10 of Charlotte’s newest stops for Spanish tapas, free lunch, brews and more
Even if adults can’t always get a summer vacation, we can certainly indulge in summer exploration. Add some excitement to your month with these 10 new stops for Spanish tapas, a free lunch, brews and more.
Bulla Gastrobar
4310 Sharon Road, w01
The chain of Bulla Gastrobars that launched in downtown Coral Gables in 2013 just brought its authentic Spanish menu to Charlotte in June. Expect a menu filled with Spanish tapas and cocktails, and an interior filled with artistic scenes of Spain and bright decor. As we mentioned in our CharlotteFive newsletter, definitely start with a Spanish wine, a meat, a cheese and the pan de cristal con tomate (toasted bread with fresh tomato) while you sip your drink and peruse the menu. Also a must: the spicy, crispy patatas bravas.
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QC Social Lounge
300 N. College St., #105
Welcome to this swanky new space Uptown for unwinding and tasting curated cocktails, wines, beers and small plates. Don’t forget to check out the comic-book-style cocktail menu featuring the dozens of specialty selections. Expect a lounge vibe designed with the locals in mind, whether as a before-dinner hangout or the after-dinner hangout.
Pasta & Provisions
1600 South Mint St.
The third location of this gourmet Italian grocer just landed in the Wilmore neighborhood adjacent to South End. Come for craft beers on tap and glasses of wine for sale at the bar, as well as hot meals from the kitchen like sandwiches, pastas and pizza. And, of course, don’t forget to shop for frozen lasagnas, gnocchi, imported cheese, freshly made pastas, sauces made in-house and more.
Publix Cotswold
4425 Randolph Road
The newest Publix in Charlotte is 46,000-square-feet in size, and is ridiculously close to the Harris Teeter on Randolph Road. So the grocery store wars go. The large amount of seating is one detail to compare to other Charlotte-area Publix locations: The front of the store holds tables and chairs, as does an outdoor patio.
And on the other side of town…
Whole Foods Uptown
400 E. Stonewall St.
Judging by the lines on opening day last month, everyone who works Uptown freaked out a little bit (a lot?) over the arrival of this popular store to Novel Stonewall Station. Shoppers can indulge in wines and craft beers at the bar near the entrance, then tackle a massive prepared foods and hot bar section that outdoes the offerings at the SouthPark location. There’s a ton of table seating as well as a couple of little lounge areas to choose from. Don’t forget: Amazon Prime members get to enjoy discounts here now.
The Stanley
1961 E. 7th St.
This snug new space in Elizabeth with deep purple tones in the decor is the latest in fine dining from Paul Verica, previously known for Heritage in Waxhaw. The inventive and artistic menu changes frequently with the availability of locally sourced ingredients, and offers stunning plated presentations.
A post shared by The Stanley (@_thestanley_) on Jun 8, 2018 at 9:53am PDT
DeSarno’s
6420 Rea Road, Suite 4b
This new Italian take and bake market near Trader Joe’s in Piper Glen offers a smorgasbord of homemade desserts, breads, deli items and prepared salads, as well as fresh pastas and sauces, and, of course, wine. Bonus: The authentic Italian dishes (check out the list of mains, to start) were inspired by family recipes passed down to the owners.
Brewers at 4001 Yancey
4001A Yancey Road
Wander into this LoSo venture for for a sip from more than 120 tap handles with a rotation of up to 40 beers from Southern Tier Brewery and Victory Beer. The 28,000-square-foot brewery was designed with a main taproom positioned with several semi-private lounge areas, a 25-barrel, four-vessel brewing system, outdoor seating and more.
A post shared by Brewers at 4001 Yancey (@brewersat4001yancey) on Jun 26, 2018 at 5:30pm PDT
Brown Bag
5231 Piper Station Dr.
This catering company and restaurant in the Ballantyne area comes to Charlotte from Knoxville and Nashville. Anticipate simple, home-style food, with an eat-in space that’s open for lunch. The establishment even has a program called Brown Bag Blessing, allowing people to call in a crisis so the company will donate a meal for up to eight people, sourced by leftover food.
As a bonus for people dining in: If you get a $10 meal, you can pay $15 instead to write a friend’s name on a wipe-off board, so that person can stop in for a free lunch. (And so you can be a really great friend).
Maple Street Biscuit Company Concord
8921 Christenbury Pkwy, Concord
This restaurant emphasizing comfort food with a modern twist is new to the North Carolina market. Try out signature biscuits, sides like mac ‘n’ cheese and grit bowls, decadent options like iced cinnamon pecan biscuits, and — sorry, we’re hungry now.
This story was originally published July 3, 2018 at 2:00 AM with the headline "10 of Charlotte’s newest stops for Spanish tapas, free lunch, brews and more."