These are the best new restaurants in the Charlotte area, according to you
Charlotte’s ever-changing restaurant scene has a steady stream of new hot spots. We compiled a giant list of restaurants and other food-and-drink related businesses that opened in Charlotte in 2022 or announced that they were opening soon — but which of those new restaurants are the best?
To find out, we asked you your favorite meals of 2022. CharlotteFive readers replied with dozens of restaurants, and we plucked the responses on the newest ones to compile this list.
Here are some of the best new restaurants in Charlotte, according to you:
Church and Union Charlotte
Location: 127 N. Tryon St., Suite 8, Charlotte, NC 28202
Church and Union Charlotte kicked off the year with a Jan. 1, 2022, opening — a rebrand of 5Church, under the same ownership. Reader Michael Kelly praised the fish and said, “My husband and I celebrated our last anniversary there — we’ve eaten there numerous times. He died of lung cancer 3/15/22.”
Drift on Lake Wylie
Location: 315 Lanyard Ln m, Belmont, NC 28012
Drift on Lake Wylie, a contemporary chophouse with former Alchemy chef Ken Aponte at the helm, hit the spot with multiple readers. They took notice of the restaurant’s steak offerings, along with the bone-in pork chop and Brussels sprouts, dressed up with Calabrian chilis and Vermont maple glaze.
Ever Andalo
Location: 3116 N. Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
Ever Andalo took over the space where Crepe Cellar operated under the same ownership in early 2022. One reader called out the modern Italian restaurant’s burrata, along with the tagliatelle pasta and dessert.
Limani
Location: 6902 Phillips Pl Ct, Charlotte, NC 28210
The New York-based restaurant opened in Charlotte late in the year, bringing Mediterranean cuisine to the former Upstream space. Reader Ray Burdi highlighted the octopus, tuna and deconstructed baklava, saying: “Incredible food, beautiful presentation, beautiful restaurant, service.”
Milkbread
Location: 1431 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Among the votes was a nod for Milkbread, in the former Dairy Queen building in Plaza Midwood. One reader replied simply, “cinnamon rolls.” (And we can’t disagree — we even shared the recipe so you can make them at home if you want.)
Yunta
Location: 2201 South Blvd, Suite 130, Charlotte, NC 28203
Yunta, which offers a Nikkei menu that fuses Peruvian and Japanese influences, gained the most votes for favorite meal of 2022 from CharlotteFive readers. It opened in March.
Jase Norman held up the ceviche, maki, Tallerin Saltado and the Lucuma Chocolate Bomba, saying, “Amazing food, beautiful restaurant with a great vibe and excellent service!”
Katie Milligan was all about the octopus. “Octopus can be a difficult cook to get right, let alone the flavors that Yunta was accomplishing. Best octopus North of Miami. We try to go more frequently than the 3x we’ve been there but it’s always packed.”
Another reader said, “Have eaten here so much, I’ve tried everything!”
