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From their wicker chairs and white tables to the huge windows that showcase the marina and illuminate the restaurant in gold at just the right hour, Hello Sailor is not to be missed. One of Charlotte’s sexiest restaurants is serving innovative and beautifully presented American cuisine. The restaurant is decorated with gorgeous interior with wooden panels, intricate flower displays and lights that decorate the ceilings, and a lovely commissioned mural that color the crips, white walls. The next time you’re brewery-hopping in South End, shopping for art in NoDa, taking a walking tour of the historic homes in Dilworth, or hitting the museums in Uptown, use this guide to find all the best places to eat in Charlotte. Uptown Charlotte stretches across just over two square miles and towers with hotels, office and apartment buildings, museums and, yes, restaurants. Here are 17 essential (and local) places to peruse, ranging from upscale to low-key.
Green's Lunch
It’s the kind of thoughtful Mexican cuisine that’s taken a while to find a home in Charlotte. Yes, there are classic tacos, but there are short ribs in green tomatillo broth, tamarind-glazed fish, and mole, too. When Kindred first opened in Davidson in 2015, the cult-favorite dish was milk bread — pans of golden rolls based on a Japanese baking technique. It was such a hit, it became the inspiration for the Kindreds’ breakfast and brunch cafe, Milkbread, first in Davidson and now at their stylish reimagining of the classic Central Avenue Dairy Queen in Plaza Midwood. Customers can sit down at the Davidson location, while the Plaza Midwood spot is a walk-up counter with limited outdoor seating.
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The best spot to sit at this wine bar is by the koi pond on the walled patio that makes us feel like we’re in The Secret Garden, minus the pale Victorian child. Let the staff help you through the extensive wine list, which has the best selection of Croatian bottles in the city, while you share a build-your-own cheese or charcuterie board. If you’re having a surprisingly good time with your coworker, stick around and order a couple bigger plates, like a delicious beet salad or a flatbread with prosciutto, brie, and apricot jam. Taqueria Mal Pan’s tortillas make it stand out from other Mexican spots in town. They’re made fresh, and include a sweeter and nuttier blue-corn variety that’s a perfect pairing with their excellent cochinita pibil.
Union Barbecue
Best heated rooftop bars and restaurants around Charlotte to check out this fall and winter - Charlotte Observer
Best heated rooftop bars and restaurants around Charlotte to check out this fall and winter.
Posted: Wed, 18 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Living Kitchen reminds us of an upscale New York apartment with its natural lighting, glowing exposed lamp fixtures and brick walls. Living Kitchen is also completely vegan and organic, with a menu full of delicious and healthy dishes and desserts. To publish, simply grab the HTML code or text to the left and paste intoyour CMS.
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We understand that time is the greatest luxury, which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal, a drink, or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world. Dining brands in the U.S. have a long and storied history—and whether they're fast food, fast-casual, high-end, or super cheap, U.S. restaurants offer something for almost everyone. What is it about Philadelphia’s favorite sandwich that drives Charlotte so wild? It’s a walk-up counter with limited outdoor seating, and fans stand in long lines to grab a classic version of a Philly. Hello Sailor is Cornelius’ cutest restaurant, and we’d highly recommend heading there to give this water-front restaurant a try.
Essential Restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina
Richly spiced stews, warm incense, and East African art make this Eastside spot feel like walking into a well-kempt home. Diners use their hands as well as rolls of the soft-as-lace flatbread injera to scoop and dip into dishes like crispy bits of beef tibs, or stewed chicken doro wat made with spiced butter, onion, and whole boiled eggs. An Ethiopian coffee ceremony perfumes the air as fresh coffee beans are roasted and poured tableside as an after-dinner treat. Charlotte’s roster of Italian eateries continues to expand, proving the city’s robust appetite for pizza and pasta isn’t going anywhere.
Fin & Fino is a spot in Uptown that serves incredible stuff from the ocean. They label themselves as a “social seafood house,” which, unlike most marketing slogans, is actually pretty accurate. The space is large and has plenty of room for your entire extended family or your lawn bowling team.
