The 24-hour French bakery on North Davidson with the mismatched chandeliers — salted-caramel brownies, almond croissants, macarons, café au lait at any hour. The original NoDa location that built the ...
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
South End's most beautifully appointed all-day cafe, Vicente turns out laminated croissants, savory breakfast sandwiches, and a serious espresso program from its South Boulevard perch. The pastry case...
85
4
The Salty Donut
Bakery / Donuts · South End
The Salty Donut brought its Miami brioche program to South Tryon and Charlotte obliged with long weekend lines. The brown butter salted dulce and maple bacon are the standards; the cortadito is what y...
85
5
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
6
Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Ice Cream · South End
The Columbus-born ice cream chain that earns its cult following on every visit — Brambleberry Crisp tastes like a pie filling someone had the good sense to freeze, and Brown Butter Almond Brittle is e...
84
7
Café Monte French Bakery & Bistro
French · Foxcroft
Foxcroft's quietly serious French bakery-bistro on Fairview Road — the croissant program is consistent in a city where that's rarer than it should be, and the full bistro menu (French onion soup, coq ...
84
8
Poppy's Bagels
Bagels / Bakery · South End
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked-on-site bagels on South Boulevard — the real kind, with that chewy snap that makes a New York transplant stop arguing. The lox sandwich is the move, and the baker's d...
84
9
Sunflour Baking Company
Bakery · Dilworth
A Sunflour group flagship on South Boulevard — scratch-made kouign-amann, sourdough loaves, and a rotating quiche program that gives the bakery case genuine range. The savory lunch program punches abo...
83
10
Golden Cow Creamery
Ice Cream · South End
Small-batch creamery on West Summit Avenue, steps from the rail trail — local dairy, rotating seasonal flavors, and an affogato that makes the whole detour worthwhile. The brown butter and strawberry ...