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Here’s what to expect when modern steakhouse Guard and Grace opens in South End

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When Guard and Grace’s Charlotte location opens this fall in Vivian at Queensbridge Collective, it won’t be a steakhouse like any other in town.

What sets the Michelin-recommended restaurant apart at its Denver and Houston locations is chef Troy Guard. He’s bringing the perspective of his Hawaiian upbringing and exposure to Asian favors to Charlotte, where traditional steakhouses reign across the city

“I didn’t want to be like your typical steakhouse, even though there’s nothing wrong with them. They’re amazing. I go to them all the time,” Guard told CharlotteFive during an early look at the restaurant still under construction.

“I traveled the world, lived all over the place. So whatever I want to put on the menu, I’m gonna put it on there,” he said. “Obviously, a lot of local ingredients and just a lot of bold, creative flavors.”

A medium shot of a chef standing on a rooftop patio at night with his arms outstretched in an inviting gesture and the illuminated skyline of Charlotte, North Carolina, in the background. The chef is wearing a professional white chef’s coat with “Troy Guard” embroidered on the chest and a black baseball cap featuring a colorful floral pattern on the brim. The background features several recognizable skyscrapers from the Charlotte skyline, including the distinctive curved top of the Truist Center and the lit-up Duke Energy building. The sky is a deep twilight blue.
Chef Troy Guard of Guard and Grace, which is opening its third location in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

The food at Guard and Grace

What is Guard’s idea of bold, creative flavors? If the first taste of light bites offered to insiders is any indication, we’re in for a ride.

We’ll start with the ostentatious idea of combining hamachi poke with avocado, quinoa, soy onion and Pop Rocks, offering a fascinating popping sensation as you chew that somehow doesn’t disrupt the flavor of the fish from shining through.

Oak-grilled octopus is paired with white bean and celery salad, Spanish chorizo, sherry vinaigrette and red pepper coulis.

This close-up shot features small appetizer portions of a signature dish from Guard and Grace, likely a preview of their Oak Fired Octopus. Each small, clear plastic square cup contains a single charred piece of octopus tentacle, served alongside white beans, a light tomato-based broth or sauce, and a fresh garnish of celery leaf.
Guard and Grace’s Oak Grilled Octopus with white beans, Spanish chorizo and red pepper coulis. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

Korean fried chicken is glazed with chili honey and drizzled with truffle ranch.

Carolina-style whole hog barbecue is placed atop a tostada, topped with miso mustard aioli and pickled jalapeno.

Appetizer portions of a signature dish appear in small, clear plastic square trays, each holding a miniature tostada. The tostada is topped with a generous portion of tender pulled pork, a dollop of creamy sauce, and a single pickled jalapeño slice for a kick of heat.
Guard and Grace’s Carolina-style whole hog barbecue is placed atop a tostada, topped with miso mustard aioli and pickled jalapeno. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

Finish it all off with Guard’s secret-recipe Triple Chocolate Chip cookies, garnished with flaky sea salt for an irresistible draw, and it’s a recipe for a memorable meal. (At the Denver location, they come by the half dozen. So here’s hoping they make it onto the Charlotte menu, as well — even the valet workers said people couldn’t stop talking about them on their way out the door.)

“I just wanted something new and fresh and just change it up a little bit — so kind of masculine and feminine,” Guard said of the restaurant, named after his now-16-year-old daughter, Grace.

“To me, steakhouse would be like dark wood, moody, creamed spinach — you know, real rich and buttery. I don’t like that,” Guard said. “I like lighter, cleaner food. Still lots of flavor, but not a lot of butter and cream,” he added. “ I love what I call international food.”

Individual portions of Prime Strip Loin are served medium-rare with a vibrant green herb oil and a dollop of creamy sauce. Each slice of beef is perched atop a crunchy potato bite and a Maui onion soubise, as noted by the display card in the foreground.
Prime strip loin with crunchy potato and Maui onion soubise at Guard and Grace. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

The atmosphere at Guard and Grace

Guard and his team scanned cities nationwide for the right spot to open the next Guard and Grace, eventually tossing aside Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Nashville and Miami in favor of Charlotte.

“We look at all the numbers, but at the end of the day, one thing that never lies is your gut. And my gut told me the people, the growth, the city — that’s what it’s all about,” Guard said.

The 10,224-square-foot Charlotte location overlooks the core of the city’s biggest business district, with a 2,000-square-foot terrace showing off those stunning views.

A wide-angle landscape photograph captures the expansive outdoor rooftop patio of a building in Charlotte, North Carolina, during twilight. Visible landmarks include the Truist Center with its distinctive curved, glowing roof and several other high-rise office buildings with various lighting displays. A large construction crane stands prominently in the center of the skyline, indicating ongoing urban development.
Skyline views of uptown Charlotte from the unfinished patio space at Guard and Grace. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

Inside, diners will find a full-service bar, a raw bar counter and multiple dining spaces — including a playfully decorated private dining room that the restaurant will share with the Vivian.

Although the spaces will be unmistakably sleek, Guard envisions a warm space where everyone will feel welcome, even in jeans and a shirt. He described what he said is a “cool feature” of his Denver restaurant: a hopscotch board on the pathway to the bathrooms.

“Seeing people our age doing hopscotch and then getting the biggest smile — that’s so fun and creative,” he said.

A few special touches like that will make their way into the Charlotte spot, as well.

This image shows the interior of a commercial building currently under construction, likely the future site of a restaurant or retail space.
Inside the construction of Guard and Grace on the 10th floor of Vivian at Queensbridge Collective. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

“I’m a family man — I want it to be something for everyone. If you’re in town by yourself, or you want to take out your team. If you want to celebrate your anniversary or your birthday, with lots of people. If you live here and you want to come here just out of the blue. … it can be anything you want, and you’re not going to feel out of place,” he said.

A chef is positioned at the end of a long, black-and-white marbled table, smiling and wearing a white chef’s coat with a name and a green logo embroidered on the chest, paired with a black baseball cap that features a floral pattern on the brim. Behind the chef is a floor-to-ceiling gallery wall filled with diverse contemporary art. The collection includes various styles, such as a large pop-art collage of lips, a woman blowing a pink bubble with gum, abstract floral paintings, and large decorative brass buttons.
Chef Troy Guard stands in a private dining room shared between Guard and Grace and Vivian at Queensbridge. Heidi Finley CharlotteFive

Location: Vivian at Queensbridge Collective, 111 E Carson Blvd. Ste 100 Charlotte, NC 28203

Menu

Cuisine: Steakhouse

Instagram: @guardandgracecharlotte

This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 5:00 AM.

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Heidi Finley

The Charlotte Observer

Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits.
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