October 15, 2026
Q&A: Saturday lunch with mocktails, THC law status
Each week, we answer reader questions about food and drink in Charlotte
Q: Do you have any suggestions for a nice place to enjoy Saturday lunch with a friend who doesn’t drink? I’m looking for good food and good mocktails.
Tom: I’m guessing you are looking beyond the standard weekend brunch vibe. Yunta Nikkei in South End offers a nice set of NA cocktails developed by the 2026 NCRLA Mixologist of the Year and 2026 UPPY Finalist Ashley Sarkis. She has put a lot of focus on her NA cocktails as part of an overall fitness program. Another option would be Sora in Myers Park. The upscale omakase concept has recently added à la carte lunch and dinner service. Vinyl in South End has a great lunch menu and barkeep Henry Schmulling keeps a nice set of NA cocktails on his menu to enjoy. The Artisan’s Palate on the Plaza Midwood/NoDa border brings some serious mocktail game. Mal Pan in SouthPark also has a nice set of no-ABV drinks. I recently had an outstanding spicy cucumber cooler there. Calle Sol, also in SouthPark, does some fun things with “mezcal alternatives.” Of course, all offer top-shelf food.
Q: Any updates to the new North Carolina and federal THC beverage laws?
Tom: Nothing new since we last reported on it on October 5. North Carolina’s House Bill 328 remains stalled in the House Rules Committee and has not become law. The Senate approved a revised version in July that would restrict hemp-derived consumables to adults 21 and older and cap finished products at 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. The House has yet to approve that compromise. Separately, federal restrictions are scheduled to take effect December 11, following a delay enacted in September. A similar per-container cap would strip most THC beverages and edibles of their federal status as legal hemp, regardless of whether North Carolina changes its laws. Certain synthetic cannabinoids face an earlier November 12 deadline. For restaurants, bars, and retailers, this threatens the availability of products sold as alternatives to alcohol. Congress could revise or delay the restrictions again, but the December deadline currently stands.
