The 22 Best Restaurants In Charlotte, North Carolina

From Southern staples to Ethiopian and sushi, there’s a little bit of everything in the Queen City.

When it comes to Southern cities known for their culinary feats, Charlotte, North Carolina, is often eclipsed by its neighbor to the South, Charleston. But if you’ve ever heard a North Carolinian argue the merits of a vinegar or tomato-based barbecue sauce versus one made with mustard spice, you know the Tar Heel State blatantly refuses to accept a second-tier title in the food world. This passion for bringing comforting, flavorful meals to the table is palpable across the state, but Charlotte, specifically, is leading the charge in North Carolina's restaurant scene.

For years, the Queen City has steadily marched toward becoming a top food city in the South—with recent nods from the James Beard Foundation validating its expertise and growth. While barbecue and typical Southern fare can certainly be found within Charlotte’s city limits (check out Sweet Lew’s BBQ or Noble Smoke), the culinary landscape is more so defined by its creativity and variety in cuisine. If you want Vietnamese, Italian, or Ethiopian dishes, Charlotte delivers. Fresh seafood, expertly rolled sushi, and street tacos are all fair game. In fact, when your options are this vast, the only issue is choosing where to go—so we did the work for you. Read on to discover the best restaurants in Charlotte.

Supperland

1212 The Plaza
supper.land, 704-817-7514

Count yourself lucky if you can snag a reservation at Supperland. Opened in Plaza Midwood in 2021, the self-proclaimed “Southern steakhouse meets church potluck” is the next chapter for two restored buildings that once served as the First Church of Christ, a gallery, and a bread shop—although at different times. After indulging in the miso mac and cheese, wagyu pot roast, and sausage gravy croquettes, guests can head downstairs to the restaurant’s speakeasy, which offers first-come-first-serve seating as well as pre-booked coursed cocktail tastings.

Counter-

2001 W Morehead St, Suite D
counterclt.com, 980-292-2090

Dining at Counter- means embarking on a sensory journey, one “designed to evoke emotion throughout the dining experience.” Unusual, yes, but the tasting menu concept earned owner and executive chef Sam Hart a 2023 James Beard nomination for Best Chef: Southeast. While the restaurant itself is designed to be a blank canvas—grays, whites, muted tones—it transforms to align with a rotating theme and accompanying menu; past themes include a tribute to Pink Floyd’s album, The Wall, and a push for mental health awareness.

Haberdish

3106 N. Davidson Street
haberdish.com, 704-817-1084

Take one look at the chicken sandwich served at Haberdish—a lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch spot in the NoDa neighborhood of Charlotte—and you won’t be able to think about anything else. Part Southern kitchen, part cocktail bar, the restaurant harkens back to the neighborhood’s history as a mill town, and its menu features dishes made with the same ingredients and techniques that have been used for centuries. If the food menu is the definition of straightforward Southern comfort (the fried chicken is a crowd favorite), the cocktail menu is its inventive, whimsical cousin. Order the Mind Your Own Beeswax or a Happy Go Lucky Punch if you’re feeling festive. 

Leah & Louise

Camp North End, 301 Camp Road
leahandlouise.com, 980-309-0690

Developing a menu of “modern interpretations of Southern classics” is almost a Catch-22; classics are classics for a reason, yet reinvention is often necessary to make a dish feel new and different. James Beard semifinalist Chef Greg Collier and his wife and business partner, Subrina Collier, however, have managed to solve this riddle at Leah & Louise. Billed as a juke joint with ties to the Mississippi River Valley foodways, the restaurant introduces its customers to menu items that combine the familiar in order to create the nuance of taste. One dish is made up of a fried turkey wing accented by spicy sorghum, smoked benne seeds, and collard stem slaw, while another entree includes milk tea brined pheasant breast and chestnut polenta paired with an arugula salad and persimmon glaze in one dish.

Futo Buta

222 East Bland St, Bland St Light Rail Station
futobuta.com, 704-376-8400

A “rock n’ roll ramen shop” is a far cry from the Southern-inspired menus you’ll find in numerous eateries across Charlotte—and that’s the point. Opened in the spring of 2015, Chef Michael Shortino’s Futo Buta continues to serve residents and visitors of the Queen City creative takes on ramen as well as other Japanese dishes. In addition to ramen bowls made with pecan-smoked pork belly, the menu includes Lowcountry-smoked pork belly buns, spicy tuna rice crispy squares, and duck confit donburi.

