South 21Matthews, NC Order online

Tue–Sat · 11 AM until 9 PM

Super Boys, onion rings, red booths.

A family-run diner on East Independence Blvd. Fried chicken, burgers and plates, cooked the way the Copsis family has done it since 1955.

Order online Call 704-844-1004

11450 E Independence Blvd, Matthews · Map

The South 21 dining room: red vinyl booths, black and white checkerboard floor and a wall mural of classic cars.
The Matthews dining room
Dining room, drive-thru and counter to-go Family chicken meals to go, Tuesday through Saturday
Classic cars parked in front of a long wall mural with panels reading Super Boy, Chicken and Steak.
Quality food, excellent service, fair prices.
The three rules the brothers started with
Three smiling men in suits standing together, from the family’s photo archive.

Our story

Named for a road sign.

In the early 1950s, brothers Sam, Nick and George Copsis came to America from Greece. They didn’t know English. They knew hard work, and they had three rules: quality food, excellent service, fair prices.

They picked a spot on South Boulevard in Charlotte. Across the street, a sign read “Highway 21 South.” That was the name.

  • 1955South 21 opens on South Boulevard, seven days a week.
  • 1959A second location opens on Independence Boulevard in Charlotte. A founding brother’s daughter and son-in-law still run it.
  • 2006In May, a founding brother’s son and a family friend open South 21 Matthews, same tradition.
Red booths and tables on a checkerboard floor, framed pictures along the white wall.
Booths
The South 21 building from the parking lot, with its red metal roof and 21 signs.
Red roof
South 21 Matthews logo showing the building and five classic cars, with the address and phone number.
Since 2006

Not coming in? We’ll pack it.

Order online Uber Eats

Directions

Find the red roof on US-74.

Every route ends the same way: U-turn at Matthews Mint Hill Rd, and we’re on the right.

From Monroe and Indian Trail

  1. Take US-74 W.
  2. U-turn at Matthews Mint Hill Rd onto E Independence Blvd / US-74 E.
  3. South 21 is on the right.

From north Charlotte, Cabarrus and Rowan

  1. Take I-85 South Charlotte, then merge onto I-485 S past Concord Mills.
  2. Merge onto E Independence Blvd / US-74 W via exit 51A toward Charlotte.
  3. U-turn at Matthews Mint Hill Rd onto US-74 E. South 21 is on the right.

From south Charlotte and Gastonia

  1. Take I-85 North Charlotte to exit 36, NC-16 / Brookshire Blvd.
  2. Merge onto NC-16 S, then US-74 E via exit 2B on the left, toward NC-27 E / Independence Blvd.
  3. South 21 is on the right.

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Hours & contact

Tuesday to Saturday.

11450 East Independence Blvd.
Matthews, NC 28105 Get directions
704-844-1004
MondayClosed
Tuesday11 AM – 9 PM
Wednesday11 AM – 9 PM
Thursday11 AM – 9 PM
Friday11 AM – 9:30 PM
Saturday11 AM – 9:30 PM
SundayClosed

Dining room, drive-thru and counter to-go. Last orders at 8:50 PM Tuesday to Thursday, 9:20 PM Friday and Saturday.

Now hiring. Experienced cashiers for lunch and/or dinner shifts, plus part-time front of house and kitchen. Apply in person.

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