Former ghost kitchen known for its Chinese street food opens first restaurant in Lower South End

Sun's Kitchen, a locally-owned restaurant specializing in traditional Chinese cuisine, has opened its first full-service restaurant in Lower South End.

Why it matters: Located at The Platform at LoSo , the restaurant marks Sun's Kitchen's transition from a ghost kitchen to a dine-in venue.

---

Flashback: Sun's Kitchen first opened in 2020 out of Wesley Heights commercial kitchen City Kitch . It built a strong following through just takeout and delivery only.

• In April, Sun's opened its Lower South End restaurant.

Sun's Kitchen's restaurant at The Platform sits along the Rail Trail and where South End and Lower South End connect. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Sun's is owned by Brian Sun and his wife Mandy Kuang, who leads the kitchen as head chef.

• Sun previously worked as a product designer in Charlotte before transitioning into the food industry.

What to expect: A range of classic Chinese dishes from different regions, from Beijing in the north to Sichuan in the southwest, with an emphasis on street food and homestyle recipes.

• "Our menu is what Chinese people actually eat at home every day," said Sun, who was born and raised in Beijing.
• In other words, you won't find Americanized Chinese dishes like Sesame Chicken or General Tso's Chicken on the menu.

A spread of popular dishes at Sun's from L to R: Dim sum flight, dumpling flight, Dan Dan noodles, braised beef noodle soup, lamb skewers and skewer flight. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Dig in: I sat down with Sun, who shared the history behind several of the restaurant's most frequently-ordered items, including:

• Lamb Skewers : One of China's most popular street foods. You can order them à la carte or in a skewer flight with fish cakes, broccoli, beef, tofu and mini sausages.
• Dumplings : A northern China staple. Sun and his wife make theirs from scratch daily and offer a colorful dumpling flight with five different flavors.
• Ja Jang Noodle : A favorite noodle dish from Beijing that Sun's Kitchen makes from a generations-old family recipe.
• Ma-La : A distinctive flavor profile in Sichuan cuisine that blends numbing and spicy sensations. The Ma-La wontons, for example, deliver a numbing effect from Chinese peppercorns, followed by a burst of heat from dried chilis.

The dumpling flight includes five colored dumplings each with a different flavor. Green (veggie), orange (beef and carrot), pink (chicken and mushroom), white (pork and chive) and purple (shrimp and chicken ) Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios The menu has a few unique treats, like the "Sai Do Si"—a Hong Kong breakfast favorite similar to French Toast. It's a deep-fried bread filled with peanut butter and topped with condensed milk. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

The vibe: Sun says he designed the space to look like a traditional Chinese garden, inspired by the region of Shanghai.

• Sun's father, who is an artist, drew all of the artwork hanging in the restaurant.

The kitchen's circular entry, for example, is designed after a moon gate, a common pedestrian entry way in Chinese gardens. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios Sun says finding the right location for their restaurant took time because the feng shui had to be just right. "We believe it brings us good luck." Photos: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

What's next: The restaurant plans to introduce spiked versions of its flavored jasmine teas within the coming weeks.

Stop by: Sun's Kitchen is at 3216 South Blvd , on the bottom floor of The Platform, near Seaboard Brewing .

• Open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-2:30pm for lunch and 4-9pm for dinner.

Sun's has a parking lot adjacent to the building and is within walking distance from the New Bern and Scaleybark Light Rail stations. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Go deeper: The most anticipated new restaurants and bars in Charlotte