Southern · Plaza Midwood · James Beard Best Restaurant Design (semifinalist)
A Sunday-supper Southern restaurant set inside a restored 1960s church in Plaza Midwood — from the Haberdish / FS Food Group team. The atmospheric dining room is one of the most Instagrammed in Charlo...
91
2
Seaboy
Seafood · Cornelius / Lake Norman · Esquire 33 Best New Restaurants in America 2025
Chef Jonny Cox's first solo restaurant — a whimsical coastal-cottage seafood room in Cornelius on Lake Norman. Yellowfin crudo, hot crab and chorizo croquettes, and a rotating menu that earned a natio...
90
3
Hello, Sailor
Seafood / Fish Camp · Cornelius / Lake Norman
The Kindred family's lakeside fish-camp sister to Kindred Davidson — overlooking Lake Norman from a converted 1940s marina. Retro neon, boat-up dining, deviled eggs, and hushpuppies; a rare true water...
89
4
Fig Tree Restaurant
European Fine Dining · Elizabeth · Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
A European-inflected fine-dining restaurant in a restored 1913 Craftsman bungalow in Elizabeth — one of Charlotte's prettiest dining rooms and its quietest date-night spot. Tasting menu available; win...
89
5
Rooster's Wood-Fired Kitchen
American · SouthPark
Jim Noble's wood-fired SouthPark staple — a consistent Charlotte favorite for rotisserie chicken, brick-oven flatbreads, and a generous open kitchen. Spawned multiple locations across the city but Sou...
88
6
La Belle Helene
French Brasserie · Uptown
Expansive French brasserie on Tryon Street in Uptown — the Charlotte outpost of the Holsman Hospitality group. White-tile walls, brass fixtures, a raw bar and steak frites menu, and one of Uptown's be...
88
7
Ever Andalo
Italian · NoDa
Chef Michael Shortino's Italian-mountain-cuisine restaurant on North Davidson — handmade pasta, Alpine-inflected Italian dishes, and one of NoDa's best dining rooms.
88
8
Bulla Gastrobar
Spanish Tapas · SouthPark
Spanish tapas restaurant at Phillips Place in SouthPark — a bustling, communal dining room with a creative cocktail program and a full small-plates menu of classic Spanish dishes and a few modern twis...
87
9
Dogwood Southern Table & Bar
Southern · SouthPark
A modern Southern restaurant in SouthPark from Harper's Restaurant Group. Elevated comfort-food menu — fried chicken, shrimp & grits, wood-fired meats — in a convivial white-washed dining room tha...
87
10
Customshop
New American · Elizabeth
A lively corner restaurant in Elizabeth known for its seasonal menu and impressive cocktail program. Long-running Charlotte-neighborhood favorite with a strong brunch and bar-scene draw.