Thursday, May 2, 2024

12 Best Lunch Restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina

great restaurants in charlotte nc

Andrew Schools and Larry Suggs have infused their veteran bartending expertise into a new moody bar in Villa Heights. And somehow, the eight shooters on the menu transform shots into expertly crafted, socially acceptable, even classy drinks at this intimate bar. It’s a walk-in only spot with a limit of six people per party — a choice that reflects a dedication to focused table service and a come-as-you-are neighborhood feel. Enjoy the tucked-away pool table that lives in the back, maybe on Amaro Mondays. 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.

Brooks’ Sandwich House

Order the Mind Your Own Beeswax or a Happy Go Lucky Punch if you’re feeling festive. Supperland is located in a restored, midcentury church in Plaza Midwood, where you’ll find tables in place of pews and a kitchen in place of a pulpit. Kick things off with baked brie bites, hot onion dip, or a seafood tower so tall it might be the closest anything from the ocean has ever been to God.

The Best Restaurants In Raleigh, North Carolina

Gonzales-Mora’s Noche Bruta is a new Camp North End gem, taking over Hex’s sweeping space Thursday through Saturday evenings for a slightly fancier sit-down service. At reasonable prices, the hyper-limited menu still gets to a bit of everything — the flautas drenched in a salsa verde, the ribeye tacos, and a can’t-miss miso caramel churro. The crispy pork katsu sandwich marries Japanese, Hawaiian, and Mexican flavors between pillowy shokupan. Is there a regional cuisine that restaurateur Frank Scibelli hasn’t put his finger in?

Mano Bella Artisan Foods

Sure, this town has technically existed since 1768, but we weren’t invited to sit at the Big City table until the early 2000s. That might explain why Charlotte doesn’t really have that one tangible dish. What’s our version of the juicy lucy in Minneapolis, the half-smoke in DC, or hot chicken in Nashville? Lorem Ipsum is, in a way, a hotel bar, but it’s cooler with Justin Hazelton at the helm, cozier with moody candlelight, and with much, much better music. That’s the main part of this bar’s identity — listening to rotating music offerings over the specialized sound design system, with paired visuals projected onto the wall. 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.

Sign up for our email to enjoy your city without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush). From Southern staples to Ethiopian and sushi, there’s a little bit of everything in the Queen City.

SOUTHPARK

Led by Chef Robin Anthony, who also holds the title of owner and Certified Sake Adviser, the Ballantyne destination serves up Edomae-style sushi. No matter what you order—be sure to try the black truffle salmon, though—the self-taught chef will ensure you enjoy a top-tier meal, often topped with his signature edible flowers, grown by a local farmer in Charlotte. The bread at this tiny order-at-the-window restaurant is so damn good, they named the whole restaurant after it. They use Japanese white bread dough to make puffy donuts and cinnamon rolls that people line up for, especially on weekend mornings. The restaurant has only a handful of outdoor tables, so be prepared to either wait for one or make your own seat on the curb. In a lot of ways, Charlotte is still a teenager trying to figure out who it’s going to be.

This uptown restaurant is just swanky enough, with black leather seats and faux cherry blossom branches hanging from the ceiling. T Breakfast, which turns the table into a breakfast buffet of fried chicken, bacon, eggs, donuts, biscuits, and jams. Highly sought-after food truck El Veneno has a permanent setup at Birdsong Brewing for Sunday brunch. The breakfast tacos are unlike any other, with scorched, spiced meats hugged by corn tortillas. Two killer breakfast options include the soft conchas enveloping barbacoa cheese, creamy avocado, and scrambled eggs, and the specialty sourdough jalapeno bagels with fried eggs, queso, and bacon.

great restaurants in charlotte nc

The rise, fall and rebrand of Heirloom, once one of Charlotte's best restaurants - Axios

The rise, fall and rebrand of Heirloom, once one of Charlotte's best restaurants.

Posted: Wed, 06 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

In his spot within the Mint Museum Uptown, Executive Chef Jonathan Moore plates dishes as pretty as the art on the walls nearby. The menu takes on dishes from across the globe, like Pulled Duck Arepas, Pork Belly Bulgogi lettuce wraps and a Gullah Paella from right here on the Carolina coast. There’s a walk-up window for those in a hurry and a little outdoor seating, but there’s usually no trouble finding a seat inside the Good Wurst. You can’t go wrong with a menu that stretches from bagels to Reubens to a deep pocket of “wursts” — dogs and brats.

great restaurants in charlotte nc

Mert's Heart And Soul

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 better success story than WTF’s move from food truck to restaurant? Greg Williams and Jamie Barnes have turned fast food on its head, with creative takes like lobster mac and cheese fries, housemade tater tots, and burgers. Throw in a few treats like sweet potato bread pudding and a crazy list of milkshakes, including turmeric-tinged Golden Milk, and their signature “yum yum sauce” takes on a new meaning. Drop in for a hot cup of coffee or a bite to eat at this whimsical space (counter service makes it snappy).

Plus, you really can’t go wrong with a side of guacamole or choriqueso with fried corn tortilla chips. The Flanken is beef short ribs topped with horseradish gremolata at Supperland. Click on the restaurant names to learn more, with our own dives linked, where applicable. 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.

The modern rooftop restaurant opened in March 2023 with a full-service bar and a robust menu featuring sushi, sashimi, and a variety of original takes on bar food. If you were dropped blindly into Sweet Lew’s, you’d think you were in a small-town BBQ joint, not a restaurant in North Carolina’s largest urban city. The place is small and humble, with Coca-Cola, Cheerwine, and RC Cola memorabilia on the walls alongside vintage photos from when the building used to be a Texaco service station. Order the Sweet Lew Sampler at the counter from a menu scrawled on a chalkboard.

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. Plus, its sweet spot is shareable plates, like fish boards, plates of scallops, and Faroe Island salmon that comes with capers, lemon, and beurre blanc. They also have a great raw bar, which serves no fewer than 12 types of oysters at a time.

Read on for our picks for the best restaurants in Charlotte, and start planning ahead. Even though Charlotte isn’t a coastal city, it’s only 175 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. Because restaurants here have prime access to fresh, local, and sustainable seafood. The large restaurant gets busy and chatty, but that won’t keep other people from staring in envy as a waiter passes by with your seafood skyscraper.

Tucked into an old pharmacy building near Eastway Drive, it’s got an eclectic vibe with flea market funkiness and a menu of homey classics, like fried chicken drizzled with honey and pecans or pimento cheese fritters, plus a weekend brunch. The wine selection is a surprise, and there’s a full bar in case customers want something harder. Uptown workers always need a good business lunch spot in their pocket (especially if the tab is coming from the boss’s pocket).

Located in Charlotte’s historic Lucas House, the charming bungalow boasts five dining rooms with grand fireplaces and a sweeping veranda outside. Chef de Cuisine Whitney Thomas garnishes dishes like lamb kofta kebabs with edible flowers at Mico. Tacos El Nevado—which has two locations in Charlotte—can partially attribute its glowing reviews to its $3 tacos, nachos, and homemade tortillas. In a world where tacos can be overly complex, Tacos El Nevado sticks to the basics, resulting in a hard-to-beat formula.

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