The owners of Sea Level NC and The Waterman have leased the former home of Siggy’s Good Food in little Belmont. They plan to open a burger joint there, focusing on thin patties cooked on a flat top, as well as shakes, fries, and craft beer. The restaurant will be called Ace No. 3.

The space will require some renovation, owner Paul Manley says, but they hope to be flipping burgers in October. The majority of changes will be in the kitchen; Manley says the former layout will work well for a burger joint.

He and partner Andrew Chapman weren’t planning on opening the restaurant, but when they saw Siggy’s was available as a turnkey space, they quickly reached out about leasing it.

“If you can find those opportunities, you kind of jump on them,” he says.

Chapman and Manley purchased all of the restaurant assets; Siggy’s owner Siggy Sollitto remains owner of the building.

After speaking with residents of the neighborhood, Manley says it was clear there was demand for a burger spot. It also fit well with Chapman’s background.

“He has a passion for counter service anyways, and this gives him an opportunity to go down that creative path again he has a real passion for,” Manley says.

Their signature burger will be a double patty, double cheese burger with a house-made comeback sauce. The restaurant’s name, Ace, is inspired by the type of burger Manley hopes they’ll serve: simple, but great. The No. 3 represents the restaurant being the third for the pair.

Down the road, Manley says they may follow through with Sollitto’s plans to renovate the building’s rooftop. In the meantime, they want the restaurant’s craft beer offerings to help it become a neighborhood hangout.

Manley says he’s had an eye on little Belmont for years now. With a price point of around $7 a burger, Ace No. 3 can likely follow Sweet Lew’s in being a restaurant that brings together both neighborhood residents and foodies from around Charlotte. —Kristen Wile

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