The Best Food And Drink In Charlotte NC, 2023 Edition
Charlotte, North Carolina, is a bustling city that is growing by leaps and bounds. The city has a population of nearly 900,000 people, and it is quickly becoming a hub for professionals, creatives, and people wanting to enjoy culture and nightlife. It has a thriving social scene, which makes it a great place for a bite to eat or a nice, flavorful drink.
If you're looking to enjoy what Charlotte has to offer, you need to consider the best options for taste, price, culture, and ratings. 2023 is a good year if you're a person who lives in the Queen City or is planning to travel there in the near future. The restaurants on this list will tickle your tastebuds and give you the chance to see what Charlotte has to offer. Use this guide so that you can add these restaurants to your must-try list this year. From breweries to authentic Southern joints, these are the best places to get food and drink in Charlotte.
Free Will Craft + Vine
Free Will Craft + Vine is a restaurant that offers plenty of great food, a fun place to eat, and somewhere you can go to watch a game or play some of your own. It's gotten rave reviews for people interested in tasty menu options and a good time in a community-oriented establishment. This is a high-tech, spacious establishment with plenty of craft beers, food, and wine. You'll be able to catch the latest Panthers and Bobcat games on one of the many TV screens, or snag some of the board and card games they have and play with your friends over some beers. The restaurant has 60 self-serve taps and free Wi-Fi that people use to work and to host their fantasy drafts and other gatherings.
The restaurant also features an eclectic menu of wings and pizza. Free Will Craft + Vine specializes in woodfired wings that are served as eight pieces. Some of the wing varieties that you'll enjoy include garlic buffalo and blue cheese crumble; hot honey; Gochujang; lemon pepper; and garlic parmesan. You can also enjoy their pizza offerings, such as classic cheese; pepperoni; meat lovers; mushroom and Swiss; hot honey; and buffalo chicken. It's an excellent place to turn when you're looking to host a party or get a group together to watch sports. The restaurant is also a great place to turn when you're looking for specials. Free Will Craft + Vine regularly has happy hours and specials like half-priced wine.
The Asbury
If you're looking into some of the best southern fare in Charlotte, The Asbury should remain high on your list. The restaurant offers high-end food enjoyed in the Carolinas. At The Asbury, you're getting Southern food mixed with modern sensibilities in a beautiful and spacious environment. A visit to The Asbury means you're dining at a business that delivers a highly rated culinary experience for any occasion. The restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, and dinner food of a wide variety.
Some breakfast menu selections that you can enjoy when dining at The Asbury include sausage omelets, banana pudding pancakes, potato cakes, stone-ground grits, and chicken biscuits. For brunch, you might enjoy some menu offerings like sticky biscuits, deviled eggs, French toast, and chicken and waffles. You can also order glasses and pitchers of mimosas or a Bloody Mary. For dinner, you might enjoy some menu items like pan-seared mahi mahi, the Asbury Burger, steak, braised short ribs, and pork tenderloin.
The restaurant is open seven days a week and is open for private events and special engagements. Though it offers an upscale experience, you can still place orders online. The Asbury is located in the Fourth Ward area of Charlotte, at the Dunhill Hotel and around the corner from the Spectrum Center.
HopFly Brewing Co.
HopFly is the perfect place to stop by if you love craft beer and want to take in the sights and sounds of the busiest part of Charlotte. This location features a spacious, wide-open, artfully designed taproom that brings in people from all over the city who love excellent brews. The rooftop outdoor patio area gives you a breathtaking view of the Charlotte skyline. It's a craft beer haven that people love whether they are partial to ales, lagers, IPAs, or craft cocktails.
There's an ever-changing tap list of drinks that you'll appreciate. If you like hoppy beers, you may want to try some offerings like the Endless Reign hazy IPA, which has a 6.5% ABV; the Summer Crush hazy IPA, with a 7% ABV; the lighter Beach Beer session hazy IPA, which has a 5% ABV; and the Ghost West Coast IPA, with a 6.5% ABV. For customers keen on a lighter brew, perfect for sipping while enjoying food from the Katsu Kart food truck parked outside, try the Crunchtime light lager, with a 4.5% ABV. If you're after something malty, try the Reilly Made a Wheat Ale beer, with a 6% ABV.
You can also appreciate some cocktails on draft, such as the strawberry margarita, a vodka Transfusion, and the Mint St. Margarita. There are also some wines and seltzer options for people who want something different. The brewing company doesn't serve food, but the Katsu Kart truck outside should have you covered, offering enough Japanese-inspired chicken, fries, and sandwiches to keep you buzzing and drinking happily all afternoon and evening. The taproom is open six days a week and is closed on Mondays.
Stoke
Stoke is an excellent establishment in uptown Charlotte that delivers an excellent ambiance and delicious food to match. Though this restaurant features impeccable food offerings, it also focuses on building community and connection. The restaurant features a wood-burning stove that fixes flavorful foods, complemented by a selection of wines, beers, and well-crafted signature cocktails. The food from Stoke's kitchen is made with Southern sensibilities and is served in an upscale dining experience.
