The best of the best: Check out the 2023 CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice winners
One of the great things about covering the local food scene is that we will never run out of good restaurants to cover. Whether a restaurant has been here for decades or for 5 minutes, it’s got a story to tell, a place in our culinary landscape.
The CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice awards celebrate your favorite restaurants and bars in the area. At the end of the year, let’s reflect on all of the best 2023 had to offer.
Here are some details about all the winners you chose for the 2023 CharlotteFive Readers’ Choice contests:
Best pizza in Charlotte: Bisonte
Location: 710 W Trade St f, Charlotte, NC 28202
Location: 8133 Ardrey Kell Rd, Charlotte, NC 28277
Location: 1381 Chestnut Ln, Matthews, NC 28104
Bisonte Pizza Co. brings a taste of Buffalo, New York, to three locations in the Charlotte area. ”We have a very loyal fan base, and I think that’s what makes it,” said Jordan Cheesman, manager of Bisonte Pizza Co.
So, what is Buffalo-style pizza? “New York is thin. Chicago’s thick. We’re right in the middle,” she said. At Bisonte, cheese is shredded on site and the sauce is made in-house. “Really, we’ve just got the best.”
Feeding a crowd? Check out the massive sheet pizza. At 18”x26”, you get 3 square feet of pizza — that’s 24 squares.
As with all good restaurants, plenty of regulars are calling this spot their Third Place. “This restaurant is special because the people here really care and take care of you. We come here every week,” said customer Stephen Tyler.
“Thanks for voting for us for top pizza in Charlotte in CharlotteFive,” Cheeseman said.
Best sushi in Charlotte area: EeZ
Location: Birkdale Village, 16925 Birkdale Commons Pkwy F, Huntersville, NC 28078
Since 2005, eeZ has been serving “the freshest, most creative sushi” in Huntersville’s fast-evolving Birkdale Village. Owner Alan Springate says the restaurant’s popularity in the Lake Norman area stems from its insistence of only serving the highest quality fish. EeZ has chosen to work with companies that focus on environmental sustainability.
Master sushi chef Rifali Almunir and head sushi chef Son Nyugen have been with the company for years, focusing on the quality of both the sushi and the dishes served to guests. “Both of those guys are amazing,” Springate said.
He also wanted to thank the restaurant’s customers. “Can’t thank the readers enough. We really appreciate all the support we’ve gotten,” Springate told CharlotteFive. “We’ll keep doing our best to keep giving you the best product and we appreciate all the support we’ve gotten.”
Springate wanted to shout out the restaurant’s guests in Huntersville at Birkdale and in Charlotte. “They’ve always been so supportive of us as we’ve gone through a remodel,” he said. “They’ve always come out and support us in the greatest way. We just owe them the thank you for getting us here today.”
Fun fact: You might know eeZ’s sister restaurant, The Cowfish, located at SouthPark in Charlotte. (The Cowfish made it to the Top Four in the sushi contest!).
Best tacos in Charlotte: Que Fresa Taqueria + Bar
Location: 1500-A W. Morehead St., Charlotte, NC 28208
Location: Uptown Charlotte at College Street and East Brooklyn Village Boulevard (opening early 2024)
Fast-casual taqueria Que Fresa was inspired by Flores’ wife, Paola and named after “Mexican slang for a preppy person.” Inside and out, you’ll see plenty of pink decor and artwork and packaging accented with calaveras, giving the Day of the Dead vibes. Guests have their pick of 14 tacos — with options including street tacos and “preppy tacos” — that they can munch on inside or take to the patio, filled with tables and umbrellas.
The street taco menu has options such as carnitas, al pastor, chicken tinga and lengua, while the preppy menu shakes things up with tofu chile, roasted ‘shrooms and fun choices like La Toxica, made with fried chicken, mango buffalo sauce, carrot and celery slaw with blue cheese and crema mango salsa.
Juan Romero, Que Fresa’s executive chef, expressed gratitude on behalf of the team to everyone who voted.
“I want to thank you, Charlotte, for choosing us among the best tacos in the city. We will do our best to maintain ... good flavors and to offer something different to the community. That’s what we want, that’s what we want to do, and we want to be the best. Thank you, Charlotte.”
A second location is on the way, as well. While the space in uptown Charlotte is under construction, a few pop-ups have been held to introduce the brand to customers there.
“We put in countless hours of hard work to create this brand, and it’s been so rewarding to see how much Charlotte loves Que Fresa. We are extremely excited to serve uptown,” Flores previously told CharlotteFive.
The best food truck in the Charlotte area: GGC Smokehouse
Location: Varies
GGC Smokehouse owner Eric Meza started his food truck after his backyard brisket got a glowing response from neighbors. Now, he and his wife, Shelley, specialize in Texas-style smoked brisket, along with pulled pork, ribs and sausage.
“It all started with a small smoker in the backyard — and family,” Eric told CharlotteFive. They would come over for holidays, and he would smoke a butt or a brisket. “’You should try to sell this,’” they would tell him, and he never believed them.
But then one day, he decided to bring some samples to the neighborhood pool to ask people their opinions. “’This is the best brisket we’ve ever had,’” neighbors told him.
The couple took the time to get the meats right, and you can now find them at GGC Smokehouse’s food truck.
We caught up with them in Concord, where we heard all about the sides, too — specifically, Shelley’s popular garlic-and-bacon green beans sauteed in butter. Other sides include mac and cheese and baked brisket beans.
But the brisket, of course, and the green beans are the reason people come back for more. “People just come up and just talk about green beans,” Eric said.
“We just want to say thank you very much to everyone that has shared and voted for us,” Shelley said. “We are very excited and thankful and blessed.”
The best bar in Charlotte: Boardwalk Billy’s Raw Bar & Ribs
Location: 9005 J M Keynes Dr #2, Charlotte, NC 28262
Location: 1636 Sardis Rd N, Charlotte, NC 28270
Boardwalk Billy’s Raw Bar & Ribs has been a popular spot in the Charlotte area for 25 years.
The restaurant has two local locations. It’s decked out with surfboards, beach signs and other Jimmy Buffet-inspired themes, is designed to make you feel like you’re on the coast even in the city. The University location is even on the water.
“It’s kind of like your vacation spot in Charlotte. You don’t have to travel to the beach … it’s one of the only places in Charlotte where you can eat right on the water,” manager Logan Thompson told CharlotteFive. “Something that we have that you won’t find in Charlotte often is frozen drinks. We have those all year round.”
While Boardwalk Billy’s is known for its tropical drinks and rotating list of craft beers, it’s also a great place to grab seafood, barbecue and other Southern staples. All of the meats are smoked in house overnight, using the restaurant’s proprietary dry rub recipe.
“We want to thank everybody who voted for us in the CharlotteFive contest for the best bar in Charlotte. We look forward to serving you in the future,” Thompson said.
