The mismatched-chandelier 24-hour French bakery on North Davidson — salted-caramel brownies, croissants, and the late-night studio session that built NoDa's bakery culture.
86
2
PopUp Bagels
Bagels · Ballantyne
PopUp Bagels' first Charlotte location at The Bowl at Ballantyne. Plans for 10 NC stores, with Plaza Midwood (Commonwealth) coming next. Five-flavor menu only, two core schmears, weekly rotating speci...
86
3
Vicente
Cafe / Bakery · South End
A beautifully-styled all-day South End cafe — laminated pastries, savory breakfast sandwiches, and a deep espresso program. The neighborhood bakery Charlotte had been waiting for.
85
4
The Salty Donut
Bakery / Donuts · South End
The Miami-born artisan-donut institution on South Tryon — brioche maple bacon, traditional glazed, and one of the longer weekend morning lines on the rail trail.
85
5
Vavela Cafe
Turkish / Cafe · University Area
A massive 4,500 sq ft locally-owned Turkish and Mediterranean coffee house in the University area — open until midnight on weekdays and 1am on weekends. The dessert case is the draw.
84
6
Kudzu Bakery
Bakery / Southern · Park Road
A distinctively Southern bakery — first North Carolina outpost of a three-shop South Carolina mini-chain that opened in 1989. Buttermilk white bread, cinnamon rolls, quiches, tuna and chicken salads, ...
84
7
Café Monte French Bakery & Bistro
French · Foxcroft
A Foxcroft French bakery-and-bistro that has been quietly running one of Charlotte's most consistent croissant programs and a serious onion-soup-and-coq-au-vin menu next door.
84
8
Not Just Coffee
Coffee Roaster · South End
A Charlotte-grown specialty-coffee roaster with its South End flagship at Atherton Mill — direct-trade beans, a clean cortado program, and a small pastry case from local bakeries.
84
9
Poppy's Bagels
Bagels / Bakery · South End
A South Boulevard hand-rolled bagel shop — kettle-boiled, baked on-site, and one of the best New-York-style bagel programs the city has produced in years.
84
10
Sunflour Baking Company
Bakery · Dilworth
A South Boulevard bakery flagship — scratch breads, kouign-amann, and a small-but-devoted savory lunch program that has expanded into a handful of Charlotte locations.