The menu features choices for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Some of the breakfast offerings you might appreciate include chicken biscuits, smoked salmon avocado toast, and waffles with apple butter, berries, and maple syrup. The menu also includes a wide selection of omelets, and the lunch menu includes kale broccoli bowls, burgers, grilled chicken BLTs, and "garbage fries" — think Southern poutine. If you decide to dine in for brunch, some of the choices you may like include fried fish tacos, shrimp and grits, and a Wagyu beef burger.
If you stop by for dinner, you can choose menu selections like a 12-ounce New York strip steak, dry pack scallops, and sticky pork shank, with Brussels sprouts and mac and cheese as two potential mouthwatering sides. You may enjoy a variety of high-end, top-shelf cocktails to go with your dinner and craft beer options from breweries located in Charlotte and Asheville, North Carolina. Both the restaurant and the bar are open every day.
The Capital Grille
When you sit down at The Capital Grille, you're getting access to world-class flavor, artistically decorated ambiance, and a wide variety of tantalizing food. It's a refined environment complete with a dress code and Art Deco chandeliers. The Capital Grille is located in the Fourth Ward area of Charlotte near Center City. You'd go to The Capital Grille for an upscale experience, as the restaurant is located in a ritzy part of town, nearby Marriotts and a Ritz Carlton.
A glimpse at the menu reveals some high-end, artistically-prepared meals that you'll enjoy when you decide to dine at The Capital Grille. The restaurant specializes in dry-aged steaks but sells a variety of other food options. If you stop by for lunch you'll be able to enjoy selections like New England clam chowder, lobster bisque, seared salmon, ribeye steak sandwiches, the Capital Grille cheeseburger, and cobb salad with sliced tenderloin. Some of your steak options include bone-in dry-aged New York strip steak, 8-ounce filet mignon, and boneless prime ribeye.
Dinner options include steak tartare, fresh oysters on the half shell, lobster and crab cakes, cherrywood smoked bacon with Korean BBQ, sliced filet mignon, and butter-poached lobster tails. The restaurant sells a variety of red wine, white wine, and rose selections as well. Some dessert options you can appreciate at The Capital Grille include crème brûlée and coconut cream pie. It's a winning option all around.
Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
If you're looking for a watering hole that doesn't neglect the art and culture of it all, you can't go wrong with Lenny Boy Brewing Co. This is a taproom with a serious selection that lets you taste the best of what this company has to offer. Lenny Boy Brewing Co. started off as a business with a passion for kombucha and has since branched out into offering some of the best craft beer that you'll find in the area.
The taproom is open six nights a week and is situated in an open space that makes it the perfect place to socialize with a drink in your hand. If you're a beer lover, you'll love selections like the Czech Please pilsner and Traveling Light lager, and if you're an IPA fan, you can indulge in the Let's Dance hazy pale ale, Send It IPA, and limited-release Stage Fright Imperial IPA. Beer isn't all Lenny Boy offers, as this is also an excellent spot to check out if you want to sample some sours and wild ales. And of course, some kombuchas.
Lenny Boy Brewing Co. is also an excellent place to check out when you'd like to host a gathering with friends or a private event. It's a company that is proud of its brand, and it shows in the variety of merchandise that you can take home with you after a night out. You can also enjoy plenty of gastropub fare here like pretzels, pepperoni flatbread, nachos, popcorn, and hummus.
Divine Barrel Brewing
At the award-winning Divine Barrel Brewing, you'll have your selection of beers specially crafted by experts. The owner brings more than 20 years of experience to this business, and beer lovers in Charlotte get to reap the rewards. The taproom is open seven days a week and features more variety than you will find at most places in Charlotte.
If you like IPAs, consider Divine Barrel Brewing a hoppy paradise. Divine Barrel's flagship IPA selection includes Universal Language and Climb a Cloud, but if you prefer your beers a little hoppier, the I Did It All For the Wookie, Moving To Montana, and Neon Distraction IPAs have you covered. You'll never be disappointed by Divine Barrel when you check ahead to see what's on tap.
This is also a great place to stop by when you'd like to have some fun and unwind. Divine Barrel Brewing regularly holds trivia nights, game nights, food truck dinners, and other events. You can also book a space for your large group or rent the venue for a private event. Regardless of what you're looking for, you'll get excellent drink selections with quality service.
Fin & Fino
Fin & Fino is a social seafood house that provides its patrons with good drinks and food offerings that are some of the best in the city. With such close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, it's only right that you should sample fresh seafood along with your expertly made drink options. The executive chef is a Charlotte native who understands the sensibilities of his patrons and delivers an experience worth traveling for. Fin & Fino is situated in a busy part of town not far from Bank of America Stadium. This means that you get to enjoy the people-watching and scenery along with your orders.
