When you taste our food, you’ll come to appreciate the experience of the chefs behind it.
Here at Citrus the Diner, we take a great deal of pride in our food. We wanted to create a restaurant that could cater to those in the Lake Norman, North Carolina area, including Denver, Mooresville, Terrell, Sherrills Ford, and Huntersville, who are looking for something fresh, flavorful, unprocessed and delicious. Staying true to his roots, our founder opened up his diner and started offering breakfast and lunch options that no one could turn down, and we would love to open our doors to you!
Blake Dewey
Blake Dewey was born and raised in Western New York, where he received his B.S. degree from Niagara University’s school of Hospitality Management. Shortly after, he studied at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America where he graduated with High Honors. Dewey moved to Charlotte in 1992 where he served 18 years as Executive Chef and Partner at the Pewter Rose Bistro, Charlotte’s premier, eclectic restaurant of the time. For the last 15 years, he has lived just down the road in Iron Station with his partner and cats. Dewey states, “I’ve always been impressed with the friendliness of our neighbors and the people I meet here in Denver. For years, my family and I have enjoyed breakfast at many of the local diners, but I always thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could get something a bit more ‘out of the box’ than the local eateries offer?’ We wanted to offer our neighbors a place to enjoy a Sunday Brunch experience every day of the week. Fresh, fun, a bit funky and a lot delicious was our goal and I think we nailed it!”
Natty Berridge
Michael “Natty” Berridge was born in California and moved to Mooresville at the age of 14. With an interest in history and politics, he acquired a degree in criminal justice in 1996. Soon after, he opened his own pizzeria at 24 years of age. Chef “Natty” joined Pomodoro’s Italian American Restaurant in 2008. In 2016, he joined the business as an owner and now has daily, hands-on management of both Pomodoro’s locations as well as Citrus, the Diner. He continues to live in Mooresville with his wife, who teaches 5th grade at Cabarrus Charter Academy, his daughter and two pooches. He notes, “Citrus has been a natural extension of our commitment to serve only fresh, wholesome ingredients, carefully prepared and served with pride.”
