Colleen Curran
Living Editor
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Bolo’s Eatery is now open in Manchester, serving fried chicken, oysters and craft beer.
This is the 10th restaurant from the Lindsey Food Group, owners of Lillie Pearl, ML Steak and Buttermilk + Honey, among others.
Mike Lindsey and his wife Michelle Love-Lindsey said they’ve had their eye on the former Dogtown Brewery spot at 1209 Hull St. and when it became available for lease, they jumped on it.
The new spot is casual and open with a wraparound bar, seating for 134 and a rooftop bar with 360-degree views of the neighborhood.
More importantly, Bolo’s Eatery will be the spot to get Mike Lindsey’s famous fried chicken. He’s perfected the boneless, fried chicken sandwich at Buttermilk + Honey, but he’s been looking for a concept to feature his bone-in, fried chicken, and now he found it with Bolo’s Eatery.
Bolo’s is named after Lindsey’s father, Walter “Bolo” Lindsey, who loves fried chicken and eats it three or four times a week. “He’s been driving me crazy, wanting me to do fried chicken. But I want to do it right,” Lindsey said.
Lindsey’s fried chicken is wet-brined for 24 hours, then tossed in seasoned flour, fried and dipped in Memphis sweet heat or Nashville hot. Prices run $14 for two pieces with one side dish and griddled cornbread and $25 for half a bird with two sides and cornbread. Sides include mac and cheese, collard greens, truffle fries and potato salad.
Dogtown Brewery was already outfitted with an oyster bar that the Lindsey’s will be filling with oysters from Virginia’s Shooting Point and Blackberry.
“Back home, in North Carolina, we’d keep it simple. We’d all sit at the table together, shuck oysters, eat them fresh with hot sauce and lemon,” Lindsey said.
At Bolo’s, oysters will be served raw ($15-$30) with Alabama white sauce, house hot sauce and fried saltines, flame broiled ($17-$32) or served Blackwell style with creamed collards, slab bacon and garlic breadcrumbs ($18-$33).
There won’t be any fried chicken sandwiches on the menu. Instead, the focus is on burgers in the style of the Lindsey’s Bully Burger ($14-$16), shrimp and oyster po boys ($17), and a fried fish sandwich, that’s an upscale take on McDonald’s filet o’fish with beer battered cod, melty American cheese and extra tartar sauce ($16).
As well as chicken and waffles ($15) on a hot honey cornbread waffle, chicken tenders ($12) and main dishes such as shrimp & grits ($25), crab cakes ($35) and steak frites ($32).
Nathan Hughes with Sperity Real Estate Ventures represented Bolo’s in the lease.
Quiet closures
While Bolo’s is a new addition for the Lindsey’s, the couple has temporarily closed two of their restaurants over the past year.
ML Steak at Chesterfield Towne Center closed in June and sister restaurant Kali Love closed in December. Love-Lindsey said they’re trying to work out new lease agreements, but both restaurants have now been shuttered for months. The second Farm + Oak that was planned for Chesterfield Towne Center has also been paused. The mall was listed for sale last year and is still seeking a buyer.
In the spring, Javier and Nathalie Cordero took over operations at Ram’s House, the VCU-themed sports bar owned by the Lindsey’s at 2035 W. Broad St.
The couple said they were looking to “slow down” and focus more on investments.
Craft beer from Brainstorm Brewhouse
The Lindsey’s teamed up with Blackwell Brainstorm Brewhouse to provide the craft beer, which will be brewed on site.
Brainstorm Brewhouse opened last year in Scott’s Addition’s Black Heath Meadery from beer industry veterans Darryl Puller and CM Bryant.
Brainstorm will be expanding from a three-barrel system to a five-times larger facility, featuring eight bright tanks, nine fermenters, and 15 barrel fermenters. The brewery aims to produce all beer sold on-site, including 16-ounce cans and bottles, and plans to use many of Bolo’s 20 taps for its various styles, including stouts, lagers, and hazy IPAs.
As for pairing with the fried chicken, Puller said, “The lagers, some of the Czech pilsners and the German pilsners, are going to be fantastic with fried chicken. And I’m excited for Mike to put some of the beer in the batter.”
There will also be cider and seltzers on tap, as well as a full cocktail program.
The rooftop is a stunner, with a full wraparound bar and 360-degree views of Manchester. Guests take an elevator to the top and seat themselves. Make sure to bring your sunglasses, it’s bright up there, or you can even purchase some sunnies on site.
Bolo’s is also aiming to have live music and jazz on select nights.
“This whole block is about to come alive,” Love-Lindsey said of the main strip of Hull Street in Manchester.
Several restaurants are in the works, including Sassy’s biscuits, a brunch spot in the former Butter Bean spot, and Scharolina’s custom cakes, which is now open at 1213 Hull Street. Dress Blue BBQ is also a permanent pop-up that serves ribs, BBQ and turkey legs across the street.
“We’re so excited for this block to come alive and everything is Black-owned, which I think is also great for the community,” Love-Lindsey said.