Supperland

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Southern Steakhouse Meets Church Potluck

Supperland occupies two restored mid-century church buildings on a corner block in Plaza Midwood, Charlotte. The concept is exactly what its tagline promises: a southern steakhouse with whimsical inspiration drawn from the building's own history as The Plaza Church of Christ — a congregation that first gathered in 1938 and finally vacated the property in 1979. As owner Jeff Tonidandel puts it, "It's been a privilege to restore this tiny slice of Charlotte and give this old building a new life as a restaurant."

The property is expansive and layered. The main dining room preserves the original church windows and center aisle, bathed in natural light. Beside it sits the Bar at Supperland, a private wine room in the basement that seats up to twelve, a vibrant southern garden, a wide outdoor patio, and — below the bar building — a reservation-only Speakeasy offering coursed cocktails paired with small bites. The design, handled personally by husband-and-wife owners Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, weaves southern influences with touches drawn from London: tea-time refinement alongside garden warmth.

The Kitchen and the Fire

Fire is the literal heart of Supperland's kitchen. A 14-foot wood-fired grill burning hickory and oak anchors the cooking — no gas, no electricity upstairs. Vegetables slow-roast directly in coals, steaks are kissed by glowing embers, and a wood-fired oven handles smoking and slow work. Every steak is butchered in-house, with trimmings simmered into stocks and sauces. The kitchen also makes its own sourdough starter, laminates its own pastry doughs, churns sweet and savory ice creams from scratch, and sources North Carolina–grown miso and Osetra caviar from Marshalburg Farms in-state. Produce arrives through FreshList, connecting the kitchen to more than 200 regional farms — including Boy and Girl Farm, Joyce Farms, and Small City Farm, among others.

Executive Chef Joe Hutton brings 14 years of experience spanning Zuma Las Vegas, Momofuku, and a stint as Executive Chef for the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. Raised in Southeast Asia but rooted in Tennessee and North Carolina, he brings an uncommon range to the southern steakhouse format.

On weekends, the southern American brunch tradition takes over: a buffet of skewers off the wood-fired grill, hot grits with gravy, housemade pastries, pull-apart cinnamon rolls, eggs benedict from a chef's counter, and tableside rounds of oysters and shrimp cocktail.

A Bar Program Worth the Trip Alone

Head Mixologist Colleen Hughes has been with the restaurant group for 15 years. In 2022 — the same year Supperland earned its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence and landed on Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America list — she was named Esquire's Cocktail Guru of the Year. In 2025, she became the MICHELIN Guide American South Exceptional Cocktails Award Winner and received a James Beard Award nomination for Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service. The wine program is overseen by Michael Klinger, an Advanced Sommelier with 20-plus years in the industry and certifications that include United States Ambassador for Chianti Classico.

The result is a southern steakhouse that takes its drinks as seriously as its food — and a building that, after nearly a century of history, feels very much alive again.