The Queen City has had its fair share of diners, but one of the most famous was Gus’ Sir Beef Restaurant, which was located at 4101 Monroe Road in Charlotte, North Carolina. Gus’ Sir Beef was known for its “Fresh My Farm” vegetables. It was one of Charlotte’s oldest restaurants, which operated for 54 years before it closed in 2023.
Gus’ Sir Beef was founded by Constantine “Gus” Bacogeorge, who immigrated to the United States from Greece in 1953. The first Greek immigrants arrived in Charlotte in 1910, making up a small group of 20 people. The Greek community continued to grow as more families immigrated to the United States after World War II. Many Greek immigrants found work in kitchens and went on to start their own restaurants. Many Greeks learned to make traditional American dishes like barbecue and fried chicken. So, when they opened their own establishments, it made sense to offer dishes most Charloteanns were familiar with. Many of Charlotte’s oldest restaurants were Greek-owned or had a Greek past.
Bacogeorge worked in a number of kitchens from New York to Roanoke before deciding to settle in Charlotte. He purchased Johnny’s Grill in 1957 across the street from Gus’ Sir Beef’s most recent location on Monroe Road. Gus and his family ran Johnny’s until 1967 when a fire destroyed part of the building.
The City of Charlotte was expanding Monroe Road in 1967. So instead of rebuilding, Bacogeorge decided to open another restaurant across the street in 1968 and name it after himself, running the place with the help and support of his wife, Clara. You may wonder where “sir” comes from. Thrace Bacogeorge, son of Gus and Clara, said in a 2022 Charlotte Observer article that, “Sir is kind of a play on sirloin.” Additionally, he said, “Also being an immigrant, ‘sir’ carried a sense of respect with it. Dad wanted another word between Gus’ and Beef so people would know it was not just another steakhouse – so it became Gus’ Sir Beef.”
It was a unique eatery serving Southern dishes like collard greens, stewed apples, beef tips and rice, fried chicken, and their famous fried yellow squash. Gus prided himself on serving healthier options of Southern staples, he never used grease or MSG. In 1972, Gus purchased 18 acres of land on Hargett Road and started his own farm, growing squash, okra, and five kinds of greens. Gus had one rule for his restaurant: only fresh vegetables.
Vegetables served were seasonal and the menu even had a code for vegetable sources: “Fresh My Farm” meant it was grown at Gus’s farm, “local fresh” sourced from another local farm, and “farm fresh” meant it came from a non-local farm typically in South Carolina.
Gus’ Sir Beef saw its fair share of famous patrons, like WWF/E wrestling stars like Dusty Rhodes, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat, and Andre the Giant. Elizabeth Taylor ate there with her seventh husband while she was in Charlotte to promote her White Diamonds perfume at Carolina Place. Even Jim Bakker held the first meeting of his infamous PTL club at Gus’.
Gus Bacogeorge ran and operated the restaurant until 2000, when his son Thrace Bacogeorge took over. Thrace ran Gus’ Sir Beef until 2023 when the restaurant closed due to the financial strain of the COVID-19 and damage to the roof and other building repairs.
Gus’ Sir Beef was a staple in the Charlotte community and was the City’s first farm–to–table restaurant. Some people were downright angry about the restaurant closing, one Instagram user had this to say, “another L for Charlotte. All the local staples are gone, all the locals can’t afford to live there and no one seems to see the problem. Enjoy another brewery.” The community also fondly remembers Gus’. David Weber wrote on The Charlotte Observer’s Instagram post that he “first went there in the late 70s when he met George Bacogeroge in Jr. High. Got to know the family well over the years. Thanks for the great meals and memories Thrace, George (and of course, Gus)!”
