The Best Restaurants in Charlotte

Founded in 2015, Alchemy at C3Lab specializes in vegetarian cuisine. It is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and for both brunch and dinner on the weekends. During brunch, diners can choose from Japanese pancakes, avocado toast, portobello hash, and plant-based prosciutto benedict. Its dinner menu gives diners the option of small plates or larger dishes like blackened trout, fettuccine, fried plantains, and mushrooms served four ways. Located in the South End, this restaurant is convenient to I-49. Also in the building is an art gallery and coffee shop, so diners can do some exploring and shopping after dining.

Bakersfield specializes in Southwestern U.S. and Mexican meals. A few of the dishes on its menu include chips and salsa, short rib queso, taquitos, tacos, black beans, and margaritas. Its rustic decor with a large wooden bar, pendant lights, a wooden ceiling, and leather bar stools add to the dining experience and gives this restaurant more of a casual feel. Large garage doors can be lifted to provide access to the outdoors. This is an ideal way to eat at Bakersfield in the warmer months. Bakersfield is open for lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, Monday through Sunday. This restaurant opened in Charlotte in 2014.

Beef 'N Bottle Steakhouse has been open since 1958. It has a rich history in the city of Charlotte and an even better reputation. This saloon-style restaurant offers casual, family-friendly dining during evening dinner hours Monday through Sunday. Its menu is traditional and includes a variety of meats and seafood, such as king crab, filet mignon, ribeye, chopped steak, or short ribs. All of its entrees come with a side salad and a baked sweet potato, rice pilaf, or onion rings.

Bentley's, which re-opened in 2020, offers fine dining in Charlotte. It is open Monday through Saturday for dinner. This stylish restaurant makes its home in the South Park neighborhood. It serves both Italian and French meals in a contemporary dining space, and its interior design brings in lots of natural light. The dining room is tastefully decorated with light wood furniture, chandelier lighting, glass French doors, tree slab tables, and glass bar shelves with backlighting. To provide a more intimate meeting space, the large dining room is divided into sections including a bar or lounge area. The menu at Bentley's includes upscale dishes created by Chef James Loftus. Some dishes served here include oysters, caviar, crab legs, sole, stuffed lobster tail, and filet mignon. Some side dishes diners can choose from include bacon cheddar whipped potatoes, baby carrots, and wild mushroom risotto. Diners can add a glass of wine or a cocktail to their meal. Bentley's is the perfect place to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or graduation.

BrickTops's is in the South Park area of Charlotte. This upscale restaurant serves local and Japanese specialties such as sushi, meatloaf, steak, and grilled trout. When ordering an entree, diners can choose from a list of side dishes such as a baked potato, crispy Brussels sprouts, or fettuccine alfredo. BrickTop's is open for lunch and dinner. On the weekends, the restaurant hosts a stylish brunch, including several breakfast dishes prepared with organic eggs and lunch items like burgers and salads. A special drink menu of fruity libations and champagne is also served at brunch. BrickTop's is a restaurant franchise which opened in Charlotte in 2007.

Diners can have lunch at the Bulla Gastrobar in Charlotte any day of the week. On Saturday and Sunday, dinner is also served and there is a special brunch offered. At brunch, diners can choose dishes from a fixed menu. Some choices include watermelon salad, avocado toast, braised pork hash, hazelnut waffles, or coconut flan to end the meal. This restaurant specializes in tapas, or small plates, for sharing. Bulla has locations all over the Southeast. Bulla Gastrobar opened its first restaurant in 2013 and opened its doors in Charlotte in 2020.

Community Matters Cafe is a ministry of the Charlotte Rescue Mission, which helps the homeless and has a drug recovery program. Along with providing financial support for the non-profit ministry, dining here helps program participants to gain valuable restaurant service and management experience. This restaurant is open for both breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. The cafe is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Its menu includes traditional breakfast foods like eggs, pancakes, omelets, French toast and bacon, salads and sandwiches for lunch, and both hot and iced coffee drinks. The Community Matters Cafe opened in the spring of 2019.

