From Affogato to Zeppoli, the A-Z guide to the best food at Charlotte restaurants
Charlotte is a stupendous city.
Not only because of the Black cultural extravaganza that is the Durag Festival.
For a personal, food writer reason: It has just enough African restaurants to bolster my chances (and destiny) of meeting Nigerian songstress and superstar Tems if she’s ever in town and has a hankering for jollof rice or even banga soup.
For a broader, less personal, food writer reason: Think of how abysmal the world would be if Bojangles didn’t bestow upon us the fluffy, flakey, buttery, sticky, icky, artificially fruity wonders of the incomparable BoBerry Biscuit.
During my illustrious tenure as the food writer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning Chattanooga Times Free Press, I wrote an A-Z guide of dishes to eat there, with each letter of the alphabet representing a different restaurant dish. I compared it to swimming the English Channel or climbing to the summit of Mount Everest. However, curating a guide like this is even more rare than both of those tremendous feats.
First and foremost, whenever Charlotte flexes its diversity, it bulges like Mike Tyson’s bicep. So much so that on any given Tuesday you can have awaze tibs, dulce de leche banana empanadas and Nei Jiang Beef noodles all without leaving the voguish confines of Optimist Hall. Not to mention Bosnian Pljeskavica, Haitian Griot and other foreign goodies elsewhere in town. Simply put, If this robust level of diversity didn’t exist in Charlotte, neither would this guide.
Even still, the city holds tight to a thick “salted peanuts-in-a-bottle-of-Pepsi” brand of Southernism that’s evident in their annual hosting of the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, an ample amount of restaurants serving craggy, cornmeal-battered catfish, deviled eggs and enough buttermilk to fill Lake Norman.
It also checks those trendy boxes that coddle Plaza Midwood hipsters and make housewives of Chantilly giggle with glee: shakshuka, cauliflower au gratin and anything you could ever confetti with small batch chili crisp, slather with whipped ricotta or pair with a full bodied Petite Sirah. Not to mention, everything in between inspired and influenced by tsunami waves of transplants both international and domestic.
(If you ever find yourself complaining, just close your eyes and imagine living in a town that just recently got its first Chinese takeout restaurant.)
That being said, writing this list has been a gluttonous doozy.
A - Affogato
Location: 3116 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Paulie Walnuts isn’t dead. Nope. He’s here in NoDa taking a break from mafioso matters and Boca Raton, Florida, to enjoy this Italian dessert: ice cream “drowned” in espresso, better known as an Affogato.
B - Brioche French Toast
Location: 225 S Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Now that I’ve made you aware of the whipped cream-topped masterpiece that is this Brioche French Toast, promise me that you’ll never, ever, for the rest of your life, under any circumstances, step foot inside another IHOP.
C - Cheeseburger
Location: 1100 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte, NC 28216
I know — a cheeseburger from a spot with “chicken” and “ribs” in its name? Trust me. Add chili, and it’s almost like the restaurant’s famous “Fatboy” without the tomato and lettuce mumbo jumbo.
D - Dutch Baby
Location: 4736 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28210
Besides Heineken and gouda cheese, the Dutch Baby — a popover-style pancake — might be the shiniest culinary gem Holland has ever offered us (even if it’s Washingtonian by way of Germany in origin).
E - El Santo
Location: 1600 W Morehead St, Charlotte, NC 28208
Yes, like the Mexican luchador, the El Santo hotdog with chili, cheddar, Fritos, jalapenos and sour cream is completely worth the mess it’s bound to make . Plus, anything covered in Fritos is undefeated.
F - Fried Chicken Benny
Location: 705 S Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
I hated whenever Benedict became “Benny.” But I can’t front, the pomp and circumstance behind the gorgeous monstrosity that is Leroy Fox’s Fried Chicken “Benny” deserves to be chased with a mimosa. Or two. Or three.
G - Gyro
Location: 4429 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Sure, there are patty melts, Western omelets and other “All-American” dishes that diners are almost obligated to have. But I’m here at Landmark for the Greek stuff: spanakopita, chicken souvlaki and this classic — the gyro.
H - Hambone Grits
Location: 1100 Metropolitan Ave #170, Charlotte, NC 28204
I’ll never understand chef Greg Collier’s infatuation with barbecue spaghetti (he’s from Memphis), but I appreciate the fact that he understands that both “time” and “love” are actual ingredients in his prized roasted corn grits.
I - Inari
Location: 1508 S Mint St Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28203
It’s not as en vogue as the crunchy spicy tuna roll or any of the rolls they’re deep frying now, but I love inari (either in its chubby pouch form or as nigiri) — mainly because this tofu is a reminder that sushi does not mean “raw fish.”
