by TM Petaccia

Depending on its context, the Gaelic word “craic” (pronounced “krak” or “crack”) can mean news or gossip, as in “what’s the craic,” or it can mean “good times” as in “the craic was mighty fine last night.” If the team behind SouthPark’s newest gastropub realizes its vision, The Craic at Phillips Place is destined to become the home of both: a regular gathering place where conversation flows as freely as the pints, and where the energy of a well-lived evening is as satisfying as anything on the menu.

Set to open April 15 in the former Rusty Bucket space, the concept comes from co-owners Delano Little, Parker Starre, and Chris Healy, a group with both deep local ties and a growing track record in Charlotte’s restaurant scene. Little and Healy previously partnered on The Public House and have been involved with The Gin Mill, while Starre, a longtime Rusty Bucket employee, joins as both co-owner and general manager, overseeing day-to-day operations.

When open, the 4,622-square-foot space will seat 177 guests across indoor dining, bar, and patio areas with approximately 600 free parking spaces nearby.

“I’ve always wanted to do something closer to a true Irish pub,” Healy says. “Delano and I had been talking about the SouthPark area in general for a while and we thought a bar-centered concept would work, especially at a medium price point.” That vision aligned with an opportunity that had been on the partners’ radar for more than a year, after learning The Rusty Bucket would not renew its lease.

“We always thought SouthPark was a great place and we could figure it out,” Little says. “Then we came across this place. We got in early and worked with the real estate agents. It’s been a year-and-a-half project.”

Little is no stranger to playing the long game. His less-than-direct path to the hospitality industry began while he was nearing the end of his thirty-year run as sports reporter and anchor at WBTV. “I would have never gotten in without knowing somebody that had been in the restaurant industry that I trusted,” Little says about Healy. “My dad was a cook in the mess hall for twenty years. He was a chief warrant officer in the army. When I told him I was thinking about getting into the restaurant business, he said, ‘Absolutely not.’ But I said to Chris, ‘I’d love to look at some places with you.’ That’s how we stumbled upon The Public House. It’s been there for four years now.”

For Starre, it was a matter of putting his knowledge and experience to work with people he respected. “Parker knew us from The Public House,” Little says. “When he found out we were taking the space he worked at for so long, he said to us, ‘I’d like to be involved. I know the area, I know the people.’ And he does, he’s basically the mayor of SouthPark.”

Starre’s role is two-fold, overseeing overall operations as well as being the day-to-day general manager. “First, we need to open and get running and make sure we’re a good community partner in terms of not only providing great service and great food, but also to be responsible to keep serving guests on a day-to-day basis,” he says. Nothing is more important than how we treat people when they come in these doors. I feel like we have put together a team that’s gonna be extraordinary with that.”

On the food side, executive chef Danny O’Connell comes to The Craic with over twenty years in Charlotte kitchens, including Heist Brewery, Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, and The Public House. He describes the menu as American at its core, with subtle Irish influences woven throughout. “I’m just looking for a taste of home in all honesty,” he says. That approach leans heavily on family memories, including a braised short rib inspired by a dish his father made, now positioned as an early standout. Other menu anchors include an orange-glazed salmon, the house burger with sweet potato waffle fries, and short rib croquettes, along with the use of Irish ingredients like Kerrygold Dubliner cheese across burgers, sauces, and pizzas.

Some of the offerings will be supplied by local food artisans such as Bob’s BadAss Bakery breads and pretzels as well as select desserts from Brandi Jones’ Honey Butter Bakery.

“I want people to plan their meal here as if they were at home,” O’Connell says. “Something to bring you back to the past, maybe where you grew up. The goal is to keep pricing accessible enough to encourage repeat visits, a place you can eat every day, while still delivering strong value.”

Bar manager Sarah Pinto, formerly at Peppervine and Mizu, oversees a beverage program that stays true to the Irish pub roots, with 31 beers on tap covering local, national, and international brands as well as the added sophistication of a 200-bottle wine list, and a dedicated cocktail program which includes a number of low and zero alcohol options. The Chicago native is very familiar with The Craic’s concept.

“I grew up going to Irish bars,” she says. “They were kind of the heart of the community. I want every guest to feel like a regular. I built my whole hospitality career on building regulars. People who live in SouthPark really stay in SouthPark. I want them to be able to feel they can come here on a regular basis because approachable, we are affordable. We can be a date night spot, but we can also be a place where people come in and watch sports.”

The cocktail list is varied with everything from Pinto’s take on an espresso martini with added coffee foam to a tiki offering, but there are some definite homages to the Emerald Isle. The Irish Exit utilizes Irish whiskey with elderflower and cucumber, her Last Call gin fizz riff incorporates Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin, while the Irish Cream dessert cocktail combines both Irish whiskey and rum.

“I want my customers to have fun,” Pinto says.

One of the fun aspects of The Craic is its “snug,” a private enclosed space, seating up to four people, and looks like a cross between a cubbyhole and large church confessional. Guests can sit there and order directly to the bar from a pass-through. “I anticipate it being the hottest spot in the restaurant,” Pinto says. Healy adds, “They are all over Ireland. They have them everywhere, all shapes and sizes. Many bars are only snugs.”

Although not direcly responsible for the day-to-day, Healy and Little anticipate being just as active with The Craic as they’ve been with The Public House. “We always support our restaurants as we grow forward,” Little says. “We both have been seen with a broom in our hands.”

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