NORTH CAROLINA
From a Secret Omakase Counter to Fine Dining Stars: 22 Essential Restaurants in Charlotte
Written by Eric Barton | July 14, 2025
Fin & Fino
AUTHOR BIO: Eric Barton is editor of The Adventurist and a freelance journalist who has reviewed restaurants for more than two decades. Email him here.
I first came to Charlotte in 1991, tagging along with a college friend to visit my uncle, who worked at a TV station downtown in one of those mirrored towers that made the skyline feel decidedly big-city. I met him at the office just before five, and we walked outside into what felt like a mass exodus—every suit and tie in Mecklenburg County fleeing to the suburbs before the sidewalks curled up for the night. Back then, you didn’t go out to eat downtown, because there wasn’t anywhere to go.
That’s not Charlotte anymore. Not even close. These days, every part of the city—from the corporate towers of Uptown to the blocks of NoDa and Plaza Midwood—thrums with life. And for someone like me, who organizes vacations and life choices around meals, it’s especially thrilling that the restaurant scene has caught up to the city’s ambitions.
I’ve returned to Charlotte more times than I can count, but this latest trip is about updating this guide to the best places to eat in the Queen City—whether you’re searching for destination dining or just googling restaurants near me in Charlotte. Either way, this list has you covered.
1. L’Ostrica
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L’Ostrica is one of those rare restaurants that doesn’t shout about itself and doesn’t need to. Tucked into an unassuming space in Montford, it serves a tightly edited, ever-changing tasting menu that somehow manages to feel both ambitious and deeply personal. The team here includes three superstars: chef Eric Ferguson, his partner (both in life and the restaurant) Cat Carter, and pastry chef Samantha Allen. The idea is to present what’s freshest at the moment, with clams and peas in a vermouth butter sauce as the star one night, or dungeness crab in a savory Japanese egg custard. The vibe is unfussy—just a few seats, some well-worn Asian art, and a team that actually seems happy you showed up. If they’re running one of their Sunday Supper dinners, cancel whatever you thought you were doing.
2. Fin & Fino
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There’s a decidedly low-country Carolina vibe at Fin & Fino, which has locations in Uptown and Birkdale Village, not just because of the fresh seafood on offer but also for the beachy and airy feel of the place. Sustainably caught or raised seafood is the star here, headlined by the $150 Penthouse, a tower of oysters, mussels, shrimp, scallop ceviche and butter-poached lobster tails. There are plenty of non-seafood items here too, like the duck breast and wagyu flatiron, but the truly adventurous eaters should opt for The Treatment, a $65 chef's choice.
3. Kappo En
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Tucked down a back hall behind Menya’s buzzing noodle bar, Kappo En is Charlotte’s new eight-seat omakase speakeasy—an intimate escape where fish flown straight from Japan kicks off with umami-packed apps before giving way to sleek, pared-down nigiri and tender grilled wagyu. It’s a guided journey through wine, sake, and precision knife work, curated to feel like a private tasting in Tokyo, at $185 per person. And don’t overlook Menya itself—where the healing, soul-soothing broth upstairs and old-school ramen vibes keep this whole dining duo grounded, casual, and effortlessly cool.
4. Rada
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I slipped into Rada on Selwyn Avenue one quiet evening and discovered executive chef Callan Buckles—fresh from NYC kitchens like Claud, Momofuku, and The Four Horsemen—turning the former Little Spoon into a gleaming 50‑seat minimalist space serving shareable, globally influenced plates and biodynamic wine. Owner Eloy Roy and Buckles imagined a place that threads Basque‑leaning snacks like gilda skewers and squid pil pil with European‑tinged dishes like Dover sole and lamb bolognese—a menu that pushes Charlotte’s palate while staying unmistakably neighborhood-focused. Rada arrives as a measured culinary standout—elegant, approachable, and quietly thrilling.
5. Kindred
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This Davidson staple, run by Joe and Katy Kindred, has helped put the greater Charlotte area on the national culinary map. Their milk bread alone is worth the drive, but stick around for inventive dishes like squid ink conchiglie pasta and crispy oysters with dill yogurt. The charming small-town setting in a restored 1920s pharmacy adds to the restaurant's considerable charm.
6. The Goodyear House
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When a restaurant opens in a gentrified mill town and immediately becomes the spot everyone in the neighborhood goes to every week, you know they’ve figured something out. That’s The Goodyear House. Their claim to fame is the “Family Meal” fried chicken, served with biscuits, honey butter, and collards, but the sleeper hit might be the charred broccoli. It arrives showered in pickled mustard seeds, fried shallots, and enough chili oil to make it unreasonably delicious.
7. Counter
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Counter is a tasting menu spot for people who don’t normally like tasting menus. The vibe is more dinner party than fine dining, and the courses lean experimental without veering into pretension. One night you might get a play on a cheeseburger, the next, a dish inspired by breakfast cereal. Either way, it’s never boring.
8. Supperland
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Supperland is what happens when a restaurant group gets hold of a historic church and decides to turn it into a steakhouse. The result is what they call a “Southern steakhouse meets church potluck,” which is a fancy way of saying they serve prime steaks and miso mac and cheese. The place looks like a Nancy Meyers set—vaulted ceilings, floral wallpaper, chandeliers—and it works, mostly because the food is as good as the design.
