Around Town

Which Charlotte restroom was named among the best in the country?

By Jillian Mueller
Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien<br>The restrooms at La Belle Helene in Charlotte.
Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien<br>The restrooms at La Belle Helene in Charlotte. Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien.

Quick: name the Charlotte restaurant most known for its restroom selfies.

If you said Salud, The Crunkleton or Undercurrent Coffee, you’d be close.

But if you guessed La Belle Helene, you nailed it. The uptown French brasserie, already locally famous for the selfies taken in its vanity mirrors, is now gaining national fame as a finalist in the 18th annual America’s Best Restroom Contest.

This contest, sponsored by Cintas Corporation, strives to recognize and celebrate creatively designed restroom facilities across the country.

La Belle Helene’s restroom was designed by Parisian architect and designer Richard LaFond. It features a selfie wall that reflects the correct way for mirror selfies, along with flattering, soft lighting and classic Parisian-inspired architecture and bronze hardware.

Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien&lt;br&gt;The selfie wall at La Belle Helene.
Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien&lt;br&gt;The selfie wall at La Belle Helene. Courtesy of Remy Thurston and Ben Pien

Several unisex bathroom stalls surround a central basin with vanities and sinks for handwashing and primping — as seen in brasseries in France.

“We wanted to carry the stylish design and ambience of the restaurant into every part of the experience, which meant adding class and creativity to the bathroom, as well. We were inspired by the shared unisex setup often seen in Europe and added the beautiful white tile, selfie mural and big mirrors to maintain a modern look and feel,” said Scott Steenrod, managing director at Constellation Culinary Group, which manages operations and culinary teams at La Belle Helene.

Other contenders include:

(1) Jianna Restaurant

Greenville, South Carolina

Courtesy of Jianna&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Jianna in Greenville, South Carolina.
Courtesy of Jianna&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Jianna in Greenville, South Carolina.

(2) Jupiter Next

Portland, Oregon

Courtesy of Jupiter Next&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Jupiter Next in Portland, Oregon.
Courtesy of Jupiter Next&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Jupiter Next in Portland, Oregon.

(3) LaGuardia Airport Terminal B

New York City

Courtesy of LaGuardia Airport&lt;br&gt;The restroom at LaGuardia Airport Terminal B in Queens, New York.
Courtesy of LaGuardia Airport&lt;br&gt;The restroom at LaGuardia Airport Terminal B in Queens, New York. Jeff Goldberg © Jeff Goldberg/Esto

(4) Mourad

San Francisco, California

Courtesy of Dan Tale&lt;br&gt;The restrooms at Mourad in San Francisco, California.
Courtesy of Dan Tale&lt;br&gt;The restrooms at Mourad in San Francisco, California.

(5) Nashville Zoo

Nashville, Tennessee

Photo by Byron Jorjoria&lt;br&gt;The Nashville Zoo restroom in Nashville, Tennessee.
Photo by Byron Jorjoria&lt;br&gt;The Nashville Zoo restroom in Nashville, Tennessee. Byron Jorjorian

(6) Natick Mall

Natick, Massachusetts

Courtesy of Natick Mall&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts.
Courtesy of Natick Mall&lt;br&gt;The restroom at Natick Mall in Natick, Massachusetts.

(7) New Museum of Contemporary Art

New York City

Courtesy of the New Museum of Contemporary Art&lt;br&gt;The restroom at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City.
Courtesy of the New Museum of Contemporary Art&lt;br&gt;The restroom at the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York City.

(8) Sea-Tac Airport North Satellite Terminal

Seattle, Washington

Courtesy of Sea-Tac Airport&lt;br&gt;The Sea-Tac Airport North Satellite Terminal restroom in Seattle, Washington.
Courtesy of Sea-Tac Airport&lt;br&gt;The Sea-Tac Airport North Satellite Terminal restroom in Seattle, Washington.

(9) The Butcher and the Brewer

Cleveland, Ohio

Courtesy of the Butcher and the Brewer&lt;br&gt;The restroom at the Butcher and the Brewer in Cleveland, Ohio.
Courtesy of the Butcher and the Brewer&lt;br&gt;The restroom at the Butcher and the Brewer in Cleveland, Ohio.

You can vote for La Belle Helene or your favorite restroom here until Sept. 13.

This story was originally published August 6, 2019 at 10:03 PM.

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