A full-court press to revamp the dining options at The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte is underway, thanks to the teamwork of local basketball legend Stephen Curry, his wife Ayesha and acclaimed restaurateur Michael Mina. Three new concepts will open by the end of this year, continuing widespread renovations the hotel started in 2023.
All-day cafe Sweet July opened in July, while steakhouse Bourbon Steak and bourbon-forward cocktail lounge The Eighth Rule will open in late winter.
“Expanding to Charlotte is especially exciting because it’s a city that not only holds a special place in my and my family’s heart, but it’s filled with incredible energy and culture,” Stephen says of their decision.
“Each of the businesses brings something unique to the table,” Ayesha adds. “Collaborating with my mentor Chef Mina and my husband will always be a no-brainer, but in this case the concepts just complemented each other so well it made sense to bring them all together.”
The Currys primarily live outside San Francisco, where Stephen has played point guard for the Golden State Warriors for the past 17 seasons, but their families still live in Charlotte, where his father Dell Curry starred for the Hornets. Steph also serves as the assistant general manager for the men’s and women’s basketball programs at his alma mater, Davidson College.
This isn’t the trio’s first time working together. Ayesha, a two-time The New York Times bestselling cookbook author, first partnered with Chef Mina in 2016 in San Francisco. Her International Smoke barbecue concept was part of a temporary pop-up inside the MINA Test Kitchen and became so successful that the pair turned it into a permanent restaurant.
They opened her Sweet July Cafe in Santa Monica in late 2024, and then Stephen and Mina teamed up in San Francisco at the end of last year to open a Bourbon Steak and The Eighth Rule’s first location.
Bringing their culinary businesses to Charlotte just made sense.
“Having spent so much of my life in Charlotte, I know that it’s such a foodie town,” says Ayesha, who moved to Charlotte from Toronto at age 14 and graduated from Weddington High School. “Charlotte knows and expects great food.”
WHAT TO EXPECT
Sweet July Cafe
Sweet July Cafe serves a range of smoothies, like “The Queen City,” with ceremonial-grade matcha, apple juice, greens and fruit, and breakfast favorites like croissants, muffins and avocado toast earlier in the day. For lunch and early dinners, Ayesha is a fan of the pita foldies, which are toasted pita sandwiches inspired by her Jamaican heritage.
“I’m a sauce girl, so we paired each of our pita foldies with its own sauce, and it’s truly the most delicious bite of food,” she says. “My favorite at the moment is our Wagyu Shorty with this insane horseradish labneh dipping sauce.”
Bourbon Steak
Mina’s signature steakhouse, Bourbon Steak, has 12 locations across the country. It’s known for its butter-poached steaks, Lobster Pot Pie and extensive wine and bourbon selections.
“Bringing Bourbon Steak to Charlotte alongside concepts from Stephen and Ayesha Curry is incredibly meaningful for all of us,” says Mina. “I am especially excited by the opportunity to introduce Bourbon Steak to a city with such a dynamic and evolving dining scene and draw inspiration from the hospitality and culinary traditions of the region.”
The Eighth Rule
For something to be considered bourbon, it has to follow seven strict rules. The Eighth Rule Charlotte takes it one step further.
"We're building on the foundation of the bourbon tradition while encouraging guests to create their own ‘eighth rule,’ their own way to celebrate and enjoy the moment,” Stephen says.
At the San Francisco location, guests can create a tasting experience using Stephen’s Gentleman’s Cut bourbon or sip on any number of specialty cocktails. There’s no word yet on what the Charlotte location’s food menu might be, but there’s hoping options like the duck fat fry trio and steak tartare “pizza” make the cut.
“Expanding to Charlotte is especially exciting because it’s a city filled with incredible energy and culture.”
“I am especially excited by the opportunity to introduce Bourbon Steak to a city with such a dynamic and evolving dining scene."