9. Rooster's Wood-Fired Kitchen
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Chef Jim Noble's upscale comfort food at Rooster's is the culinary equivalent of a warm hug. The SouthPark location boasts a bustling open kitchen where you can watch chefs expertly maneuver the wood-fired grill. The roasted chicken is a must-order, as are the duck fat fries—trust me, they're worth every calorie.
10. Customshop
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Customshop in Elizabeth has been quietly turning out some of the best food in Charlotte for years, somehow managing to avoid the hype machine. The menu reads like an Italian steakhouse and a Mediterranean bistro had a well-adjusted baby—think housemade pastas, grilled octopus, and dry-aged ribeye. If you’re the kind of person who judges a restaurant by its bread service (as you should), this place passes with flying colors.
11. Bird Pizzeria
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It’s tempting to say Bird Pizzeria makes the best pizza in Charlotte, but that implies there’s even a competition. This tiny shop sticks to the fundamentals: a naturally leavened dough, just the right amount of char, and toppings that don’t overcomplicate things. Get the pepperoni or the mushroom, but don’t sleep on the kale salad, which somehow has a cult following.
12. Menya Daruma
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I wandered into Elizabeth last winter and found Menya Daruma—Ted Nakato’s noodle shop where house-made noodles and 18-hour simmered broths shine across four ramen bowls and a slick Abura Soba, all served in a minimalist, counter-style room modeled on Tokyo shops. Nakato leaned into tradition—importing Japanese soy sauces and salts, installing an open noodle-making window, and relying on QR-ordering and minimal service to keep the pace quick, the vibe casual. For anyone Googling “restaurants near me in Charlotte,” Menya Daruma hits like the perfect late-night ramen bar—cozy, authentic, and exactly what Charlotte’s been craving.
13. Mariposa
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Mariposa is what happens when a restaurant refuses to be pigeonholed into a single cuisine and instead decides to borrow from everywhere. The menu jumps from chaat-style street snacks to Mediterranean dips to Latin-leaning small plates, yet somehow it all works. The best strategy here is to order generously—maybe the patatas bravas, the coconut curry mussels, and the lamb kefta—and just roll with it.
14. Mizu
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Charlotte doesn’t have many rooftop restaurants, so it’s no surprise that Mizu, perched atop the Hyatt Centric in SouthPark, has become a hot ticket. The food, though, makes it more than just a good view. The menu leans Japanese, with robata-grilled skewers, sushi, and an extensive sake list, but the best thing about this place might be how it makes you feel like you’re in a much bigger city.
15. Good Food on Montford
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Good Food on Montford is a small plates restaurant, which usually means leaving hungry and irritated. Not here. The plates are large enough to be satisfying, and the menu doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be something it’s not. There are steamed pork buns, ricotta gnocchi, and even the occasional plate of beef carpaccio, all of which make for a meal that’s fun to eat rather than one you have to suffer through for the sake of culinary experimentation.
16. Barrington’s
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Barrington’s isn’t the kind of place trying to dazzle you with DJs or tableside presentations—here, it’s just about serving some of the best dishes in the city. The original restaurant from chef Bruce Moffett, Barrington’s has been serving quietly excellent plates of handmade gnocchi and perfectly cooked steaks for over 20 years. It’s small, it’s always packed, and if you want a table, you should plan on making a reservation at least a week ahead.
17. Crispy Banh Mi
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With several locations around the city, Crispy Banh Mi isn’t trying to impress anyone with its decor, and it doesn’t need to. The name tells you everything you need to know: the bánh mì baguette here is crisp, crackly, and exactly what you want it to be. The grilled pork is a solid move, but if you’re feeling indecisive, the special—stuffed with pâté, Vietnamese ham, and head cheese—is the way to go. Order it spicy.
18. The Dumpling Lady
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The Dumpling Lady started as a food truck and quickly became a citywide obsession. Now in its permanent spot at Optimist Hall, it still draws lines for its spicy Sichuan dumplings, which come drenched in chili oil and topped with enough garlic to make your lunch plans regretful. The scallion pancake wrap is a sleeper hit.
19. Sweet Lew's BBQ
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For a taste of old-school Charlotte, head to Sweet Lew's in the Belmont neighborhood. This no-frills joint serves up some of the best barbecue in town, smoked over hickory and pecan wood. The pulled pork is a standout, but don't sleep on the smoked wings or the tangy collard greens.
20. Stagioni
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Charlotte has plenty of Italian restaurants, but not all of them make their own pasta and bake their pizzas in a wood-fired oven. Stagioni in Myers Park does. The pappardelle with braised rabbit is what you want, unless it’s one of those nights where pizza feels more appropriate, in which case, the soppressata pie is the move. Either way, you’re eating well.
21. Restaurant Constance
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Restaurant Constance is the kind of place that would rather let the food do the talking. No gimmicks, no fuss—just a tiny, chef-driven spot where every dish that comes out of the kitchen is treated like it matters. The menu shifts with the seasons, but expect plates that are meticulously composed without feeling overwrought. If there's a scallop dish on the menu, order it.
22. Salud Cerveceria
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Salud Cerveceria in NoDa has figured out something a lot of breweries get wrong: good beer is even better when paired with good food. The pizzas here are worth a trip on their own—thin, wood-fired, and usually topped with something you didn’t think belonged on a pizza but absolutely does. (Case in point: the "Bee Sting," with pepperoni and hot honey.) The tap list rotates frequently, but there’s always something worth drinking.
