Boasting just over 1,100 restaurants, the best of American and international foods can be found throughout Charlotte.
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority
Your Queen City guide to the best bites in town.
Pro Tip: Check out Charlotte’s local restaurants on Restaurant.com and use your AAA Membership to save on a gift card purchase for your next great meal out.
Gourmands and libationists look no further! Charlotte has emerged as a top foodie destination, eager to ignite your taste buds with the best flavors of the South and beyond. Local flair takes center stage in Queen City, upstaging national chains with bold new takes on Southern comfort and international fare. Whether you’re on the hunt for the best fried chicken you’ve ever had (spoiler: you’ll find it at Haberdash) or eager to sample the best Indian street food (first stop: Botiwalla’s at Optimist Hall), your taste buds will go wild for the city’s fresh take on local dining. With over a thousand restaurants and 50 regional breweries, we’re here to help focus on the most notable of the bunch. This is your shortlist for trying the best of the city’s culinary soul.
The Carolina-inspired, crispy fried chicken sandwich is a popular pick at Haberdish in Charlotte.
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Comfort food comes easy in Charlotte, as chefs arrive on the scene eager to show off their new spins on classics. Charlotte cuisine has deep roots in Southern staples like fried chicken, shrimp and grits, cornbread, collard greens, and pimento cheese, often lovingly referred to as the caviar of the South. You won’t find a better bite of fried chicken than Haberdish’s perfectly crisp, buttermilk-brined bites. The rustic-chic eatery has become a staple in Charlotte since it opened in 2017 with an unforgettable mac and cheese, especially when you add spicy, crispy chicken skins. Opt for a night out at Dogwood: A Southern Table for a more sophisticated take on Southern Classics. Located inside the newly renovated Westin Charlotte, the local favorite features fun twists on regional staples like pimento cheese arancini, a duck and dumplings starter, and pork-braised collard greens. You’ll find a more relaxed vibe at STIR, a lively dining destination in the RailYard development in the South End. The restaurant is known for its meticulous cocktail creations, especially regarding ice. STIR employs ice chefs who freeze, cut, and shape custom ice creations for each cocktail by hand.
In Charlotte, BBQ culture reigns supreme with its distinct North Carolina stylings. The region is known for its vinegar-based sauces and pulled pork favorites, with pitmasters incorporating elements of Texas-style brisket and Memphis-style ribs. Midwood Smokehouse, in Plaza Midwood and Birkdale, is where you’ll find some of the best Carolina-style BBQ. The Carolina pulled pork is the star here with its wood-smoked and tangy nod to the Eastern North Carolina BBQ ways. The perfectly caramelized brisket burnt ends make a great addition to the table. There are no frills, just top-tier Carolina barbecue at Sweet Lew’s BBQ in Belmont. This counter-service spot serves up hefty platters of pulled pork, brisket, wings, and much more, though the smoked turkey is the can’t-miss dish. Guests go wild for the juicy white meat brined with pickle juice and mustard and seasoned with a signature rub. For the most sophisticated take on BBQ, Noble Smoke in West Charlotte and Optimist Park fuses traditional Southern barbecue with modern culinary techniques. The restaurant is grand in scale at over 10,000 square feet, and always draws a crowd with warm and welcoming communal tables. Some of the many must-try items here include the house-made sausage, prime beef brisket, and smoked turkey.
Experience imaginative southern gourmet in The Carolina Dining Room at Pinehurst.
When it’s time for a celebration or you’re in the mood for an upscale night out, Charlotte's high-end options deliver. The Fig Tree Restaurant in the city’s Elizabeth neighborhood offers a seasonal menu inspired by French and Italian cuisines within the cozy interiors of a 1913 Craftsman-style bungalow. Executive Chef and owner Greg Zanitsch opened the fine dining restaurant in 2005, and two decades later, it remains a favorite date night destination. Taste the dedication to haute cuisine with the restaurant’s elk chop, sea bass, and lamb chops. Counter in West Morehead is a high-concept culinary experience. Reservations can be hard to come by, but are worth it as each of the 10 courses served is photo-worthy and even more delicious. If your taste buds gear more toward steak and potatoes, Dean’s Italian Steakhouse in Uptown has an acclaimed menu of prime steaks, house-made pastas, seafood, and sweet Italian desserts. You’ll find some of the best steaks here, notably the Japanese A5 Wagyu Delmonico.
A variety of dishes and fun local shopping can be found at Optimist Hall, a historic food hall in the heart of Charlotte.
Charlotte has plenty of excellent options if you’re angling for a more relaxed bite. For the best selection, head to Optimist Hall in Optimist Park, a trendy food hall with over 20 food stalls, three dine-in restaurants, a cocktail lounge, and a brewery on site. The food stalls are all locally owned and operated, with some of the best bites being the Spicy Pork & Chive Dumplings at The Dumpling Lady, the Masala Smashed Potatoes at Botiwalla, and the Tres Leches Cake at Suárez Bakery. Beyond the food hall, some of the city’s best burgers can be found at Bang Bang Burgers in the South End and Elizabeth. The Carolina’s influences are highlighted here, including a pimento cheese burger and burgers topped with smoked pork belly. Don’t pass on the Brussels sprouts with cilantro mayo here, either!
The weekend breakfast scene in Charlotte is mighty, with many outposts offering fresh country baking and stick-to-your-ribs Southern classics. Ruby Sunshine is one of the city’s most popular brunch destinations, and for good reason. The New Orleans-style eatery is only open for breakfast and lunch, serving up inspired takes on brunch fare, including their pig candy bacon bites, sweet heat fried chicken, and white chocolate bread pudding pancakes. The Crunkleton in Elizabeth might present as a sultry evening cocktail lounge, but by daylight, the brunch menu wows with its Banana-Nutella French Toast, Country Ham and Pimento Cheese Biscuits, and the head-turning Brunch Tomahawk, a mammoth 42oz bone-in ribeye. Head south of Center City to Dilworth’s prized 300 East, a top brunch spot locals cherish. A few standout dishes include their Chicken & Biscuits and Vanilla Custard-Filled French Toast.
