4 Charlotte hotel restaurants that are so good even locals will want to eat there
During my final week as a corporate road warrior, I sat across the dinner table from a colleague at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside. Since both of our flights arrived late, we were too tired to explore the city’s growing culinary scene and instead settled for a tired hotel dinner. Her chicken was raw in the center and my pasta was mushy from overcooking – the perfect example of why I avoid hotel restaurants.
However, the hotel industry is changing and management is taking note of empty restaurants during the dinner hour. More and more hotels are sprucing up their menus with local flavors and ingredients. Some are even hiring award-winning chefs to provide dinner experiences that are not only attracting hotel guests but are also drawing in local residents.
In Charlotte, we’ve been privy to two such hotel restaurants – the Ritz Carlton’s BLT Steak and the Dunhill Hotel’s Asbury – for quite some time. However, these two hotels are no longer the exception to boring hotel food. Hotels all over Charlotte are stepping up their culinary game. Here are four hotel restaurants that you’ll want to check out.
Charlotte Marriott City Center
Recently relaunched as Marriott International’s beta hotel, the Charlotte Marriott City Center is quickly becoming the new darling of hotels in the Queen City. The innovations aren’t just limited to technologies surrounding the guest room experience. They also include the hotel’s new restaurant, Stoke. At the helm of Stoke is Chef Chris Coleman, whose resume includes stops at both The Asbury and The McNinch House as Executive Chef.
Stoke’s menu is centered around the open kitchen’s 600-degree wood-fired oven and is augmented by fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. The iron skillet mountain trout and sticky pork shank are fan favorites.
Added Bonus – Charlotte Marriott City Center’s Coco and the Director is Uptown’s new coffee shop heartthrob. Stop in for breakfast or a midday pick-me-up.
Charlotte Marriott City Center: 100 W. Trade St.
Le Meridien Charlotte
Located on the outskirts of Uptown is another one of Charlotte’s newly renovated hotels. Le Meridien Charlotte resembles more of a modern art gallery than the stodgy Adam’s Mark Hotel that once occupied the building. The modern vibe transitions into the hotel’s restaurant, Evoke, which is led by Chef Oscar a la Fuente, who previously worked as Executive Chef at the AAA Five Diamond Umpstead Hotel and Spa.
While Evoke specializes in dry-aged steaks, so do at least a dozen other restaurants in Charlotte. Skip the steak and order a sampling of house-made pastas and fresh crudo. You’ll thank me as you sink your teeth into the squid ink taglioni or the salmon served with a horseradish mascarpone and pickled shallots.
Added Bonus – After dinner, head upstairs to City Lights Rooftop for a nightcap with a view of Charlotte’s skyline. Order the Sparkle & Pop – a glass of bubbly with a King of Pops popsicle as an ice cube.
Le Meridien Charlotte: 555 South McDowell St.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Charlotte
Cookies aren’t the only thing you’ll crave at the DoubleTree in Uptown Charlotte. The hotel recently went through a major renovation of the lobby and restaurant to reflect the culinary interests of the hotel’s owner, Johnson and Wales University. The library was eliminated to make room for the expanded restaurant – Libations Kitchen & Bar. The final touch was transferring Chef Mike Watson from Johnson and Wales Providence Libations to lead the kitchen.
Libations is a bit more casual than the previously mentioned restaurants on this list, making it a great spot in the Gateway neighborhood for office dwellers to break for lunch or enjoy an appetizer and craft beer for happy hour. The menu itself serves sophisticated American fare with a fresh Southern twist. The jalapeño drop biscuits and BBQ boneless short ribs are must eats. Coming soon, the restaurant’s onsite herb and vegetable garden will open for special events and chef’s tasting dinners.
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Charlotte: 895 W. Trade St.
Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel:
Good hotel eats aren’t just found in Uptown hotels. The Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel near the airport also boasts an impressive kitchen led by 36-year industry veteran and self-trained Chef Scott Spaulding. In his new role, he completely revamped the menu, giving it a Southern spin, infusing local ingredients into traditional foods like chicken wings with Cloister Honey Sriracha.
While the feel of the restaurant definitely screams hotel more than the other restaurants on this list, the food is anything but. What other hotel restaurant has both chicken & waffles and shrimp & grits on the menu? If you’re going for lunch, don’t overlook the Southeastern Mills cornmeal fried trout. Delish!
Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel: 2800 Coliseum Centre Dr.
This story was originally published November 21, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "4 Charlotte hotel restaurants that are so good even locals will want to eat there."