Sister Is an All-Day Cafe Set to Open in Plaza Midwood

Local restaurateurs Andy and Lesa Kastanas have released details about their new venture Sister, an all-day cafe set to open in Plaza Midwood on Jan. 28. The Greek cafe will be located in the space where KiKi Bistro once sat, directly under the Kastanas’ popular Soul Gastrolounge on the corner of Central and Pecan avenues.

The new cafe will keep some aspects of KiKi, which opened in late 2019, including the rooftop patio and Tattoo Liquor Lounge. Perhaps most importantly, beverage director Kel Minton will remain in charge of cocktails while executive chef Jay Pound will oversee the kitchen, keeping some favorites from KiKi on the Greek and Eastern Mediterranean menu. 

KiKi favorites to be available at Sister include house-made gyros, souvlaki, pastichio, and vegan items such as Pop-Lies and Trik-fil-a sandwiches, dolmades, eggplant imam, cauliflower mushroom manestra, and more.

Sister diners will also get a go at Soul favorites like Asian glazed pork belly tacos, fried Brussel sprouts and anchovy fries for lunch.

In addition, Sister will serve breakfast bowls, coffee, matcha, and Greek pastries such as phyllo hand pies (spanakopita, tyropita, jambonopita, bougatsa), peinirli (pastrami, cheese and egg pizza boat), croissants, baklava, kok (mini round éclairs), sokolatina (cream chocolate custard cakes), mille feuille (almond Napoleon), muffins and more. Plans are to launch brunch in late spring. 

Since the 1990s, Andy and Lesa Kastanas have been involved with ownership or management at a number of iconic Charlotte spots such as Mythos, Cosmos, The Diamond and CLTCH. 

In a release on Wednesday, Andy Kastanas said many Soul guests over the years have requested a breakfast and/or lunch spot in Plaza Midwood, a request he and Lesa are finally fulfilling with Sister. 

“Seeing the changes that are coming to this neighborhood, and the influx of newcomers, we feel this is the right time to expand and offer our product and services to more people, as it has been requested by our guests,” Andy said. 

“We opened Soul in this neighborhood more than 13 years ago, and moved here shortly after,” he continued. “We are committed to its spirit, diversity and vibe. We are also committed to keeping that spirit alive, considering the changes that are coming.”  

Andy and Lesa are continuing their working relationship with CLTCH owner Scott Weaver, who is managing decor changes in the 3,000-square-foot space, including two murals by Rodney Raines and David Harwood. Weaver and Jason Herring will play “eclectic sets of chill house music” in Sister on weekend evenings.  

Alex Holladay, the Kastanases’ daughter and business manager, added that the team aims to meet the shifting needs of the neighborhood – a redevelopment of Central Square just across the street from Sister will forever change the face of Plaza Midwood – while remaining flexible in approach, menu and operating hours. 

“Plaza Midwood is so walkable, and there are a lot of young families looking for a locally owned place to grab a cup of coffee and a bite, a place to hang with their friends and babies,” Holladay said.

Initial hours for Sister, located at 1500-A Central Ave., will be Tues.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Fri.-Sat., 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.; and closed Monday. Find more details at Sister’s website and Instagram.