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Guard and Grace Opening Third Location, Marking Modern Steakhouse Brand's Entry Into the Carolinas
TAG Restaurant Group's award-winning concept debuts Oct. 1 in Charlotte's Queensbridge Collective, its first location outside Denver and Houston
DENVER, CO – Guard and Grace, the award-winning modern steakhouse from TAG Restaurant Group, will open its third location and first Carolinas outpost on Oct. 1 in Charlotte. The opening extends the brand's footprint beyond its original Denver and Houston markets and reflects continued momentum for the 12-year-old concept founded by Chef Troy Guard.
The 10,224-square-foot restaurant occupies the 10th floor of the Vivian at Queensbridge Collective, 111 E. Carson Blvd., Suite 100, positioned at the intersection of Charlotte's South End and Uptown districts. The space includes a full-service bar, multiple private dining rooms, an expansive raw bar, oak-fired steaks, and a 2,000-square-foot outdoor terrace overlooking the city's skyline. The project marks a partnership with developer Riverside Investment and Development.
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Guard and Grace has built its national reputation on a formula the Charlotte location keeps intact with a prime beef program, scratch charcuterie, an extensive wine list and a cocktail program curated by Owner and Beverage Director Nikki Guard, alongside seasonal menu rotations built around regional sourcing. For Charlotte, that includes Creekstone Farms beef, North Carolina oysters and swordfish, and a country ham tasting sourced from farms in Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina.
The brand’s design approach also traveled with it. For Charlotte, Guard commissioned artist Victor Lytvinenko, co-founder of Raleigh Denim, to create tapestry artwork and room dividers using American-grown cotton selvedge denim milled at Cone Mills’ White Oak Plant in Greensboro. The design nods to the region’s textile heritage while reflecting a broader strategy of tying each Guard and Grace location to its local craft and identity rather than replicating the same design template from market to market.
"The Charlotte community has welcomed us with open arms over the past year," said Chef Troy Guard, founder and executive chef of TAG Restaurant Group. "We've met so many great people, collaborated with incredible chefs and participated in fantastic events. We can't wait to return the favor and share our Ohana with the Queen City."
Guard and Grace debuted in Denver in 2014 and expanded to Houston in 2019. The concept has since earned a spot on FSR's Top 50 Independent Restaurants list, and recognition among Tasting Table's Top 20 Steakhouses in America. Guard and Grace Charlotte will open for dinner service only from 4-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with lunch and brunch service planned to phase in over the following year. Complimentary valet is available daily, and reservations can be booked through OpenTable.
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About Chef Troy Guard
Born and raised in Hawaii, Chef Troy Guard has lived and worked across the globe, from luxury hotels in Hong Kong and Singapore to celebrated kitchens in New York, before putting down roots in Denver in 2002. He opened his first restaurant, TAG, on Larimer Square in 2009, and has since grown TAG Restaurant Group into ten locations across five concepts, including Los Chingones, Guard and Grace, HashTAG, Bubu, and Done Deal. Guard has been voted Best Chef in Denver, named one of the "Great Regional Chefs of America" by the James Beard Foundation and named Bar & Restaurant Expo's 2023 Chef of the Year.
About TAG Restaurant Group
TAG Restaurant Group (TRG) is a Denver-based restaurant collection founded by Chef Troy Guard. TRG currently operates five concepts over ten locations in the Denver metro area and Houston: Los Chingones (two locations), Guard and Grace (two locations), Bubu (two locations), Done Deal, and HashTAG (three locations). In 2019, TAG Restaurant Group made its first move out of Denver, expanding the award-winning Guard and Grace to Houston, TX. TAG Restaurant Group strives to shake up your typical dining experience by offering immersive culinary experiences that are deeply rooted in and inspired by Chef Troy's life and travels. They are crafted with genuine hospitality in mind and are never shy about producing bold, worldly flavors using local ingredients. More than the sum of their parts, TRG’s brands represent a way of life and a celebration of the unexpected. The feeling of an Ohana passionately pursuing culinary excellence is tangible.
Jacob Kingrey