
Richly spiced stews, warm incense, and East African art make this Eastside spot feel like walking into a well-kempt home. Diners use their hands as well as rolls of the soft-as-lace flatbread injera to scoop and dip into dishes like crispy bits of beef tibs, or stewed chicken doro wat made with spiced butter, onion, and whole boiled eggs. An Ethiopian coffee ceremony perfumes the air as fresh coffee beans are roasted and poured tableside as an after-dinner treat. Owner Dan Nguyen and her family-run Vietnamese restaurant are so beloved in Charlotte that regulars started a fundraising campaign to keep the place open through the pandemic. The menu at lunch and dinner still has more than 130 items, and Nguyen still uncannily remembers what customers like when they come back. Here, your dining table could be in the heart of a bustling sushi-burger fusion spot, or inside a cozy café filled with the gentle purrs of cats.
Brooks’ Sandwich Shop
The menu of six or so housemade pastas and sharing-size entrees like branzino is rounded out with small plates (toasted hazelnuts and the whole fried artichoke are standouts) that you can keep all to yourself. As Charlotte continues to grow and evolve, its restaurant scene reflects the city’s creativity and diversity. Whether you’re a resident, just passing through, or just flying from Charlotte, exploring these unique eateries is a must for a taste of Charlotte’s vibrant and eclectic culinary landscape. The wine list at Biblio is carefully curated, featuring bottles with intriguing backstories. Many of these wines are from winemakers who are women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. This diverse selection not only offers a range of flavors but also stories that connect diners to the wine and its maker.
Brooks’ Sandwich House
Uptown Charlotte stretches across just over two square miles and towers with hotels, office and apartment buildings, museums and, yes, restaurants. Here are 17 essential (and local) places to peruse, ranging from upscale to low-key. Originating in Los Angeles in 2020, Day and Night has brought its unique concept to Charlotte, marking it as a first in North Carolina. Patrons can build their own cereal bowl or shake, adding toppings like granola, honey, or whipped cream for a personalized touch. For those seeking something different, the bacon flight with its array of flavors is a must-try. Optimist Hall is a rustic warehouse with food stalls that will delight your taste buds!

Must-Try Restaurants
From Southern staples to Ethiopian and sushi, there’s a little bit of everything in the Queen City.
13 best new restaurants in Charlotte, right now - Axios
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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. 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.
Pizza Baby
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. You know that last day of a bachelorette party, when everyone’s a smidge hungover? You’re going to need a solid breakfast, but you also gotta get those last cute pics before you crawl back to reality.
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. According to Chef Sam Diminch, the “seasons write the menus” at Restaurant Constance, a 10-table, no-concept restaurant.
Scissors & Scotch Brings the Ultimate Men's Grooming Experience to Charlotte
This Southern-inspired juke joint is a date-night favorite (for friend dates, too!). It’s a cozy place with less than a dozen two- and four-top tables lining the walls, and a short bar that’s the perfect place to share some fried turkey wings and talk about the drama in your knitting Facebook group. The Southern menu changes often, but there are a few staples that should be on your table.
The restaurant has only 20 seats, and you’ll want to take a date to the L-shaped sushi bar to watch the chefs prepare edomae-style sushi with yellowtail from Japan, salmon from Denmark, and tuna from Spain. You can’t go wrong with any of the sashimi and nigiri, but the special rolls are also so good and include Southern influences you won’t find elsewhere. Try the Crispy Umami, with tempura shrimp, avocado, eel sauce, and shoestring sweet potatoes, and pair it with something off their list of 70 sakes.
The King’s Kitchen stands out as one of the most unique Charlotte restaurants, blending Southern cuisine with a mission to help the community. Founded by notable chef Jim Noble, this establishment is more than a place to eat; it’s a beacon of hope. As one of the unique restaurants in Charlotte, RH Rooftop Restaurant goes beyond just serving food. It’s an experience that combines fine dining with stunning interior design.
You’ll find many unique restaurants in Charlotte offering exceptional dining experiences that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences. Supperland, a standout among unique restaurants in Charlotte, is housed in a beautifully renovated church. This restaurant combines a rustic, spiritual ambiance with a modern dining experience. The church’s original structure, including stained glass and wooden pews, adds to the charm, making it a visually stunning and memorable place to dine.
Pepperbox Doughnuts opened in 2019 in Charlotte’s South End and has seasonal flavors for their scratch-made donuts. A baker is getting busy at this Charlotte restaurant every day at 2 am to bring us fluffy, yeasty, delicious doughnuts. Whether you’re looking for plant-based protein or healthy lean meats, Flower Child is the perfect place for a filling and thoughtful, healthy restaurant in Charlotte. 7th Street Public Market is a wonderful hub of Charlotte restaurants, especially for folks who are looking for a fast-casual bite while still keeping it local.

Pepperbox Doughnuts is one of Charlotte’s best spots for doughnuts, whether you’re vegan or not. The Asbury is named after the architect of the attached historic hotel, The Dunhill. It’s a place that goes well beyond your typical Uptown Charlotte hotel restaurant. 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.
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. Depending on where you plan to dine, you’re going to reserve a table, book a babysitter, schedule a ride-share, and get dressed to go out. The experience—food, service, atmosphere—had better be worth the price tag. 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.
From dining in the dark to enjoying a meal surrounded by cats, each spot has its own special charm. Get ready to explore these culinary treasures that make Charlotte’s food scene truly one-of-a-kind. When focusing on food in North Carolina, many of us want to go for barbecue, doughnuts, fried chicken, and sometimes during the same meal (don’t judge!). Serving raw oysters, fresh fish, and craft cocktails, The Waterman Fish Bar is an excellent restaurant in Charlotte to satisfy those needs! With happy hour oyster deals, this South End restaurant is perfect for hungry families who want something high-end at an affordable price. Known for impeccable service, Bernardin’s has been a staple in Winston-Salem since 1992 and opened up its Uptown location inside the former Ratcliffe Florist building in 2011.
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