Charlotte’s Top 10 new restaurants of 2024: Our guide to the Queen City’s best eats
In a culinary landscape where more than 200 new restaurants open or announce they’re on the way each year in Charlotte, it is nearly impossible to grab a taste of them all.
That’s where we come in, trying to help you find the best of the best and the bites you can’t possibly miss out on with our list of the 10 best restaurants that opened in 2024.
We scanned through our list of restaurant openings throughout the year, plucking out the must-try spots that bring something above average to the table and keeping diversity of cuisine and ownership in mind, as well.
Here are the top 10 restaurants to open in the Charlotte area in 2024:
3rd & Fernwood
Location: 1100 Metropolitan Ave., Suite 170
Chef Gregory Collier and Subrina Collier’s BayHaven Restaurant group set out on a new adventure at Metropolitan Charlotte, opening 3rd & Fernwood over the summer. Sleek, modern decor that evokes the feel of sister spot Uptown Yolk carries through the dining room. And the magic that has brought the chef multiple James Beard Award nominations shines through in the food, focused on seasonal Southern favorites and farm-fresh produce.
What to try: Shaved Greens Salad, Fried Chicken Thigh Sandwich, 3 Cheese Baked Mac, Braised Collards, Hambone Grits
Albertine
Location: Duke Energy Plaza, 525 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Albertine opened to great acclaim in late September in uptown Charlotte’s Duke Energy Plaza, with just as much focus on the lavish design finishes chosen by Katy Kindred as the food put out by her James Beard Award nominated husband, chef Joe Kindred. With a focus on contemporary Mediterranean and Southern-inspired cuisine, the restaurant quickly became the new hot spot where it’s hard to get a reservation. (A bonus: Sister restaurant Milkbread’s newest location is right next door.)
What to try: Crispy Charred Malawach with caviar and creme fraiche; Crispy Pickled Brined SC Hot Quail; carrots with hot honey and nepitella; Grilled Nutella Babka
Catalú
Location: 135 New Bern Street Retail A, Charlotte, NC 28209
The newest Que Hospitality concept, Catalú, arrived in Charlotte’s South End neighborhood in April, taking over the former Eight & Sand Kitchen space. Owner Manny Flores’ experience working with Spanish-American chef and restaurateur José Andrés shines through with its focus on traditional Catalonian cuisine and Spanish tapas. The bright and modern dining room is filled with accents evoking the feel of an adventure in Barcelona.
What to try: Arroz Negro del Mar or Arroz Con Setas, Enspinaca Catalu, Chocolate Olive Oil Cake, Espresso 43 cocktail
Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley
Location: Queen City Quarter, 210 E Trade St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Kitchen + Kocktails by Keven Kelley — a small, Black-owned restaurant chain that expanded into Charlotte in the early summer — offers a luxe outlook on Southern comfort food. Since then, the Queen City Quarter spot has quickly become known for fun cocktails such as Black Magic and Cotton Candy Cloud, along with brunch features bringing in the crowds, such as its 24K Magical Mimosa Tower.
What to try: Fried Salmon Bites, Caribbean Jerk Lamb Chops, Shrimp and Grits, Southern Fried Chicken and Specialty Waffles
MaBí Concina Tropical
Location: 416 E 36th St Unit 600, Charlotte, NC 28205
MaBi Concina Tropical dropped new Dominican flavors onto the Charlotte dining scene in mid-August, quickly taking over the space previously occupied by Figo36 in NoDa. Owner Dalton Espaillat and the other Latin food experts on his team at Raydal Hospitality have personalized their spin on traditional Caribbean foods including charcoal chicken and ropa vieja.
What to try: Pernil, Pollo al Carbon, Ropa Vieja Cheesesteak, Poisson Cru Polynesian Ceviche, Black Cake
Maiz, Agua, Sal
Location: Lower Tuck, 1018 Jay St. Charlotte NC 28208
Fresh tortillas made in-house, an agave bar and modern, scratch-made Mexican food are what Maíz Agua Sal is all about. The restaurant from the team behind Craft Growler Shop and Lincoln Street Kitchen & Cocktails opened in the Lower Tuck adaptive reuse development in early April. Among the many bright spots on the restaurant menu is its brunch, starting at 10 a.m. on weekdays and 10:30 a.m. on the weekends.
What to try: Chilaquiles Rojo o Verde, Elote, Tamale Rojo O Verde, Carnitas
Nana Li’s by The Dumpling Lady
Location: The Alley at Latta Arcade, 320 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
The Dumpling Lady opened spinoff Nana Li’s in mid-October inside The Ally at Latta Arcade, expanding co-owner Qian Zhang’s highly coveted repertoire of classic Sichuan Chinese dishes. At the new location, diners have the ease of grab-and-go service with a few more dim sum options, with scallion pancakes, durian cake, crispy fish and sesame balls along them.
What to try: Sweet & Sour Ribs, Battered Beef with Sweet Potato; Garlic Broccoli, Pork & Chives dumplings
Tima African Restaurant
Location: 4438 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28215
Tima African Restaurant, which opened in June, showcases the food and influence of many West African countries, including Mali, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea and Senegal. Its welcoming owners Fousseini Sacko and Mariam Togola are happy to help first-time visitors navigate what to try and will even help you put together a combination platter with a variety of tastes.
What to try: Jollof rice, peanut butter soup, fufu, puff-puff
Veggeez Plant Based Eatery
Location: 1325 N. Broome St., Waxhaw, NC, 28173
Ken Posko and Lisa Vigil opened Veggeez Plant Based Eatery in Waxhaw at the end of March, offering a fully plant-based menu in a sit-down setting. The former owners of Main Street Grill and Provisions Waxhaw have focused on prioritizing health and managed to win over the meat-and-potatoes crowd in the process.
What to try: Mushroom Reuben, Korean Style Tacos, Green Coconut Curry, South Pacific burger
Zepeddie’s Pizzeria
Location: 4516 Nations Crossing Road, Charlotte NC 28217
Mid-’90s classic Zepeddie’s Pizzeria has brought back a taste of nostalgia to Charlotte, reopening after the passage of a few decades. It opened this fall for the takeout crowd in Lower South End, with a few styles of pizza, calzones and sandwiches to satisfy your cravings with retro vibes.
What to try: Crispy Mozzarella Stix, Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza, Big Gabagool, Zepeddie’s Calzone
