Charlotte Restaurants
Things to do in Charlotte
Charlotte is very proud of its hometown restaurants. Sure, there are plenty of national and regional restaurant chains, but many of the best restaurants in all of Charlotte are locally owned and managed.
Most use fresh ingredients from local suppliers as well. The restaurant industry in the Queen City will surely please any resident of visitor to the region.
The professional writers at HelloCharlotte.com have crafted expert profiles about many of these establishments.
One of the oldest restaurants in all of Charlotte is Green’s Lunch, which has been located in Uptown Charlotte at 308 West 4th Street since 1926. The establishment has been serving up some of the most inexpensive meals — like their famous hot dogs and sandwiches — Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
Not too far from Green’s Lunch is the popular Mattie’s Diner in the NC Music Factory. The actual dining car was manufactured in 1948 and was relocated several time throughout the state of New Jersey before bringing the car to the Queen City. The location, and portion size, is perfect for the after-hours crowd who will hit the restaurant after they leave the clubs, music venues and bars of the NC Music Factory.
Digging deeper into HelloCharlotte.com, readers will find our “Best of” lists for restaurants like “Best Burger in Charlotte,” “Best Mexican Restaurant in Charlotte,” and “Best Pizza in Charlotte.” One of those establishments that made the “best pizza” list is Brixx: Wood Fired Pizza. The locally owned franchise serves California wood-fired pizzas with very unique toppings like spicy shrimp and buffalo chicken, and also have a massive beer and wine list. There are five Brixx locations in Charlotte, with several more around the region as well.
Whether you're in the mood for pizza, sandwiches, Chinese, Italian, Mexican, or Sushi, make sure to look through the profiles of restaurants on HelloCharlotte.com as we analyze what makes each establishment special and unique. You’ll be happy once you do.
Beer and Philly Cheesesteaks. For most red-blooded Americans, this is all they need to know about Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse — formerly Duckworth’s Cheesesteakery — to try out the restaurant and bar.
Kickstand Charlotte Burgers -N- Bar is making a name for itself with its large menu of inventive burgers with creative names that all have one thing in common — bicycles.
Three Amigos Mexican Grill and Cantina offers authentic, high-quality Mexican food for a low price. Located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood — at 2917 Central Avenue — Three Amigos is one of the best places in Charlotte for Mexican food.
T-Bones on the Lake certainly gets one thing right: location, location, location. Located on Lake Wylie at 3990 Highway 49 in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, T-Bones and the Drunken Parrot Bar inside the establishment are certainly favorites with those who love lake life — even if they don’t necessarily live on the lake or own a boat.
Food trucks are becoming more popular than ever. Big cities have always had food trucks spread out through town. Clover Joe’s Sandwich Shoppe is one food truck that is gaining popularity in Charlotte every day.
Johnson & Whales University graduate Jerry Simonetti owns Simonetti’s and his recipes come from his grandmother, who grew up in Naples, Italy. The small storefront in the Main Street Crossing shopping center on Wilkinson Boulevard has a few seats inside, but many people take their pizza, subs or pasta to go.
In every city there are a few hidden restaurants that only the locals know about. There is no way to find these “diamonds in the rough” without being taken there by a friend. Mueller’s Neighborhood Grill is one of these places and has been voted “Best Burger in Charlotte” by several local media outlets. Mueller’s is a tiny establishment tucked away in the Myer’s Park neighborhood on a dead end street that gets no foot traffic.
Genghis Grill, Charlotte in Ballantyne is the first and only Mongolian-style stir-fry restaurant in Charlotte. Located at 11324 N. Community House Road, Genghis Grill — The Mongolian Stir Fry, is a “build your own bowl, fast casual, Asian stir-fry concept,” according to the restaurant’s marketing.
Mattie’s Diner is a classic 24-hour diner that opened in the NC Music Factory entertainment district in Uptown Charlotte in August of 2010. Even though the restaurant is brand new for Charlotte, the actual dining car was manufactured in 1948 and was relocated several times throughout the state of New Jersey before bringing the car to the Queen City.
The Fish Market Fort Mill is a treat for those looking for fresh seafood and inspiring dishes.
