Food and Drink

Southern Living reveals the best restaurants in Charlotte. Which spots made the list?

A spread of Optimist Hall food options.
A spread of Optimist Hall food options. Kenty Chung

If Charlotte’s known for one thing, it’s definitely its delicious and diverse dining scene. For a place where “there’s a little bit of everything,” Southern Living revealed the list of the top restaurants in the city.

As the report states, “the Queen City has steadily marched toward becoming a top food city in the South,” offering Southern staples and gourmet global cuisine.

Two of Southern Living’s top 27 picks — Haymaker and Letty’s on Shamrock — have sadly closed their doors, but there’s still a long list of fan-favorite spots on the list where you can feast.

Get ready to dig in. Here are the food and drink spots around town that were named the best of the best:

300 East

Location: 300 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203

Cuisine: American

Chef-owner Ashley Bivens Boyd of 300 East grew up in the restaurant, back when it was The White Horse.
Chef-owner Ashley Bivens Boyd of 300 East grew up in the restaurant, back when it was The White Horse. MICHAEL HRIZUK

Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant

Location: 3007 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: Ethiopian

Abugida Café’s Yemisir Kik Wot is split red lentils cooked with berbere, herbs, sauce, onions and spices.
Abugida Café’s Yemisir Kik Wot is split red lentils cooked with berbere, herbs, sauce, onions and spices. Abugida Café

Albertine

Location: Duke Energy Plaza, 525 S Tryon St Suite #125, Charlotte, NC 28202

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Albertine is tucked inside the Duke Energy Center, along with sister restaurant Milkbread.
Albertine is tucked inside the Duke Energy Center, along with sister restaurant Milkbread. Tonya Russ Price CharlotteFive

Bird Pizzeria

Location: 510 E. 15th Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28206

Cuisine: Pizza

A 14-inch pizza from Bird Pizzeria.
A 14-inch pizza from Bird Pizzeria. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Brooks Sandwich House

Location: 2710 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: American

People waiting in line to order lunch at Brooks’ Sandwich House, November 8, 2023.
People waiting in line to order lunch at Brooks’ Sandwich House, November 8, 2023. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Counter-

Location: 2001 W Morehead St D, Charlotte, NC 28208

Cuisine: Modern American/tasting menu

Counter- offers multi-course tasting dinners.
Counter- offers multi-course tasting dinners. Kenty Chung

Customshop

Location: 1601 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204

Cuisine: European-inspired American

Customshop has weekly menu changes with seasonal North Carolina produce, seafood, and specialty items.
Customshop has weekly menu changes with seasonal North Carolina produce, seafood, and specialty items. Customshop

Eddie’s Place

Location: 617 S Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211

Cuisine: New Orleans-inspired

Ever Andalo

Location: 3116 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: Italian

Housemade cannolis at Ever Andalo with vanilla-ricotta cream.
Housemade cannolis at Ever Andalo with vanilla-ricotta cream. Ever Andalo

Fin & Fino

Location: 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts #100, Charlotte, NC 28202

Cuisine: Seafood

The dining room at Fin & Fino’s Birkdale Village location.
The dining room at Fin & Fino’s Birkdale Village location. The Plaid Penguin

Flour Shop

Location: 530 A Brandywine Rd, Charlotte, NC 28209

Cuisine: American

Haberdish

Location: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: Southern

Haberdish offers up their smoked deviled eggs with an optional trout topping.
Haberdish offers up their smoked deviled eggs with an optional trout topping. Haberdish

Hello, Sailor

Location: 20210 Henderson Road, Cornelius, NC 28031

Cuisine: Seafood

Hello, Sailor offers waterfront dining along Lake Norman in Cornelius.
Hello, Sailor offers waterfront dining along Lake Norman in Cornelius. Courtesy of Hello Sailor

Hestia Rooftop

Location: 14819 Ballantyne Village Way Charlotte, NC 28277

Cuisine: Japanese

The Hestia Roll at Hestia Rooftop is torched with truffle oil.
The Hestia Roll at Hestia Rooftop is torched with truffle oil. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Lang Van

Location: 3019 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC 28215

Cuisine: Vietnamese

L’Ostrica

Location: 4701 Park Rd D, Charlotte, NC 28209

Cuisine: Modern American/tasting menu

Mama Ricotta’s

Location: 601 S Kings Dr AA, Charlotte, NC 28204

Cuisine: Italian

Caprese salad with house-made mozzarella at Mama Ricotta’s.
Caprese salad with house-made mozzarella at Mama Ricotta’s. Michael Hrizuk CharlotteFive

Mert’s Heart & Soul

Location: 214 N College St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Cuisine: Southern, soul food

Mert’s Heart and Soul has been feeding hungry locals and visitors to uptown Charlotte since 1998.
Mert’s Heart and Soul has been feeding hungry locals and visitors to uptown Charlotte since 1998. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Optimist Hall

Location: 1115 N Brevard St, Charlotte, NC 28206

Cuisine: Multiple

A spread of Optimist Hall food options.
A spread of Optimist Hall food options. Kenty Chung

PrimeFish

Location: 11212 Providence Rd W B, Charlotte, NC 28277

Cuisine: Japanese

Restaurant Constance

Location: 2200 Thrift Rd, Charlotte, NC 28208

Cuisine: American

Salads are a brightly colored celebration at Restaurant Constance, including the winter burrata and mizuna salad shown above.
Salads are a brightly colored celebration at Restaurant Constance, including the winter burrata and mizuna salad shown above. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Salted Melon Market & Eatery

Location: 815 Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28207

Location: 100 W Worthington Ave Suite 107, Charlotte, NC 28203

Location: 6809 Phillips Pl Ct, Suite A, Charlotte, NC 28210 (opening spring 2025)

Cuisine: American

Salted Melon Market & Eatery offers gourmet groceries and chef-prepared specialties.
Salted Melon Market & Eatery offers gourmet groceries and chef-prepared specialties. The Plaid Penguin/LunahZon Photography

South 21 Drive In

Location: 3101 E Independence Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: American

Drive-up parking spots and ordering stations at South 21.
Drive-up parking spots and ordering stations at South 21. Alex Cason CharlotteFive

Supperland

Location: 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205

Cuisine: American, steakhouse

The main dining room at Supperland.
The main dining room at Supperland. Kenty Chung

Tacos El Nevado

Location: 4715 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Location: 4640 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28209

Cuisine: Mexican

You can find Southern Living’s full report of the best restaurants in Charlotte online at southernliving.com.

This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 10:32 AM.

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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
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