Mama Ricotta’s

While new restaurants tend to get all the hype, the older establishments—the ones that have been greeting guests for decades—quietly and steadfastly serve their well-loved dishes day in and day out. Mama Ricotta’s, an Italian stalwart in Midtown, has been open for about three decades, and if you’re craving a chicken parm sandwich or a plate of penne alla vodka, it won’t disappoint. Part of Charlotte’s FS Dining Group, Mama Ricotta's sister restaurant, Little Mama’s, opened in 2020.

601 S Kings Dr AA
mamaricottas.com, 704-343-0148

Fin & Fino

135 Levine Avenue of the Arts #100
finandfino.com, 704-800-5680

Charlotte may be hours away from an ocean, but Fin & Fino takes its role as a “social seafood house” seriously. The restaurant receives a daily delivery of its fish and shellfish—all of which were raised or caught sustainably–to make its roster of seafood dishes. Alongside a raw bar menu starring the “Penthouse” (a tower of oysters, shrimp, lobster tails, crab cocktail fingers, seafood salad, and scallop crudo), the team serves up entrees featuring mussels, scallops, a wagyu flat iron steak, and more. Not to mention, there’s an impressive, playful cocktail menu; Call of the Clam, Endless Breadsticks, and Papa Was a Rolling Stone are all options to wash down your delicious meal.

Haymaker

225 S. Poplar Street
haymakerclt.com, 704-626-6116

“Sustainability” and “heirloom ingredients” sound like culinary buzzwords, but they’re true North Stars for Chef William Dissen and his team at Haymaker. The Uptown restaurant whips up its offerings—which include PB&J pork belly, beef short ribs, and bacon fat beignets—using local farm deliveries, artisanal products, and a brick hearth. You may want to try everything on the menu, but the mac and cheese made with Benton’s country ham is a non-negotiable. 

Lang Van

3019 Shamrock Drive
langvancharlotte.com, 704-420-8840

The menu and atmosphere of a restaurant may define its public perception, but it’s the people behind the operation who become the heart and soul of the entire entity. Lang Van’s owner Dan Nguyen is well-known and loved in the community, and her passion for serving Vietnamese dishes is equally matched by her uncanny memory for customers and their orders. If you once ordered pho, spring rolls, or the vermicelli noodle dish Bun Bo Xao, there’s a good chance she’ll remember.

Mert's Heart And Soul

214 North College Street
mertscharlotte.com, 704-342-4222

Since 1998, Mert’s Heart and Soul has given Charlotteans the gift of soul food—and a national audience got a peek at the restaurant on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in 2015. Menu standouts include the Soul Roll (egg roll wraps with black-eyed peas, rice, collard greens, and diced chicken), the mini loaves of cornbread, and the fresh salmon cakes. If you’re feeling peckish afterward, consider ending the meal with a slice of pound cake.

Flour Shop

530 A Brandywine Road
flourshopfood.com, 980-299-3754

There are lots of Italian restaurants offering fresh pasta, but not many make it the way Flour Shop does, which is right in the middle of the intimate dining room. Besides the pasta itself, the restaurant’s dishes include produce grown in the area and locally sourced meats. While it could be easy to fill up on starters, make sure to leave room for the squid ink linguine with chorizo and Carolina shrimp or the beef and pork bolognese.

Hestia

14819 Ballantyne Village Way
hestiarooftop.com, 980-316-7226

You’ll need to head up 16 floors in Ballantyne Village’s Panorama Tower to get to Hestia. 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. Whether you come for the 180-degree views of the city or the omakase dining experience (where the chef takes the reins on your order), you’ll leave the meal feeling thoroughly confident in the trajectory of Charlotte’s growing restaurant scene.

Brooks’ Sandwich House

2710 N. Brevard Street
brookssandwichhouse.com, 704-375-7808

A “best restaurant” label doesn’t necessarily mean sky-high prices; in fact, Brooks’ Sandwich House—where cash is the only accepted form of payment—serves $4 hot dogs and $8-a-pound beef chili. The nearly 50-year-old, family-run roadside stop recommends getting your cheeseburger made “all the way,” which includes mustard, onions, and the house made beef chili.

