The Best Restaurants In Charlotte

In a lot of ways, Charlotte is still a teenager trying to figure out who it’s going to be. 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? We still haven’t found the answer.

Even so, Charlotte has a great food scene filled with places that wouldn’t have existed in the city even a handful of years ago: all-vegan menus, cevicherias, fresh mozzarella bars, Southern-influenced sushi rolls, and themed fine-dining meals set to accompanying playlists.

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.

Dilworth Tasting Room

Whether you’re meeting a blind date, your entire bird-watching club, or a coworker who’s always begging for an after-work Happy Hour, Dilworth Tasting Room is the place to go. The wine bar is located in a former industrial building from 1947, with red sofas and wooden bistro tables that look straight out of a Paris brasserie. The best place to sit is by the koi pond on the walled patio that always 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 wedge salad or a flatbread with prosciutto, brie, and apricot jam.