name choice -- son Thrace, who today runs the Monroe Road restaurant with his brother George, explains it this way:

"My father didn't want to call it "Gus' Sirloin Beef' exactly, and he was looking for something that would acknowledge respect -- the word "sir.' So he came up with "Gus' Sir Beef.' Sir is kind of an abbreviation for sirloin, but at the same time it's a word used for respect. That's where the name came from."

Perhaps that explains another unusual but well-known slogan the restaurant uses to describe their vegetables: "fresh my farm." Son George smiles when he talks about the curious phrase, which is actually a registered trademark designed to let the customers know that the Bacogeorge family grows their own greens and squash.

"We cook them [vegetables] so that they're good for you, too," Thrace brags. "No fats, no grease and we use items low in fat."

Besides the good ol' down home Americana, the menu also includes a few unusual items like chicken livers broiled with Greek spices and Italian dishes such as lasagna and manicotti.

Price's Chicken Coop

Price's Chicken Coop, 1614 Camden Road, sure isn't much on the eyes -- but when it comes to fried chicken and seafood, you've hit pay dirt! The small brick building near downtown Charlotte serves only take-out. The lack of fancy digs, however doesn't seem to make much difference to long-time devotees of the legendary eatery. It's a regular thing during lunch for a line of hungry customers to snake its way out the door and onto the sidewalk. Luckily, the service is very quick. Best bet: try phoning in your order before you go, but be aware there's a cut-off time before the crowds hit. Price's opened in 1962 under the direction of Talmadge Price. The following year, the head cook Edward Garritt came on board, and he's still with the company today. According to Talmadge's son Steve, who continues to run the eatery, the business originally opened to feed the workers of a nearby factory -- one that has long since vanished into the pages of Charlotte history. The restaurant, however, has outlasted many of its neighbors. "Our original intention," Steve explains, "was to feed the working class. Give "em a good meal quick and get "em on their way. Now everybody comes here." Bigwigs like Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and former Mayor Harvey Gantt stop by on a regular basis to stand toe-to-toe with the regular folk -- all waiting in line for The Coop's legendary fried fish and chicken, served up with a side of slaw, potato salad or an order of hush puppies. Folks at Creative Loafing who remember their old offices say the one thing they miss the most about the former location is its nearness to Price's. A couple of Loafers got a dreamy look and one appeared to start drooling when the eatery's fried chicken was brought up. The secret to Price's longtime success? Price has a quick, ready answer: "We always try to be consistent."

South 21 Drive-In

Sam, George and Nick Copsis opened the original South 21 Drive-Ins in Charlotte back in 1955. Today only two locations are left -- 3101 East Independence, run by daughter Maria and husband George Housiadas, and another at 3631 South Boulevard, owned and operated by George Katsanos. Both locations maintain their original exterior -- flashing drive-in lights and a sign that boasts "since 1955."

For years, the restaurants have been known as "the oasis of the hamburger." No doubt, they serve up quite a tasty beef and bun number, but they also sling other specialty plates such as "golden southern" fried chicken, filet of trout and hamburger steak. On the sandwich side, you can also choose from chicken filet, barbecue, baked ham and something called a "fish-o-burger," a tasty treat on a bun with two pieces of trout and tartar sauce with sides of french fries, cole slaw and a pickle.

A favorite of Panthers and former Charlotte Hornets alike, South Boulevard owner George Katsanos equates his success with one simple theory: "It's a standardization of quality," he explains. "People know what they're gonna find when they get here and we strive to give them what they want -- delicious food."

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