Dine & Cook | Alternative food journalism

Chef Emeril Lagasse is moving into the Queen City.

The celebrity chef announced late last week that he will be opening a new restaurant called "e2 Emeril's Eatery" in Charlotte, NC.

The announcement confirms several rumors that have been circulating across the city since construction began on a space near the city's new downtown Mint Museum.

"With a thriving dining scene, my alma mater Johnson & Wales, the nearby universities and Charlotte's great cultural and arts community, I feel right at home here," said Chef Lagasse. "We're creating a comfortable, fun, neighborhood eatery that serves great food and drink at an affordable price." 

E2 will reportedly feature an eclectic menu based on American classics.  The menu will include dishes inspired by Chef Lagasse's travels around the world but will also feature his unique New Orleans style of cooking.  Being the South, the menu will also include dishes unique to the Charlotte region.

This will be Chef Lagasse's 13th operating restaurant.  He already is chef-proprietor of three in New Orleans, four in Las Vegas, two in Orlando, and three in Bethlehem, Pa.

"e2 Emeril's Eatery" is expected to be open in early 2012.