Passion and precision shape Joe and Katy Kindred’s uptown Charlotte Mediterranean jewel: Albertine restaurant.

by Michael J. Solender | photographs by Justin Driscoll

There’s a fire in the kitchen when I arrive at Albertine, uptown’s polished and popular new Mediterranean fine-dining venue helmed by Joe and Katy Kindred. 

It turns out there is a fire in the kitchen every night here. A peek behind the pass into the open kitchen yields views of flames lashing upward toward meats, fish, vegetables — even babkas (more on that later). Open-fire cooking is one of the many features the Kindreds are excited to bring to Center City in their new restaurant.

Albertine is the fourth concept and sixth eatery for the Davidson-based culinary power couple. Their eponymous Kindred, the wildly successful Davidson neighborhood haunt, debuted 10 years ago. Hello, Sailor in Cornelius, a nod to Carolina fish camps, followed in 2017. Next came Milkbread, a casual café with three locations — including one adjacent to Albertine.

Left bar photo courtesy Albertine

Only one Kindred

Success begets success in the hospitality business, and the Kindreds’ foray into uptown’s fine-dining scene is a result of being recruited directly by Duke Energy to anchor its new headquarters building. The power company initially approached the couple in 2022 about opening an outpost of their flagship Davidson restaurant in the new space, Katy Kindred explains.

“Conceptually, there’s only going to be one Kindred, ever,” Katy says. “It’s the mothership, designed to tell our evolving story as a couple, and as chef (Joe) and sommelier and front-of-house manager (Katy). That will continue as we do more projects and stretch ourselves creatively.”

Instead, they created Albertine — the name is an homage to Queen Charlotte’s mother — specifically for the uptown location and the guests they expect to serve there. 

Thoughtful design features add up and make a bold statement, signaling to diners they are in for an elegant affair. Upon entry, there’s the striking herringbone wood floor and emerald green, marble-backed bar drawing guests toward the adjacent dining room. Moss-green upholstered chairs and tufted banquettes ring well-spaced tables, and the room glows warm with a coffee-, cream- and earth-toned palette. Soaring ceilings hide specially designed acoustic elements that absorb rather than reflect sound, so diners don’t have to shout to be heard. 

A broad spectrum of flavors

While many diners equate Mediterranean cuisine with Italian and Greek influences, chef Joe and chef de cuisine Mark Machanic bring the entire basin into play with spice blends, techniques and flavor profiles from northern African nations as well.  

Moroccan, Libyan and even Yemeni flair is found on this ambitious menu alongside Italian, Turkish and Greek flavors — all integrated with the Carolinas’ finest produce, proteins and seafood. 

Left: The Bohemian cocktail. Right: Rock crab with creme fraiche and persimmon

“One of the things that separates the food at Albertine versus Kindred and our other concepts is I get to cook with live fire for the first time in years,” Joe says. “There are so many different flavors that I can draw from.” 

Still, Kindred is a southern chef at heart, and this orientation shines throughout. Diners find touches like the Duke’s mayonnaise he blends with charred tuna bits in a velvety taramasalata. His razor clams with Pedro Ximinez vinegar make use of pot liquor left over from cooking dried beans or greens. The menu may stretch across continents, but it remains rooted in the South.

From chilled to grilled

Six sections comprise the main menu, beginning with chilled seafood — a favorite of the Kindreds. Poached Georgia deep-water shrimp are accompanied by a sharp and creamy black mustard toum, a Lebanese-style, garlic-forward aioli that’s chef Joe’s Mediterranean riff on southern cocktail sauce.

A baker’s dozen meze dishes tempt diners with small snacks, dips and spreads that are great as stand-alone bar food or a mix-and-match first course. The chilled, colorful crudités are accompanied by crazy-addictive sourdough man’oushe flatbread. Charred on the wood-fired grill, these crispy, flattened rounds are dusted with a confetti of pungent spices (think: a Middle Eastern everything bagel vibe) that lends a savory back note for the spreads and dips.    

Our selection included the herbaceous green schug — a Yemeni harissa-like spread with cilantro, seeded jalapeno and coriander — along with Turkish white anchovies and black-eyed pea hummus. Whipped feta with sumac and extra virgin Greek olive oil is simple, cool and tangy — a nice complement to the spicier fare. Zaalouk, a smoky Moroccan eggplant and tomato spread, is a cross between baba ganoush and a pesto, served with cool carrots and crisp cauliflower for dipping. One heartier meze is the chorizo-stuffed medjool date served with a peanut muhammara (a spicy sauce of blended peanuts and Aleppo peppers) and flecks of country ham — it combines savory, salty and spicy in each bite.

The grill section of the menu extends from hanger steak to a short rib to a game-bird mixed grill. With a healthy coating of green tahini, a meaty grilled halibut crisps up nicely on the outside while remaining moist and flaky on the inside. 

Top left: Crispy pickle-brined hot quail. Below left: Chocolate milkbread babka with a date-caramel sauce. Right: Dining room photo courtesy Albertine.

Drinks and sweets

Spicy food requires soothing libations. Wine director Danny Ike fixed me up with a spirit-free Fleur Monsieur — pineapple and lime juices, orgeat, and ginger beer that tamed the heat and was both piquant and sweet. Ike and Katy Kindred, who is a trained sommelier, have developed a sophisticated beverage program with cocktails, mocktails and a wine list that includes Italian and Iberian labels with accessible price points and a deep wine-by-the-glass program.

Then there is the babka — chocolate, milkbread babka — grilled on the hearth and served with a date-caramel sauce, Nutella, amontillado sherry and labneh ice cream. Soft, crispy, smoky and creamy, it will challenge any dessert in Charlotte to a duel — and win. 

Albertine is a fun restaurant for people-watching — there is clearly a lot of energy in the room. There’s a highly choreographed orchestra at work here, from the hosts who greet and seat guests and the aquamarine tunic-wearing servers to the kitchen team and, of course, Katy and Joe. 

It’s a restaurant the city deserves.  SP

Albertine is located at 525 S. Tryon St., Suite 125, on the first floor of Duke Energy Plaza. albertinerestaurant.com

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