Smoked wings from The Hot Box inside Southern Strain Brewing. Photo by Peter Taylor

The Hot Box will open for service today, Wednesday, Nov. 13, inside Southern Strain Brewing in Concord.

The restaurant inside the brewery is a brick-and-mortar reincarnation of the popular food truck that ended its run in 2017. The food truck and catering company was run by Michael Bowling, Chris Young, and Jennifer Young. Bowling and the Youngs amicably parted ways while The Hot Box was under construction, leaving Bowling as the sole operator.

On the menu are dishes that fit an afternoon or evening at the brewery, including risotto fritters and smoked wings. Larger portions are also available, such as smoked ribs and a burger. See the full menu here. There is also a dessert menu from pastry chef Jamie Turner, who won this year’s N.C. Pastry Chef of the Year award from the NCRLA.

Bowling, one of the founders of Soul Food Sessions, says the expanded kitchen will allow him to serve dishes they didn’t have room for on the food truck. Diners inside the brewery will order at the counter and get a buzzer to notify them when their food is ready.

Read our earlier post announcing the brick and mortar spot here. —Kristen Wile