For your next lunch meeting: 14 best Charlotte restaurants good for talking business.
If you’re looking for the best places in Charlotte to meet — and dine — during your lunch hour, the venue choices can feel overwhelming in a city so full of good restaurants.
Lunch meetings have taken on a new look in Charlotte, with so many new restaurants opening and Charlotteans having to say goodbye to some old favorites. But there are still plenty of restaurants that have options for privacy, dedicated parking, ease of ordering and great food.
Here are 14 places to eat in Charlotte to host your next lunch meeting and a map of where to find them.
Bang Bang Burger
Location: 2001 E. 7th St., Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Elizabeth
Once you arrive, place your order at the counter, then grab a table with a little privacy if you plan to talk business after you eat. The menu is simple — great burgers, a few sandwiches, a handful of sides and a few craft beer options.
Restaurant style: Fast casual
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians
What to know: There are more than 10 burgers and sandwiches to choose from:
If you’re counting carbs, order a burger bowl.
Vegetarians, choose between the Mushroom and Swiss Burger and the Black Bean Burger.
Getting there:
Parking: Bang Bang is located in a strip mall with a few other popular spots (including Sunflour Baking Co., so save room for dessert). The parking lot is shared among all the businesses, so if you can’t find a spot in front of the restaurant, check out the larger lot space around the corner from the restaurant.
Blacow Burger Sushi Bar
Location: 517 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28262
Neighborhood: University
Blacow has plenty of space and offers indoor and outdoor seating. When you enter, you’ll wait to be seated. It’ll take some time to check out the menu, so you may want to browse online beforehand or plan to spend part of your lunch hour looking at the many options of burgers, sushi and drinks.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarian
What to know: The Blacow burger won the best burger of 2020 during the Moo and Brew craft beer and burger festival. It comes with Wagyu (Japanese Black Cow Beef), teriyaki glaze, lettuce, nori furikake (seaweed seasoning), tempura avocado and mayo.
Getting there:
Parking: Blacow is located in a high traffic area near hotels and chain restaurants. So, you may want to plan accordingly. There is an attached lot, so parking shouldn’t be an issue.
Boudreaux’s
Location: 501 E. 36th St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: NoDa
Once you enter the restaurant, it will feel — and smell — like you’re in New Orleans. There are little pockets of privacy throughout the restaurant. So, ask for a table that is along the perimeter and away from the entrance.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters
What to know: The restaurant is in the heart of the Arts District. After lunch, take a walk through NoDa and admire the work of local artists before heading back to work.
Getting there:
Light rail: Take the 36th Street stop, then walk to the corner of 36th and Davidson streets, and you’ve found the restaurant.
Parking: NoDa is not known for its good parking options, and Boudeaux’s does not have dedicated parking. If you can’t find street parking, check out some of the garages or lots nearby, which rent by the hour. Mercury is the closest garage to the restaurant.
Common Market Oakwold
Location: 4420-A Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Oakhurst
If you’ve been in Charlotte long enough, you’ve at least heard about Common Market. Oakwold is the third location in Charlotte, and the original location in Plaza Midwood opened in 2002. When you enter the Oakwold location, decide whether you want soup, salad or a sandwich and find a seat. Once your order is ready, you can get it from the pick-up window, sit and enjoy.
Restaurant style: Fast casual, or you can select snacks from the coolers. Self-serve coffee.
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans
What to know: If you arrive early, you can check out the market for local provisions while you wait.
Getting there:
Parking: There’s plenty of space in the parking lot, which means you can arrive minutes before your meeting.
Eight + Sand Kitchen
Location: 135 New Bern St., Retail A, Charlotte, NC 28209
Neighborhood: South End
Once your party arrives — and you decide if you want to take advantage of the patio views — you’ll be seated. Then, you can choose from a lengthy menu of locally sourced food and drink options. The brunch menu offers a selection of sandwiches and salads — and if it’s that kind of meeting, you can try one of the specialty cocktails.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free
What to know: The patio seating comes with a view of the Rail Trail, which means you can hop over to extend your meeting while walking for a few minutes afterward, taking in the scenery.
Getting there:
Light rail: Take the Light Rail and exit at the New Bern Station.
Parking: There is street parking, but you have to budget in the time before your meeting to look for parking.
The Jerk Joint Jamaican Restaurant
Location: 4841 Shopton Road, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28278
Neighborhood: Steele Creek
Though the space may seem small, there’s a very good chance that you and your co-worker will have the place to yourself during lunch if you arrive at noon, when it opens. When you walk in, you’re met with a menu. Once you place your order, you can choose a seat and wait for your traditional Jamaican feast.
Restaurant style: Fast casual
Menu good for: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free
What to know: if you choose the lunch portion, you likely won’t have any leftovers. So, choose wisely.
Getting there:
Parking: There is a large parking lot with plenty of parking.