Enjoy stylish cooking at Dogwood: A Southern Table. Its old-fashioned, Southern-style menu has been given a modern twist. It includes dishes like succotash, duck and dumplings, crab hush puppies, shrimp and grits, lamb rack, and strawberry greens. This restaurant also prides itself in offering a friendly staff with genuine Southern hospitality. It is open for dinner and late-night dining Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday. This restaurant opened in Charlotte in late 2014.

Dolce Ristorante is a traditional Italian restaurant located in Charlotte's Kenilworth Commons. It serves classic dishes like pasta, tiramisu, and gelato made using homemade recipes. The restaurant offers comfortable seating in a cozy dining room with wooden dining room tables and chairs, hardwood floors, table lamps, and burgundy tablecloths. It is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner Monday through Sunday. Dolce Ristorante opened in Charlotte in 2015. Along with dining, it offers cooking classes for home chefs wanting to learn to cook Italian food.

Dressler's serves local cuisine in the Midtown area of Charlotte. It is open for dinner Monday through Saturday during the dinner hour. Diners here can enjoy both indoor and outdoor seating. The dining room features floor-to-ceiling windows, a red and burgundy decor, tall ceilings, and colorful artwork displayed throughout. Its menu includes popular dishes like Thai peanut calamari, beef short rib, lump crab cakes, and pan-seared salmon. Many diners choose to sample the dishes with shared plates. Some foods which can be shared include shallots in butter, sweet potato and duck confit hash, collard greens, and hand-cut French fries. Dressler's Restaurant is part of a hospitality group. It opened its doors in Charlotte in 2010.

Fin and Fino serves local food favorites and seafood inside the Museum Tower. The menu at Fin and Fino includes dishes like grilled oysters, crab cakes, burgers, BBQ quail, and calamari. There is plenty of room to move around in this spacious restaurant. Its contemporary and bright decor features all-white walls, white brick accent walls, a dramatic hanging light fixture, and a glass restaurant sign. On warmer days, diners can eat outdoors on the sidewalk. This restaurant opened its doors in 2018. Fin and Fino is open Monday through Saturday, but is closed on Sunday.

The Flour Shop offers a unique dining experience in the Park Road Shopping Center in Charlotte. This restaurant, which is owned and operated by Chef Trey Wilson, has an open kitchen so diners can watch their food being prepared. Its menu changes seasonally to take advantage of available local produce and includes dishes like smoked trout, squid ink linguine, barbecued Spanish octopus, and steak frites. Several house cocktails are also made available to diners, such as its Thyme Collins and Pear Punch. The Flour Shop is open Monday through Saturday for dinner. It is, however, closed on Sunday. This restaurant opened in Charlotte in 2018.

Indaco serves Italian meals in the South End District of historic Charlotte. This restaurant is open daily (except Monday) for dinner only. With two floors, there are ample places for diners to sit. It has a fresh and classic décor, including tall and open ceilings, contemporary lighting, wooden tables, and tile space dividers. Its menu includes dishes like sausage pizza, ravioli, market caught fish, and homemade tiramisu for dessert. With every meal, there is also a wine from its curated list to pair well with the meal. Indaco opened in Charlotte in 2009.

Enjoy the Southern experience with a meal at Leroy Fox South End. This restaurant specializes in Southern cooking and serves dishes like fried chicken, homemade cornbread, macaroni and cheese, greens, and meatloaf. Its contemporary decor and tall ceilings make this a comfortable place to eat. The color scheme of brown, pink, and silver is ultra-sophisticated and stylish. This restaurant is open Monday through Sunday during the lunch and dinner hours. Leroy Fox South End was established in 2012 and is located in the historical area of Charlotte's South End District.

Lincoln Street Kitchen and Cocktails was established in 2019. This modern restaurant serves small plates such as mussels and BBQ pork belly, and stylish cocktails like an Old Fashioned, Hanging Garden, and the Part-Time Lover. The decor of this restaurant includes brick walks, globe chandeliers, industrial ceilings, and a massive bar. Along with its nice dining room, there is also a comfortable patio space for outdoor dining. Lincoln Street Kitchen and Cocktails has varied hours. It is open Tuesday through Sunday and it’s open for dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, there is always a brunch service.