J - Jalapeno Cornbread Waffle
Location: 2200 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208
At a restaurant that prides itself on being in harmony with the seasons, the jalapeno cornbread waffle is one of the only dishes at Restaurant Constance that’s constant.
K - Kelewele
Location: 509 Beatties Ford Rd, Charlotte, NC 28216
I’m a sucker for anything describing itself as “hot and spicy” (food or otherwise) and the kelewele (fried plantains) – the belle of the Ghanaian street food ball — are no exception.
L - Lamb Over Rice
Location: 101 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
If the lamb, rice or even the side salad are visible under the overzealous onslaught of both white sauce and hot sauce, you’re surely skimping out on the full experience at Halal Food Cart.
M - Milk Chocolate Donut
Location: 1431 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Anybody who knows me knows that I’m a reasonably loyal guy, but this is the rare time, for the sake of the Milkbread doughnut, I’ll cheat on the almighty Krispy Kreme.
N - New York Strip
Location: 4538 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209
It’s hard not to love the antiquated charm of a fried onion ring nestled atop a slab of meat at Beef ‘N Bottle like the halo of an angel sent from the heavens above.
O - Oxtails
Location: 200 W Woodlawn Rd Ste D, Charlotte, NC 28217
I’ll gladly (for a charitable cause) duke it out in a seven-round boxing match with the guy who started the obnoxious trend of putting oxtails on pizza. Thank goodness they do it the proper way here — which is not on pizza.
P - Pernil
Location: 3112 Milton Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215
I reserve the use of the word “succulent” only whenever I wax poetic about pernil- slow roasted pork done the “Boriqua” way. I promise it can hold its own against any cuchifrito in New York City’s five boroughs and Yonkers.
Q - Quiche Du Jour
Location: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
Just when you thought Lorraine was the be-all and end-all, Haberdish, with its nouveau-Southern bravado has unlocked another portal in the quiche universe with its quiche du jour. Merci beaucoup.
R - Reuben
Location: 401 W 9th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
I’m not sure exactly what “4 Ward-style” means, but I do pity the fool who thinks Thousand Island dressing or even Big Mac sauce are on par with Russian dressing for this Reuben. They’re not.
S - Shrimp Cocktail
Location: 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts #100, Charlotte, NC 28202
I don’t care what new, cool avante-garde shrimp dishes become viral. A proper shrimp cocktail is like a tuxedo with a satin shawl lapel. It will never, ever go out of style. No matter what.
T - Tôm Rang Muối
Location: 3019 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215
“Tom Yum,” “Tom Rim,” “Tom Kha Gai” or even “Tom Hanks.” Pretty much anytime I’m at a Vietnamese restaurant, I’m ordering the dish that starts with “Tom.” - which translates to “shrimp” in English.
U - Uncle Gene’s Fish Sammich
Location: Free Range Brewing, 2320 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
It’s a rarity that you’ll eat anything named after an uncle and it’s not scrumptious — and Uncle Gene’s Fish Sammich certainly is. (The James Beard-nominated team that runs the food truck also has corn fritters named in honor of Allen Iverson’s childhood nickname, but that is another essay for another day.)
V - Vada Pav
Location: Optimist Hall, 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 203, Charlotte, NC 28206
Don’t worry. I’m not going to judge you if you devour one of Botiwalla’s vada pav in a single bite (I’ve done it before.) But I will judge you if you neglect to lick that tamarind chutney off your cuticles.
W - White Pie (with sausage and mushrooms)
Location: 510 E 15th St, Charlotte, NC 28206
In my humble opinion, the white pizza at Bird is like the green cherry. It’s misunderstood, underappreciated and for whatever reason doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Until now.
[READ NEXT: A popular Charlotte pizzeria is among Southern Living’s best new restaurants of 2023.]
X - Xiao Long Bao
Location: Alley 51, 7323 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28227
Nevermind those YouTube videos of people’s tutorials on how to consume xiao long bao. It’s like eating a Reese’s: There’s no wrong way. Just as long as you don’t spill that scorching hot soup from the dumpling on your chin. Ouch!
Y - Yaki-Tori
Location: Apex Charlotte, 3100 Apex Dr 9th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28211
Yaki-Tori at Mizu is edible, flame-kissed, fancy teriyaki-glazed proof that the Japanese do almost everything better, even chicken thighs on a stick.
Z - Zeppoli
Location: 715 Providence Rd, Charlotte, NC 28207
Just think of Stagioni’s “fried pillows of heaven” as French beignets but with the robust voice of Luciano Pavorati bellowing a song from “Madama Butterfly.”
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