Upscale Charlotte restaurant named one of travel guide’s best restaurants in the world

It’s no secret that Charlotte has a buzzing food scene with delicious restaurants all over the area, but one spot has been named among the best in the world.

Forbes Travel Guide released its annual Star Awards of the best hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises around the globe. This year, six North Carolina restaurants made the list, CharlotteFive previously reported, including Gallery Restaurant.

“Sophisticated Southern fare in Charlotte”

The upscale restaurant, described as a “culinary gem,” is located inside The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel.

“Years ago, it looked more like a scene from Steel Magnolias, what with its bright yellow dining room and oversized floral accents. While the food was exceptional, the décor overshadowed the work in the kitchen,” the report says.

“A massive renovation in 2013 left the restaurant looking like the innovative and sophisticated dining spot it was meant to be, one that serves inventive American cuisine with a farm-to-table bent.”

Gallery Restaurant, which also features art from Awaken Gallery, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, plus weekend brunch with David Bines as the current chef de cuisine. It has a full bar, too.

“Gallery’s adjacent bar is a destination in and of itself. Oversized armchairs, dark wood paneling, coffered ceilings, and a backlit bar with sleek, leather stools make this place feel more like Manhattan than suburban Charlotte,” Forbes said.

In the report, 258 restaurants across the world were named among the best to eat at. To compile the ratings, Forbes Travel Guide sent teams to pose in disguise as regular guests to test and score each place on 900 factors and criteria.

You can find the full list of Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Star Award winners online at forbestravelguide.com.

This story was originally published February 8, 2024 at 11:59 AM.

Chyna Blackmon

The Charlotte Observer

Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription