Our story
About Funkheizers
From a breakfast spot called Fresh Egg to Lake Norman's favorite all-day dining destination — built on great food, upscale service, and casual dining prices.
How it started
From Fresh Egg to Funkheizers
Funkheizers started as Fresh Egg, a breakfast concept the Lake Norman community loved. When new owners took over, they kept what worked and set out to build something bigger: a true all-day dining destination with a serious dinner menu.
Mel Funk and Kelly Heizer developed this concept from over 80 total years of restaurant experience with fine dining, casual dining, and breakfast restaurants. Funkheizer's is built to produce a high quality product in both food and service, keeping in mind the quality atmosphere and value for the food and service provided. We also have full-service catering capable of feeding up to 5,000 people or more with the same quality food and service as our restaurants.
Today, dinner is the heart of Funkheizers. Hand-cut steaks, snow crab legs, fresh fish and seafood, fresh pastas, and crisp salads come out of our kitchens every evening, alongside fine wines, beer, and libations for a proper night out. It's the kind of meal you'd expect from a white-tablecloth steakhouse, without the white tablecloth — or the bill.
That's the idea we run on: upscale service at casual dining prices. A welcoming room, servers who know the menu, and quality food for the whole Lake Norman area — whether you're in for eggs at noon, dinner and drinks, or a full-service catered event.
Our Mission
The journey is the destination
When you realize that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow isn’t the real prize, you begin to understand that the journey is what truly matters.
Like The Wizard of Oz, it was never really about the wizard — it was about the journey down the Yellow Brick Road. The people we meet, the challenges we overcome, the lessons we learn, and the experiences we create along the way.
At FunkHeizer’s, the journey is the destination.
The goals we set, the opportunity to coach and develop our staff, the privilege of serving our guests at the highest level, and the creativity that goes into making food we are proud to serve — that is the journey we have chosen.
We are building something together. We are building careers, creating a living for our families, developing people, and creating experiences for our guests. Every day, we are building our own Yellow Brick Road.
Some people follow a road that was built before them. We are building the road for those who come next.
We are different because we care — about our guests, our people, and our communities. Our goal is to leave each of them better than we found them.
FunkHeizer’s Restaurant & Catering Company
Building the road together.
The crew
Meet the team
Linda Kelly
General Manager
Linda brings more than a decade of restaurant management experience and a genuine passion for hospitality to the team. She loves creating an environment where guests feel welcome, employees feel supported, and great service comes naturally. Linda brings a people-first approach to leadership and believes the best restaurants are built on strong relationships, teamwork, and a little bit of fun.
Amanda Adams
General Manager
With nearly 20 years in the restaurant and service industry, I've built my career around leadership, hospitality, and — most importantly — people! I love creating great guest experiences, building strong and knowledgeable teams, and bringing good energy to the everyday routine of our restaurants. With a focus on teamwork and taking pride in what we do, I'm excited to continue bringing that passion to the FunkHeizer's team and to be a part of helping us grow and succeed!
Kaleb McCarty
Service Manager
I've been in the restaurant industry for four years, working my way up from server to shift lead, and now service manager. My favorite part of what I do is meeting new guests, building relationships with our regulars, and making sure everyone feels special every time they walk into FunkHeizer's. I love being part of a team that feels like family and creating an experience that keeps our guests coming back!
Jeannette Kelley
Catering Manager
With over 10 years of restaurant management experience, 6 years of wedding and event planning experience, and 2 years in catering throughout the Charlotte and Lake Norman areas, I bring a passion for exceptional service and delicious food to every occasion. I specialize in creating memorable catering experiences, from weddings and special events to custom charcuterie boards and grazing tables designed for any celebration.
Kim Howell
Service Manager
With over 25 years of experience in the restaurant industry, from Kitchen Manager to Service Manager, I've built my career around leadership, teamwork, and taking care of people. I'm always willing to jump in wherever I'm needed to get the job done. I truly enjoy creating a welcoming atmosphere and making sure every guest has a great dining experience.
Taylor Paulson
Service Manager
With 3 years of restaurant experience, I've grown from server to shift lead to service manager, developing a passion for creating relationships with our guests and taking care of our regulars. I've also enjoyed working catering events, especially weddings and special occasions. I'm currently expanding my skills by learning to bartend and look forward to continuing to grow my knowledge and career with the FunkHeizer's family. Outside of work, I am family-oriented, love spending time with my animals and enjoy going out and making memories!
Kacie McGuire Scott
Catering Manager
With almost 18 years in the restaurant industry, Kacie has worked in every position from the front of house to the back of house. She spent 6 years as a General Manager with the company and is now the catering manager for the Hickory, Statesville, & Conover markets. She's passionate about hospitality, leadership, and creating memorable experiences for every guest and event.
Charlie Marshall
General Manager/Partner
I'm a passionate restaurant professional and General Manager/partner with over 10 years of leadership experience in the restaurant industry. Hospitality has always been more than just a job to me - it's what I love to do. I take great pride in consistency, both in the quality of our food and the level of service we provide. For me, it's all about creating a warm, welcoming, & fun environment, great experiences, building relationships, and making sure every guest leaves with a smile and wanting to come back again and again.
Rob Kelley
District Manager
Rob has been operating restaurants in the local Charlotte / North Charlotte market for over 10 years, with a passion and focus on delivering great guest service and top-notch cuisine, as well as creating a desirable place of employment.
Kelly Heizer
Owner
Kelly has been an owner/operator in the Charlotte market for nearly 15 years, and a restaurateur for 42 years. Kelly's passion has been to create an upscale atmosphere with the highest quality food and beverage, and service that exceeds that of the competition, all while maintaining a reasonable price point.
Mel & Martha Funk
Owner
Mel Funk has been an owner/operator in the Charlotte market for nearly 15 years, and a restaurateur for over 40 years. Mel's passion has been to create an upscale atmosphere with the highest quality food and beverage, and service that exceeds that of the competition, all while maintaining a reasonable price point.
Guest Love
What our guests are saying
“Customer service was great! Food was good! Prices were reasonable.”
Cassidy D.
Customer review
“Such amazing service, the food was the best food we had on our entire trip this direction. Such a random Google find but it was so worth it! Amanda was the GM and she was incredible. So kind and helpful and everyone was constantly working.”
Amanda S.
Customer review
“I ate breakfast here yesterday and today I ate lunch. It was delicious! The service both times was great. The food was exceptional. The people here are so nice. I plan to come back regularly.”
Kitty P.
Customer review