I tried one of Charlotte’s 10 hottest restaurants this summer. Was it worth it?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Audire listening café opened near NoDa and made Charlotte Five’s June top ten list.
- The café serves espresso, matcha, chai and light fare with records and headphones.
- The reviewer spent $23.54 for an iced ginger latte and two pastries including tip.
I visited a new cafe, Audire, with 25 bucks and a hankering for something old school.
The listening cafe opened near NoDa recently, quickly making it onto our list of the 10 hottest restaurants in the area this June. My colleague Evan Moore says “it could be the perfect spot for your next daycation” — and I have to agree.
Audire means “to listen” in Latin, and the café offers a collection of records and two record players with headphones. To my delight, The Best of Gladys Knight and the Pips was already on the table.
The shop offers espresso, matcha, chai and light cafe fare in a cozy, orange-painted space near the Independent Picture House.
CharlotteFive visits trendy local spots to see what you can get to eat for $25 out the door. I ordered an iced ginger latte, a spinach and feta pastry and a chocolate croissant for $23.54, including a 20% tip.
Latte
I love ginger, enough that I almost always have candied ginger in my work bag, so I ordered my latte with the cafe’s new ginger syrup. I was a little worried it would be too Christmasy for June in North Carolina, but I have now been converted in favor of warming spices in a summer beverage.
The latte was not too sweet or milky, and the ginger was sharp and fresh, rather than reminiscent of a molasses cookie.
I also ordered the beverage with whole milk – possibly an affront to my generation, but to personal taste, and cheaper. Alternatives were available at cost. There were several other syrups available, including the new pineapple, ginger, and vanilla options. The special offer that day was an ube latte.
Pastries
The pastries offered at Audire are from Copain, a local distributor that recently opened a full size boulangerie. Both savory options, a spinach and feta pastry and goat cheese and mushroom quiche, were vegetarian. Perfect for a midday meal, but definitely a lighter option.
The spinach and feta pastry was delicious, salty enough from the cheese filling and not too heavy. I ordered both pastries heated, and the feta pastry may have been a better bite at room temperature; I think the pastry lost some crispiness and integrity being reheated, possibly because the filling had more liquid content than something with just cheese or chocolate.
The chocolate croissant was a chocolate croissant; very good, but nothing new. However, there is no need to reinvent the wheel — pain au chocolat is a classic for a reason.
Ambiance
My favorite part of Audire was by far the vibe. The cafe is a great place to take some time for yourself. After all, it’s designed with headphones in mind.
The walls are warm orange with a nook by the door for records, books and zines, plants above the bar and art down the back hallway. A painting on the back wall glitters, adding a touch of disco to an otherwise laid-back space.
The leather chairs and 70s-feeling shade of the walls definitely suited Miss Gladys Knight, and I leafed through a Queen City Scene zine about local music.
Thank you to Cece P. for the cordial service and to the man that clicked the (very clearly labeled) start button on the record player for me when it was clear I was nervous I might somehow break it.
4090 Raleigh St #143, Charlotte | @cafe.audire on Instagram