You can't go wrong with food options, as Fin & Fino offers starter selections like fresh oysters, shrimp cocktail, lobster tails, scallops, and seafood salad. For your entrees, you'll be able to dine on offerings like North Carolina trout, lamb rigatoni, roasted beets, mussels, and brown butter shrimp. Customers also love dessert selections like house special carrot cake and cheesecake as well as coconut cake and gelato.
For drinks, Fin & Fino also won't let you down. In addition to a variety of wines, Fin & Fin serves draft beer from breweries in the Carolinas, including a number of flavorful stouts and pilsners. This business is open every day except Sundays.
Good Food on Montford
Good Food on Montford is your go-to spot if you're looking for small-plate American and international options. It's a restaurant that lets the food speak for itself, and the chefs rotate the menu seasonally. This means that each and every visit to Good Food on Montford is an experience all its own. Good Food on Montford has gotten plenty of good press in the culinary world, and it's not difficult to see why. You get a mixture of local and international, as the restaurant sources its produce from local farmers while preparing meals inspired by cuisine from all over the world.
Some pasta options include beet gnocchi, taglioni, and garganelli with sausage. If you're interested in seafood, you may enjoy selections like green or red curry mussels, scallops, and chilled shrimp. Other entree items include Korean beef, spice-rubbed pork belly, and schnitzel. For desserts, customers can sink a sweet tooth into offerings like Good Food on Montford's sundae, chocolate cookie board, and lemon mousse.
The drink menu is also extensive. You'll get to try several beers brewed in North Carolina and Virginia. Some of these craft brews include the Triple C Brewing Planet Pulp hazy IPA, the Birdsong Jalapeno pale ale, and Starr Hill Brewing's Copper Compass amber ale. You can also order a variety of wines, sparkling wines, cocktails, and dessert cocktails.
Dandelion Market
Dandelion Market is an excellent choice for the night if you're looking for craft cocktails in a welcoming environment. This Dublin-inspired establishment mixes chic decor with quality food and a wide drink selection. What you get is one of the best pub-style businesses that you can visit in Charlotte seven days a week through 2 a.m.
The restaurant offers plenty of exquisitely prepared brunch and dinner options that its customers rave about. Some popular starters include the cured meat and cheese board, spinach artichoke dip, and cauliflower fritters with kimchi. You also can't go wrong ordering solid staple items like the sourdough-breaded mac and cheese, pommes frites, sweet and spicy green beans, and country ham risotto. The surf and turf menu won't let you down, as it features options like cherry glazed lamb lollipops, beef sliders, BBQ short ribs, chicken wings, calamari, and pan-seared scallops.
Brunch is a must these days, and you'll also have plenty of tantalizing selections at Dandelion Market. A few popular brunch choices include omelets served with hash browns, grits, fries, or fruit; huevos rancheros; shrimp and grits; a bacon, egg, and cheese muffin; and hot chicken or beef sliders. The drink selection is extensive, whether you like beer, wine, or cocktails. You can order beer from rotating taps that feature local brew options. You can also choose from a variety of white wine and red wine selections. Dandelion Market also has signature cocktails made from gin, tequila, whiskey, and vodka.
The Bohemian: A Wine Bar
No matter your walk of life, you owe it to yourself to learn and embrace the art and science that is wine. The Bohemian can help with that since it's one of the best wine bars in the Queen City. When you stop by this Plaza Midwood gem, you'll have the chance to refine your palate one glass at a time. This establishment was created by a husband and wife team who fell in love with the area and opened up a craft beer and wine shop. Once it was well-received, The Bohemian was a natural evolution. It's set in a relaxed environment that is inviting to anyone wanting to sip and learn wine.
You can stop by and try out The Bohemian's extensive wine selection Wednesday through Sunday. Consider pairing your wine with any of the finger foods that The Bohemian offers, such as a four-meat and four-cheese charcuterie board, flatbreads, and salads. These are the types of foods that you want to munch on while finding out the best wines to pair them with. You may also like dessert options like chocolate ganache and New York-style cheesecake. Once you stop by and take in the ambiance and options, you might just be tempted to purchase a bottle or two of wine. It's the type of sophisticated place that helps you learn the ropes while not being too intimidating or offputting.
Harriet's Hamburgers
Sometimes, you just want a good old-fashioned hamburger. Harriet's Hamburgers offers delicious burgers prepared hot and fast with the best ingredients. Though hamburgers are simple food options, the restaurant's mantra revels in this simplicity. Harriet's Hamburgers strives to boost moods with its burgers to help people have a better day.
Harriet's accomplishes that more often than not, as the restaurant's burgers are among the most flavorful that you'll find in the Queen City. Like some of the best and most long-lasting burger joints, Harriet's Hamburgers also doesn't bog down customers with its menu. You will have your choice of a hamburger, a hamburger with cheese, crispy fries, and signature sauces. Your burger is served on a buttery brioche bun, along with sliced in-house pickles. The beef burger patties come from Creekstone Farms and are 100% free of antibiotics and hormones. The restaurant also serves handcrafted, all-natural soda for you to wash it all down with. Harriet's Hamburgers doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but instead, it strives to add perfection to the simplistic.