Libretto’s Pizzeria
Location: 15205 John J. Delaney Drive, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28277
Neighborhood: Ballantyne
If your lunch party is in the mood for pizza, Libretto’s is where you all should plan to meet. If it’s a quick lunch, you can grab a slice of pizza — typically already prepared. If you’re extending your lunch and have time to wait, you can order a fresh pie or pasta, calzone or stromboli.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians
What to know: Libretto’s has daily specials. If you have your lunch meeting on a Tuesday, you can cover the tab and take advantage of the $2 slices of cheese and pepperoni pizza.
Getting there:
Parking: Libretto’s is near the Ballantyne East Shopping Center. There are plenty of options for parking nearby in the attached lot.
Maharani Indian Cuisine
Location: 901 S. Kings Drive, Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Midtown
Maharani offers a menu full of traditional Indian cuisine. If you happen to arrive during lunch time, you may find yourself eating indoors with little company, which means you should be able to talk business in private.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans
What to know: There are seven lunch specials, and you get to choose your spice level.
Getting there:
Parking: Maharani is located in a strip mall that includes other businesses. There’s a shared attached parking lot. If you can’t find parking in front of the restaurant, drive under the King’s Court sign to find more parking.
MOA Korean BBQ
Location: 128 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
We know that not everyone is working from home. So, if you’re working near uptown and you are in the mood for authentic Korean barbecue, then you have to persuade your co-worker to try MOA for an upscale experience.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, pescatarian
What to know: The patio is directly in front of the restaurant, which means you can catch a view of uptown.
Getting there:
Parking: There is street parking in front of the restaurant, but you’ll have to pay the meter during lunch hours. The closet garage for parking is the 140 West 4th Street Garage.
Red Rocks Cafe
Location: 4223 Providence Road, Suite 8, Charlotte, NC 28211
Neighborhood: SouthPark/Strawberry Hill
Red Rocks Cafe offers full dine-in service and is the kind of place you’ll want to stay a while. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s a bar and bakery. If you’re planning on taking a meeting here, be sure to take a long lunch so you can indulge. Pro tip: follow the Strawberry Hill location on Instagram to keep up with the weekly featured menu.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarian, gluten free
What to know: There’s a spacious patio for outdoor dining.
Getting there:
Parking: Red Rocks Cafe has an attached lot that has plenty of space for parking.
Rhino Market & Deli
Location: 1500 W. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Wesley Heights
If you need to schedule a lunch meeting, the original Rhino Market in Wesley Heights should be high on your list. Rhino prides itself on having an atmosphere that works for all occasions. The ordering process is pretty simple — place your order at one counter and pay at the next counter. Once you choose your table, you can start talking business while you wait for your soup, salad or sandwich. The neighborhood market and deli has something for everyone, with an entire section dedicated to vegetarians.
Restaurant style: Fast casual
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans
What to know: You can also check out the market for dinner options — or lunch the following day.
Getting there:
Parking: There’s plenty of parking in the attached shared parking lot. It extends back so it has plenty of space for patrons.
Rice & Spice Thai Street Food
Location: 8314-901 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226
Neighborhood: Pineville
When you enter Rice & Spice, you’re immediately transported to Thailand. This is one place that incorporates food and experience. So, if you see a table that you want for your party, tell the host. It’s typically quiet at the start of lunch, so you’ll have some privacy. The Thai street food menu is extensive and full of flavor.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians, vegans, gluten free
What to know: The atmosphere is welcoming, and there’s also full bar service.
Getting there:
Parking: Rice & Spice may be difficult to find without your GPS. It’s located behind the Burlington on Pineville-Matthews Road. From Pineville-Matthews, turn on McMullen Creek Parkway and you’ll drive up on the attached parking lot.
Viva Chicken
Location: 11641 Waverly Center Drive, Suite K1, Charlotte, NC 28277
Neighborhood: Waverly
If you’re in the mood for something fresh, Viva Chicken — known for its Peruvian rotisserie chicken — is the place for you. You and your co-worker can conquer the meeting, eat a wholesome meal and not feel guilty about it afterward. The menu is full of sandwiches, salads and wraps. Since you’re being intentional about your meal, perhaps you can split a “sweet thing” — churros or tres leches.
Restaurant style: Sit down
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians
What to know: If you purchase a churro, you can provide up to five meals for a child in need.
Getting there:
Parking: Viva Chicken is located in the Waverly Shopping Center. While the area is known for being busy, there’s plenty of space to park in the attached lot that is shared with other businesses.
YAFO Kitchen
Location: 1331 Central Ave. #101, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
YAFO has build-your-own options but if you don’t feel like being creative, they have you covered. The chef’s featured entrees allow you to enter and order with ease. It’s a fairly simple menu that highlights Mediterranean street food, but depending on the experience you choose, there’s an opportunity to taste some amazing flavors.
Restaurant style: Fast casual
Menu good for: Meat eaters, vegetarians
What to know: The chef’s featured entrees eliminates the decision-making process, saving time during your lunch hour.
Getting there:
- Parking: The parking lot that YAFO shares with other businesses isn’t vast. If you can’t find a spot in front of the restaurant, you can try driving around the lot to find a space. There’s also street parking available on Clement Avenue.
This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