Luce Ristorante was founded in Charlotte in 2006. Located in the Uptown District, it is close to the city center. It specializes in Italian cooking and serves homemade spaghetti, bruschetta, clam linguine, grilled skirt steak, and fried calamari. Along with its traditional menu, this restaurant has classic decor including vintage-style chandeliers, white columns, cherry wood furniture, and a wooden bar with a marble top. Luce Ristorante is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday and it is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

McNinch serves meals in a Victorian mansion. Its elegant and vintage decor makes this restaurant an ideal place for a romantic dinner. Special touches like metallic linens and meals served on formal dinnerware make eating at McNinch House a memorable experience. Diners eating here can order from an inventive menu, including a new take on classic French, Spanish and Italian dishes. Some dishes diners can order include crab cakes, pork belly swiss chard, filet mignon, cheese ravioli, and sweet potato pound cake for a final course. McNinch House Restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner. It is closed on both Sunday and Monday. Although the home was built in the late 1800s, the restaurant was established in 2005.

MOA Korean BBQ and Bar serves sophisticated Korean meals. This restaurant is located in Charlotte's Uptown, close to the Nascar Hall of Fame. Spacious, with more than one floor, this restaurant is a chic place to dine. Its decor is enhanced by its blue velvet chairs, black and gold stair rails, wood bar shelves, and wood paneling on the walls. The menu at MOA Korean BBQ includes Korean rice cakes, shrimp shumai, edamame, ramen noodles, Korean tacos, and braised short rib. MOA Korean BBQ and Bar is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, but is closed on Monday. This restaurant opened in Charlotte in 2020.

Oak Steakhouse is a modern restaurant in Charlotte's South Park community. Its menu features top beef cuts such as filet mignon, ribeye, tomahawk, and Porterhouse steaks. This restaurant's decor includes wooden floors, wood-paneled walls, long tables, shade chandeliers, and classic artwork. It also has a stylish patio where diners can eat and enjoy the fresh air. Oak Steakhouse is a franchise with several locations in the United States. Diners can eat here for dinner Monday through Saturday. The Charlotte location opened in 2017.

Peppervine is located in the South Park neighborhood of Charlotte and is within steps of the Piedmont Town Center, where there are several retail shops. Its contemporary and artistic decor features large sculptures, black ceilings, pendant lights, white leather chairs, and fabric hanging lights. Open during the dinner hour, this restaurant has a fresh, locally inspired menu. Some of its most popular dishes include Thai short ribs, tuna tartare, yeast rolls, fried oysters, and short ribs. Peppervine Charlotte was established in 2019.

Primo Prime is an Italian restaurant, open daily during the dinner service. Its menu includes traditional, homestyle dishes like beef carpaccio, linguine, rigatoni, veal chop Milanese, and rack of lamb. This restaurant is s located in the Myers Park area of Charlotte and within minutes of I-16. Its stylish and classic dining room is decorated with white leather bench chairs, a granite and wood bar, white tablecloths, and Roman-inspired artwork. Primo Prime was established in Charlotte in 1993.

Southern Pecan - Gulf Coast Kitchen makes its home in the South Park neighborhood of Charlotte. It offers casual dining in a cozy dining space with chic decor. Diners eating here can enjoy a more intimate experience with its wall benches and dividers. Other decor features like fabric-covered hanging lights, orange leather bar stools, and paneled artwork give this restaurant a warm vibe. Here, diners can order from a menu of local Southern dishes like chicken and dumplings, fried catfish, jambalaya, and mixed greens. No meal is complete without a dessert, such as its chocolate chess pecan pie. This restaurant is open daily for both lunch and dinner. Southern Pecan - Gulf Coast Kitchen was established in 2020 by Galveston native, Monte Smith.