Stacker compiled a list of the highest rated restaurants in Charlotte that are listed as "fine dining" on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Locals are sure to see some favorite eateries and classic go-to restaurants. Keep reading to see if your favorite restaurant made the list—and to see which spots you haven't been to yet. When Plaza Midwood brewery Resident Culture expanded to a cavernous space in South End, it found space for chef Hector González-Mora, whose breakfast taqueria had already attracted a following. González-Mora has thrived, and now El Toro Bruto has a full menu, from breakfast to lunch to dinner.
#7. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
The soul roll egg rolls kick with black-eyed peas, rice, and collard greens. Locals reading the list will surely see some favorite eateries and classic go-to restaurants. With the advent of Big Data, it's now easier than ever to quantify what people like around the globe. American dining brands have a long and storied history, and whether they're fast food, fast-casual, high-end, or super cheap, U.S. restaurants offer something for almost everyone.
Like a proud curtain call, the Big Deborah, a fresh-baked and double-the-size take on a Little Debbie’s oatmeal cream pie, nostalgically closes out the meal. Tracking down the smoked meat served in to-go pizza boxes at Union Barbecue is worth the effort — like an oh-so-satisfying game of hard-to-get. Is there a regional cuisine that restaurateur Frank Scibelli hasn’t put his finger in?
Little Mama in SouthPark is his upscale sequel to the ever-popular Mama Ricotta’s. Owner Dan Nguyen and her family-run Vietnamese restaurant are so beloved in Charlotte that regulars started a fundraising campaign to keep the place open through the pandemic. The menu at lunch and dinner still has more than 130 items, and Nguyen still uncannily remembers what customers like when they come back.
Plan to spend a little bit of time at this wide open, one-stop shop for wines, cheeses, coffees and counter-service dining options. Get a cappuccino at Not Just Coffee, artisanal Italian foods at Zia Pia Imports, an acai bowl at Rico’s Acai, a freshly baked pizza by Pure Pizza, a raw juice from Viva Raw — the list goes on. The small team and secret tasting menu at Kappo En, in the back of Menya, respect the tradition and elegance of a guided omakase, prioritizing an intentional dining experience over a trendy and flashy night out. For a pre-paid $185 per person, diners will be presented courses with ingredients straight from Japanese markets, and a catalog of sake and wine, with an option for beverage pairing. The experience is opened up with umami-dominant small appetizers, then a parade of prized Edomae-style nigiri, followed by a few standout cooked meats, from eel to wagyu, and concluded with an earthy dessert, like a matcha mochi. The counter-style dining area is so intimate that diners, witnessing the precise dance of an open kitchen, may feel like they’re in an artist’s private studio.
Alongside a small, specialty wine and beer list for sipping, there’s a classy Earl Grey take on an Old Fashioned, a banana-infused rum cocktail, and a salted, citrusy tequila drink, just to name a few. But if $300 for a 16-course tasting (or $150 for 10 courses at lunch) is a bit rich, consider Omakase’s little sister in Ballantyne. It’s small and classic, with a full offering of rolls, nigiri, and sashimi, plus a great list of sakes. As seen on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, the traditional soul food and Gullah-inspired dishes fall in step with the bright, jazzy hand-painted decor.
Coquette, a French buvette by the team behind neighboring Mariposa, is a quiet patisserie by day and a buzzy dinner service/wine bar by night. It’s convenient (minus Uptown parking) in its walkability to popular uptown Charlotte event spaces and offices, and in its open-all-day hours, with caneles and tea at the ready. The white negroni with Lillet Blanc or a classic French 75 sips well with the minerally Prince Edward Island oysters, and balances the richness of the duck fat fried chicken and coq au vin.
Sister is a French and Greek-inspired American restaurant with a beautiful interior to match its stunning dishes. Not only do they have an elegant striped and stone design, but they’ve got a Liquor Lounge and a Rooftop Terrace as well. Another Elizabeth favorite, Crunkleton focuses on live fire cooking and their deep love of cocktails. Inside, you can marvel at their impressive bar and liquor wall, or take your cocktails outside to the patio for an elegant seat to escape the summer heat.
And even though you might have other responsibilities, you should still pair it with an off-menu spicy margarita that uses muddled rocoto chili peppers. This spot sits on a corner in one of Charlotte’s most walkable neighborhoods, which means it’s always buzzing, and you should definitely make a reservation. Andrew Schools and Larry Suggs have infused their veteran bartending expertise into a new moody bar in Villa Heights.
