by TM Petaccia

Developing Story — we will update as more information becomes available.

Vana in South End. TM Petaccia/UP

Bardo Restaurant Group has undergone a series of setbacks over the past several months. The group announced its flagship restaurant, Bardo, would temporarily close in April (it has yet to reopen). Now, issues have arisen with its other restaurant, Vana.

ABC website shows termination of Vana’s liquor license. TM Petaccia / UP

The popular South End spot lost all its ABC permits on June 1, after permits were temporarily reinstated in May as part of an NC ABC Commission amnesty program. According to group partner Jayson Whiteside, “We didn’t renew in time and we’re now going through the process of getting that reinstated.”

Several rumors swirled this week about the restaurant closing, but Whiteside insists that’s not happening. “We’re just going through some internal changes right now,” he says. “We’re trying to get this new restaurant open and we’re moving stuff around.” Vana’s promised Lake Norman location has been in development since December 2021, however, a check of the Mecklenburg County Code Enforcement website shows that all building permits for the project have expired.

Dinner service was canceled Tuesday night. An employee cited no reservations and the lack of a liquor license. A sign on the door stated Vana would reopen Wednesday, June 21. Checking the restaurant’s social media accounts, neither Vana’s Facebook nor Instagram accounts have been updated since March. UPDATE (6/26/23): A sign on the entrance now reads “Temporarily Closed Until Further Notice.”

Vana’s chef de cuisine Matt Moore’s last day at Vana will be Friday. He is leaving to take a similar role at Indaco, an Italian concept from Indigo Road Hospitality Group (O-Ku, Oak Steakhouse, Mizu).

UP reached out to BRG executive chef and partner Mike Noll, but he did not reply to our inquiries.