Calling all barbecue enthusiasts and beer aficionados! If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate smoky flavors paired with exceptional craft brews, look no further than Resident Culture South End. This Charlotte location for the brewery boasts a unique barbecue fusion menu, coffee, and, of course, beer!
Let’s dive into what makes this spot a must-visit destination for anyone craving a mouthwatering BBQ experience. Keep reading to discover how a pitmaster with rich open-fire experience helps fan the flames of the location’s success.
What is Resident Culture South End?
Resident Culture South End is Resident Culture Brewing Company’s outpost, offering a full-service bar, coffee shop, and barbecue in one location.
Open 7 days a week at 332 West Bland Street in Charlotte, Resident Culture South End is a short walk from Bank of America Stadium. The South End spot is one of four Resident Culture retail locations in the Queen City.
Resident Culture South End Beverages & Breakfast
The Resident Culture South End beverage menu includes a diverse on-tap offering of about a dozen Resident Culture Brewing Company beers. A wide variety of canned and bottled beers complement the taproom’s draught selections with to-go options.
From 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., South End coffee drinkers can choose from drip coffee, lattes, and cold brews to espressos, cappuccinos, and more. Coffee is brewed locally with Little Waves coffee beans from Durham, and it goes well with café breakfast menu items enjoyed on-site or on-the-go. Online ordering is available.
A Fusion of Tradition and Innovation
At Resident Culture South End, tradition meets innovation in a culinary symphony orchestrated by pitmaster and Executive Chef Edmar Simoes. Drawing inspiration from his Brazilian roots and Carolina barbecue tradition, Edmar crafts a menu that celebrates the rich heritage of slow-cooked meats while infusing it with his creative twists.
Find out more about Edmar and his barbecue experience when you listen to this episode of The Low & Slow Barbecue Show.
Originally from Brazil, Edmar has lived in the U.S. almost 20 years, including 12 years living and working in the Carolinas.
“My background of barbecue started cooking Brazilian barbecue back home with my mom and my mom’s side of the family,” he says during the podcast. “That’s a passion of my grandfather and my uncles, and it’s all open fire. We love open fire. Since I was a kid … I have a thing for fire. Anywhere I see fire, I’m gonna get close.”
Edmar carries on many family traditions that began alongside his mother and grandfather.
“It’s just like old-school habits, traditional,” he says. “Make sausage without any chemicals, without any preservatives, and mixed by hand. Everything made by hand, sliced by hand. Back in the day you don’t have much for machines.”
Brazilian Barbecue Roots Seasoned in North Carolina
Before joining the Resident Culture team, Edmar worked at Sauceman’s Barbecue. The popular spot on South Tryon and East Boulevard was one of a few barbecue businesses in Charlotte, alongside Max Speed Shop and Midwood.
“That’s where I really started to learn more and get my head back to the fire,” he says. “When Sauceman’s closed, Noble Smoke opened up, and I saw a post that Chef Jim Noble was looking for pitmasters.”
Before bringing Edmar aboard, Noble had an important question: Are you really serious about it?
“That question kind of got in my head,” he says, and he wanted to prove his answer. Yeah, I’m serious about it. Let me show you. I worked there for four years, and after that, I loved it. I just don’t want to change.”
Still, the opportunity for change arose, especially after Resident Culture Brewing co-founder Phillip McLamb decided he wanted to follow a dream after a lifetime growing up eating barbecue.
“I think that’s one of the connections that we have very well right now,” Edmar says. “Because he grew up doing that, and I get here, and I love what I’m doing.”
After an introduction and an interview, “everything just fell right in.”
“I cook for him,” Edmar says, “and he’s like, ‘Let’s do barbecue.’”
Savor the Flavors of Authentic BBQ
Want to know what McLamb tasted that sparked confirmation for the barbecue path?
Prepare your taste buds for a flavor explosion as you indulge in Resident Culture South End’s signature barbecue offerings. Many of those menu items are flavored with Brazilian barbecue traditions that aren’t very far from what you’ll find in the Carolinas.
“There’s not a lot of difference,” he says. “Brazilian barbecue is more like open fire. It’s very close to Carolina-style barbecue because you get the direct heat. I think that’s why my passion with the Carolinas gets so strong.
“I love burning wood, get the coals, learn how to spread those coals around,” he continues, adding it is important to understand where coals and heat need to be – and where it doesn’t.
Similarities in the barbecue styles extend beyond the flavors. Whether in South America or North Carolina, barbecue is often about family.
“I think that’s where I get the passion for the barbecue here in America. It brings everybody together,” he says. “Brings the family together, brings the friends together. It’s amazing how a simple style of cooking can bring a lot of people together. Just smoke in the air and it’s like a sign is up. People start to smell, and everybody starts to wonder, ‘Oh, wow, what’s coming?’
From tender brisket to juicy pork and flavorful picanha skewers, “what’s coming” in every dish is a testament to Edmar’s dedication to authentic, wood-fired barbecue.
Unforgettable BBQ, Every Time
With a commitment to quality, flavor, and authenticity, Resident Culture South End delivers an unforgettable barbecue experience with every bite.
“Where I grew up in Brazil, we do basically a lot of onions and garlic and herbs,” Edmar says,” but I like to sometimes mix a little bit a espetinho that I do know at Resident Culture. It’s a small little skewer that I do. I use a little bit of vinegar. I do garlic, and so I try to mix a little between Carolina and the fusion.”
Whether you’re a barbecue connoisseur or a casual diner, you’ll find something to love at this smoky haven in the heart of South End.
The sharables menu features smoked brisket egg rolls, smoked chicken egg rolls, chicken wings, and pretzels. Brazilian influence is apparent in the espetinho skewers of top sirloin with chimichurri, “pao ae queijo,” a chewy bread with a cheesy center, and even the loaded Resident Culture fries smothered in queso, chopped pork and finished with a zesty Brazilian vinaigrette.
Of course, traditional barbecue plates also offer, smoked brisket, pulled pork, pulled chicken and smoked turkey breast. Find those smoked meats in the restaurant’s selection of sandwiches. A Butcher Clock sampler offers a taste of everything, including sides, which run the traditional spectrum of baked beans, cole slaw, mac and cheese, hand-cut fries, and fried green tomatoes.
New Menu with More Smoke on the Horizon
Resident Culture South End visitors will find a welcoming “brewery” environment that offers strong lunch and dinner service.
“We’re going to do some stuff for families and kids … so we can start to bring the families. So people will not think we’re a place where people just go for a beer,” Edmar says. “We want to be a place where we are recognized for a good beer and a good barbecue.”
The Resident Culture South End menu launched in February, and feedback is already positive. A good response improves food sales and validates future plans.
“We’ve got an Ole Hickory smoker right now, but later on, we’re going to have an offset smoker outside, and we’re looking for a whole hog smoker, too,” Edmar says, adding that as equipment evolves, so will the menu. “At South End, I’m cooking pork, brisket, turkey, and the top sirloin. Later on, I’m going to start to bring beef ribs, pork ribs, and some other cuts, too.”
To keep up with Edmar and developments at Resident Culture South End, follow him on Instagram. You can follow the South End location for the brewery company here.
Visit Resident Culture South End Today
Ready to embark on a culinary adventure like no other in Charlotte?
Head to Resident Culture Brewing Company’s South End location and treat yourself to the best BBQ and beer in town. From the first bite to the last sip, you’ll be hooked on the irresistible flavors and laid-back vibes of Resident Culture South End.
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