1969 ad
The Meadowview Steak House opened in 1964 on Hwy 74 (Independence Blvd) in the town of Matthews. At the time, the restaurant was about 5 miles east of Charlotte in a rural area of the county. The restaurant was owned by George and Denise Athans and later was run by their son, Tom. When the Meadowview opened, it joined an ever- growing list of 1960's high-end steakhouses that were opening across the Charlotte area.
Little changed over the 40 year life of the Meadowview. The dining room was formal, but simple. Chandeliers and table lamps offered dim lighting. Servers wore crisp white shirts, burgundy bow ties, and black vests. The interior featured gold-buttoned booths and cream wall coverings with framed landscape paintings. The food was always the star attraction. Ruffled chips served with onion dip were always brought to each table at the start of each meal. Of all of the many steak options, the ribeye steak was the Meadowview's claim to fame. Always popular was the unique in-house seasoning applied to all steaks--"a la Grecque" was a mixture of garlic, oregano, and special Greek spices. In addition to the extensive menu of steaks, chops, seafood, and kabobs, the homemade desserts were legendary. The Chocolate Fantasy (Denise's own creation) topped an Oreo crust with chocolate-Amaretto-Grand Marnier-Kahlua-cream cheese layers.
The Meadowview would close in the Fall of 2004. While the area surrounding the restaurant was continually growing and changing (even to the extent of the Meadowview moving to a new building next-door in 1991 to allow for the widening of Hwy 74), the Meadowview next lost its charm or uniqueness that allowed it to flourish for so many decades.
The Athans Family created a restaurant experience with traditional service and outstanding meals. When they retired from the business, the magic of Meadowview was lost. It will remain in my memory as one of the great places I had the pleasure to dine.
ReplyDelete