Steak 48 is a modern steakhouse in Charlotte's popular South Park neighborhood. It offers fine dining in a stylishly decorated space, making this a good choice for special occasions. Its elegant menu features top-cut beef such as prime rib and filet mignon. Fresh seafood such as oysters, lobster cocktail, and Hawaiian poke are some of the more popular menu items. Steak 48 also has a variety of desserts for diners to order, such as creme brulee. Finish a meal with a glass of champagne or wine from its well-curated list. Note Steak 48 has a strict dress code for both men and women. Steak 48 is an award-winning restaurant chain open Monday through Saturday for dinner. It opened its doors in Charlotte in 2020.

The Cellar at Duckworth's is a vintage-inspired pub located close to Charlotte's city center. Its menu includes finger and bar foods like candied bacon, char-grilled oysters, or truffle macaroni and cheese. If a diner has a large appetite, there are also larger plates, such as the Cellar burger, a ribeye steak, or shrimp and grits. Stylish cocktail drinks made by talented mixologists are also a favorite menu item at the Cellar. Some of its specialty drinks include Mento Havanother, the Trader Vic's classic cocktail, and Mezcal Thymencello. In fact, the head mixologist at this restaurant, Ron Oleksa, has received media attention for his stylish drinks, namely his Mole Fashioned drink made with Irish whiskey and mole bitters. Although the restaurant's building was built in 1912, the restaurant itself made its debut in Charlotte in 2015.

Located in the South End neighborhood of Charlotte, The Eagle Food and Beer Hall is a popular neighborhood hangout. Its menu includes bar foods like fried hushpuppies, pretzels, French onion soup, and spoonbread. Menu items like burgers, sandwiches (like the shrimp po’ boy), fried chicken, and macaroni and cheese will make anyone feel full. With comfortable leather chairs and mounted flat-screen televisions all around, this is an ideal place to watch the Carolina Panthers or the Charlotte Hornets compete. Diners can eat here for dinner Monday through Thursday, and for lunch, dinner, and late-night meals on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. This restaurant was established in 2021.

The Fig Tree Restaurant offers fine dining in Uptown Charlotte. Some of its most popular dishes include lobster tails, elk chop, fried oysters, pork chops, and eggplant ravioli. While dining here, enjoy a romantic ambiance in a converted, historical home. Some of its decor features include brick fireplaces, walnut wood chairs with fabric seats, candlelight, and wood ceiling panels. Each table is covered with white, crisp linens and food served on elegant china. There is also a beautiful patio where diners can eat while taking in its natural surroundings. It is open to diners Monday through Sunday for dinner only. The Fig Tree Restaurant opened its doors in 2005.

The Goodyear House is a restaurant in the NoDa area of Charlotte which opened in 2020. This is a casual restaurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Diners eating outdoors can choose to dine on the patio, in the picnic area, or on the covered porch. Continuing its rustic decor, its interior has wooden dining room tables and chairs, hardwood floors, and lots of greenery on the walls. The menu at the Goodyear House includes comfort foods like burgers and fries, smoked prime rib, spicy dipped fried chicken, and smoked cashew macaroni. The Goodyear Restaurant is open for service during the dinner hour, Tuesday through Sunday, and for lunch on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Via Roma is a modern Italian restaurant near I-16. Its menu features Tuscan-inspired meals such as bruschetta Romano, lasagna, ravioli, shrimp scampi, risotto, and pizza. Entrees like chicken breast, salmon, and wild cod served with side dishes like potatoes, asparagus, and arugula salad are another diner's favorite from its chef. The Italian inspiration for this restaurant continues with the decor in the dining room. Its look includes off-white faux walls, sconce lights, and rich wood china cabinets. The dining room tables are further accented with white table linens, table plants, upscale china, and dinnerware. This restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for dinner. Via Roma Restaurant Charlotte first opened its doors in 2017.

YUME Ramen, Sushi and Bar became a part of the Charlotte community in 2017. This stylish restaurant serves both lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday. Its menu features Japanese dishes like sushi, curry, and ramen noodles. The interior of the YUME Ramen, Sushi and Bar is ultra-modern. Some of its touches include open ceilings, industrial chandeliers, warm green painted walls, off-white chairs, a glitzy bar, and brass bar stools for seating. There is a large dining room with garage doors raising up to bring the outdoors in. Flat-screen televisions are strategically placed around the building to help keep diners in tune with the news and sports.