$1.5M Mexican Restaurant to Come to South End Charlotte

This fall, a fresh Mexican-Latin spot will open at 1440 S. Tryon St. in Charlotte's South End. B-Side Group is spending $1.5 million to turn the 2,350-square-foot former Vana site into Mi Cariño.

The spot sits at South Tryon Street and Summit Avenue. "We're building more than a restaurant. Mi Cariño is an immersive escape and our culinary love letter to the flavor and complexity of Mexican and West Coast Latino cuisine and mezcal culture," said Ankoor Patel in a release per What Now Charlotte.

Mi Cariño will seat 85 guests, serving dishes that blend Mexican and West Coast Latino tastes. Twenty-year kitchen veteran Vince Giancarlo steps in as culinary director.

At the bar, Henry Schmulling will mix drinks using rare spirits. The selection spans tequila, hard-to-find mezcals, raicilla, sotol, and bacanora. "The bar program at Mi Cariño is designed to surprise and delight," Schmulling said.

The new spot joins Wooden Robot Brewery, Pie.zza, and sister venue Vinyl in South End's mix. By day, guests can expect casual dining. As night falls, the space shifts into an upscale lounge.

"Our goal is to create a space where the service is thoughtful, the food and drink are exceptional, and the atmosphere invites you to stay awhile," said Kamal Patel to Axios Charlotte.

Inside, guests will find striking tiles, streams of natural light, and a central bar. The team picked Southwick Architecture + Interiors for design work, while NiceDay handles the brand identity.