The concept for Which Wich Superior Sandwiches is very simple. “No soups. No salads. Just one focus: the best possible ‘wiches,’ served in an edgy yet inviting environment.”
New Zealand Café, Charlotte, is not exactly what the name would imply as the restaurant serves mostly Asian fusion cuisine and sushi.
Liu Liu’s Asian Bistro, in Fort Mill’s Baxter Village complex, serves up a diverse dining experience that offers up a cross-section of options from all across Asia including Chinese, Japanese and Thai delicacies.
Gators bar and grill is a beach-themed restaurant in Cornelius, at 19707 Liverpool Parkway, that has a full bar and a wide-ranging menu filled with options for any taste. Gators Hometown Grill and Bar is near Lake Norman north of Charlotte, which is a great location that mimics the beach feel of an actual coastal town.
It’s not difficult to get great Mexican food in Charlotte. There are lots of restaurants that specialize in Tex-Mex and authentic Mexican food, but the best Mexican in Charlotte is food that's easy enough to find.
The Salvador Deli is the type of place that is a perfect fit for the Charlotte art district known as NoDa. Located at 3215 North Davidson Street, the deli and market takes its inspiration from the eccentric surrealistic artist Salvador Dalí.
Brixx Wood Fired Pizza was started with one goal according to the restaurateurs who created the popular Charlotte establishment: “To have the best pizza in Charlotte.” Brixx has achieved this, according to several media outlets in the Queen City winning “Best Pizza” on a number of occasions.
Charlotte has a lot of pizza in a wide variety of styles, and with a multitude of locations and types of pizza in the Queen City, the best pizza in Charlotte is a hard-fought category.
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill is an upscale/casual-dining concept that has been influenced by Colorado steak houses.
Green's Lunch, which specializes in hot dogs, has been located at 309 West 4th Street in Uptown Charlotte for 84 years — and not much has changed on the menu since first opening the doors in 1926.
Boardwalk Billy’s Raw Bar and Ribs has taken the beach atmosphere and relocated it to the Charlotte region — and even had an actual boardwalk porch overlooking a man-made pond in the Shoppes at University Place.
Fuji Japanese Steakhouse is both a hibachi grill and a sushi house in Southwest Charlotte.
Greg’s Family Restaurant is like a small-town diner/greasy-spoon/café that can be seen in any movie set in a town with a “main street.” Located at 125 North Main Street in Lowell, North Carolina — just 15 miles west of Uptown Charlotte — Greg’s Restaurant serves up giant portions of food that are sure to fill any large appetite.
Picking the best burgers in Charlotte is almost an impossible task. The following is a list of the best burger joints in Charlotte, with each restaurant making the list due to a unique characteristic of their burger menu.
Pinky’s Westside Grill has quickly made a name for itself as one of the best casual restaurants in Charlotte. Pinky’s received a lot of pre-opening hype due to the chef’s former affiliation with The Penguin Drive-In — he was the chef when the restaurant appeared on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” — along with a local effort to keep the painted 1966 Volkswagen Beetle on top of Pinky’s roof.
San Antonio’s Modern Mexican, located on the southwest side of the SouthPark Mall, puts a small twist on traditional Mexican dishes. Although San Antonio’s Modern Mexican serves up large portions of traditional Mexican items, its focus is on more innovative south-of-the-border fare.
Lupie’s Café is comfort food at its best. Located at 2718 Monroe Road — almost exactly where East 7th Street turns into Monroe Road in the Elizabeth neighborhood — Lupie’s Café specializes in southern specialties and chili.
Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q does not mess around when it comes to Bar-B-Q, as many Southern diners do not want their barbecue messed with. For more than 25 years, the founders of Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q Southern Kitchen — father/son team of Jim and Nick — have created a style of making barbecue with a deep respect for Southern culture and by a “refusal to take short cuts.”
The Common Market takes a concept that has been around for hundreds of years and puts a “modern twist” on the entire idea. The Common Market puts a spin on the general/convenience stores most are used to, mostly because the Market connects with the two neighborhoods they are located in — Plaza Midwood and South End.
Bistro La Bon Charlotte, located in the hip area of Plaza Midwood at 1322 Central Avenue, focuses on small plates of creative dishes.
Band
Business
Artist
Individual