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant

3007 Central Avenue
abugidacafe.com, 980-237-2760

Authentic Ethiopian fare is present in Midwood thanks to the team behind Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant. Injera, a spongy flatbread, is used in place of utensils, to scoop up lamb and beef tibs (cubed beef sauteed in vegetables and Ethiopian spiced butter), gomen (Ethiopian collard greens), and other specialties. At the end of the meal, guests can continue to soak up the ambiance while sipping freshly brewed coffee—poured tableside.

Eddie’s Place

617 S. Sharon Amity Road
eddiesplacerestaurant.com, 704-442-0147

You don’t need to book a ticket to New Orleans to get your fix of Cajun dishes. Instead, head to Eddie’s Place in the Cotswold neighborhood, where she-crab soup, muffuletta sandwiches, and po’ boys are menu staples. All-day breakfast is another defining factor of the eatery—omelets, breakfast burritos, eggs Benedict, and chicken and waffles are a solid start to any morning.

Restaurant Constance

2200 Thrift Road
yourfarmsyourtable.com, 980-549-1999

According to Chef Sam Diminch, the “seasons write the menus” at Restaurant Constance, a 10-table, no-concept restaurant. Born out of Diminch’s Your Farms Your Table Restaurant Group and named after his daughter, Restaurant Constance is highly focused on quality, local produce, and the power of connecting over a meal. Expect an evolving raw bar, inventive desserts, and a vast and creative non-alcoholic cocktail menu with your reservation.

Prime Fish

11212 Providence Road W. Unit B
primefishclt.com, 704-253-4173

For sushi that's a cut above the rest, head to Prime Fish. 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.

Letty's On Shamrock

2121 Shamrock Drive
lettysonshamrock.com, 704-817-8702

Southerners know a little pimiento cheese makes everything better, and Letty’s on Shamrock’s grilled pimiento cheeseburger is a true testament to that statement. The restaurant offers traditional Southern items as well as bistro‑style fare—all served in a casual, friendly atmosphere in the middle of the Plaza‑Midwood neighborhood. And, if the burger didn’t quench your pimiento cheese craving, there’s always the panko-battered and fried pimiento cheese fritters.

Ever Andalo

3116 N. Davidson Street
everandalo.com, 704-910-6543

It's dinnertime. Start your meal with a charcuterie board, then tuck into a plate of seafood pasta, and round out the night with a housemade cannoli. If that sounds like your ideal dining experience, you’ll want to book a table at Ever Andalo, an Italian restaurant in Charlotte’s NoDa neighborhood. Owned by Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown of the Tonidandel-Brown restaurant group, Ever Andalo is the Italian cousin of Supperland and Haberdish.

300 East

300 East Boulevard
300east.net, 704-332-6507

Since 1987, 300 East has called a refurbished Victorian house in the Dilworth neighborhood home. It’s an institution known for its French Onion soup, brunch offerings, and dessert menu, now spearheaded by Charlotte native Chef Ashley Boyd. Boyd has been working at her family’s restaurant since she was a child, and in recent years, she’s brought her renowned pastry prowess to the table with items like the Butterscotch Ice Cream Sandwich, the Callebaut Brownie, and the Duke’s Mayo Caramel Cake.

Tacos El Nevado

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. Plus, you really can’t go wrong with a side of guacamole or choriqueso with fried corn tortilla chips.

4640 South Boulevard, 704-529-4477
4715 Central Avenue, 704-563-4667
tacoselnevadonc.com

South 21 Drive-In

3101 E. Independence Boulevard
south21drivein.net, 704-377-4509

The Super Boy, a double burger with housemade chili and slaw, might be the star of the show at South 21 Drive-In, but the curb-side service restaurant has plenty of other options too. Opened in 1955, the historic eatery continues to whip up Fish-o-Burgers, BLTs, and other favorites for its customers. With such a long-lasting legacy, the family-owned drive-in is proof that good food has been central to Charlotte’s culture for decades—and hopefully it will stay that way for years to come.

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