Q: I moved from Raleigh to Charlotte several years ago. I’ve had little luck with finding true private pop-up supper clubs here. Can you help?
Tom: Doing private events is hard — and much harder today, considering the heavy demands on local chefs and restaurants just to keep their businesses going. In the past, the Cheshire Dinner Society, run by Courtney Valvo and Joel Tracey, used to hold great invitation-only dining events. It also appears the local chapter of Good Eats & Meets is no longer hosting events. The only one I can think of that comes close and still going strong is Music with Friends. MWF brings in top-tier performers, such as Chris Isaac, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt, Diana Ross, Earth Wind & Fire, and a hall-of-fame list of others for private, unpublicized concerts with a heavy hors d’oeuvres cocktail party preceding the concert with a food-laden afterparty. Membership is typically invitation-only with a three-concert minimum commitment. However, you can contact Tonda Rifkin, MWF’s corporate director of development & membership via the its website to see if there are any membership or upcoming concert openings.

Q: Any news about this year’s crop of Bradford watermelons? I know there have been issues the past couple of years.
Tom: Yes, there’s news, but not really good news. Watermelons are easily subject to mutations, even cross-pollinating with non-watermelon plants. The past couple of years were beset with genetic issues at Bradford Farm, resulting in total crop failures. I reached out to Nat Bradford, who says he had to “start from scratch with some of my grandad’s oldest seed, from 1990, to hopefully predate the genetic issues and build back up new clean stock.” It going to take a few more years to get yields up to acceptable levels. Fingers crossed, we’ll see this prized heirloom watermelon return to its home farm in 2026.

Q: I’m excited about Foxcroft Wine Co. coming to Birkdale. Do you know when it will open?
Tom: Your timing could not be better. They are just awaiting on final ABC permits. If the state cooperates, the new location will open in just a couple of weeks.