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Eating Out in Charlotte, NC | Great Local Restaurants to Try

Alfresco lunch time at Latta Arcade, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Alfresco lunch time at Latta Arcade, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA | © Philip Scalia / Alamy
Chloe Hay

The largest city in North Carolina, Charlotte is a hotspot for cultural pursuits and is packed full of museums, art galleries, parks and some of the best eateries in the USA. Here is an updated version of Charlotte’s 10 Best Cultural Restaurants: Dining in North Carolina: from sushi-burger fusions to sophisticated tapas, these are 10 of the best cultural restaurants in Charlotte.

Mac’s Speed Shop

2B37WC5 Charlotte, NC/USA – May 14, 2019: Horizontal outdoor sidewalk shot of Mac’s Speed Shop bar and grille on South Blvd. showing brand/logo signage.

Part-biker bar, part-barbecue joint, Mac’s Speed Shop invites diners to sample their delicious family recipes, succulent meats and ice-cold beers in their Charlotte restaurant. Specialising in ‘Mexicue’ – that’s Mexican tortillas and tacos stuffed with barbecued meaty goodness – and anything else barbecue-related, Mac’s serves up a variety of dishes including grilled chicken wings, beef burgers, brisket and pulled pork sandwiches. There’s also an impressive menu of 300 cold beers and the staff are well skilled in matching the perfect pint to each food item, giving guests a rounded dining experience.
Mac’s Speed Shop, 2511 South Boulevard, Charlotte, NC, USA, +1 704 522 6227

1. Midwood Smokehouse

Restaurant, Steakhouse, American, Gluten-free

Midwood Smokehouse, Charlotte
Image Courtesy of 5Church
Hardwood hickory logs are burnt 24 hours a day, seven days a week on the custom-built, computer-controlled smoker at Midwood Smokehouse. This lengthy cooking process ensures that the meats are all cooked to perfection and taste absolutely incredible. You can choose to enjoy your lunch or dinner in the restaurant, outside on the patio or order a selection of meats to take away and eat picnic-style in the park. With its extensive menu, customers can enjoy caramelized cubes of brisket, St. Louis-style pork ribs, or even a fillet of salmon served with bacon-wrapped jalapenos and pimento cheese fries.

3. Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

Bar, Restaurant, American, Vegetarian, Fast Food, Beer, Wine, Cocktails

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar_1952444
Courtesy of Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
For premium burgers nowhere does it quite like Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar. Guests can relax in the chicer-than-average American diner, safe in the knowledge that their burgers are being made from scratch using fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection by a top chef. Meat lovers should go for the Bad Ass Burger consisting of a 10-ounce beef patty, lettuce, tomato, buttermilk fried bacon, horseradish mayo, handmade American cheese and pickles. For vegetarians there’s a choice of black bean burger combinations and for those that need gluten free there’s beef, chicken and buffalo options. Wash it all down with a hand-spun milkshake or a craft beer.

4. Good Food on Montford

Restaurant, American

Exposed brick walls, unusual light fixtures and wooden ceiling beams create the cosy, rustic feel that makes Good Food on Montford such a sought-after restaurant for romantic dates and casual dinners. Set up by two brothers in 2009, Good Food has quickly become a firm favourite amongst locals. The cuisine is based on tapas-sized bites and sharing a selection of dishes is highly encouraged. Go for the southern fried quail, steamed buns, seared scallops and creamy risotto for a truly enjoyable meal. Located on the edge of Myers Park, Good Food is worth the drive slightly out of town and is the perfect stop for lunch after a morning’s meander through the parkland.

5. Firebird’s Wood Fire Grill

Restaurant, Vegetarian, Steakhouse, American, Vegan, Gluten-free

There’s no beating around the bush at Firebird’s Wood Fire Grill: this restaurant serves classically simple, American, tasty dishes. Start with the smoked chicken wings or the crab cakes, follow with either an aged rib-eye steak or a pecan-crusted trout and finish with a slice of key lime pie or a warm chocolate brownie for a meal sure to satisfy even the largest of appetites. There are plenty of vegetarian and gluten free options available too and Firebird’s Wood Fire Grill is open for both lunch and dinner so there’s never a reason to go hungry in Charlotte.

6. Lang Van

Restaurant, Vietnamese, Asian, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Raved about by locals, Lang Van is the most popular Vietnamese restaurant in Charlotte. Don’t be put off by the exterior: the food here is simply divine and the service is excellent. Diners can order their favourite dishes or ask the waiting staff to recommend something for them. The menu is packed full of all the usual soups, noodles and rice dishes but it is the Vietnamese hot pot and the lemon grass curries that really make a visit here worthwhile. Book a table in advance or be prepared to wait a while because Lang Van has many loyal customers ensuring that the restaurant is nearly always full.

7. The Cowfish, Sushi Burger Bar

Bar, Restaurant, American, Seafood, Sushi

The Cowfish_1952449
Courtesy of The Cowfish
Serving both top quality burgers and delicious sushi, Cowfish appeals to a variety of foodies and enables couples and friends with differing favourite cuisines to dine side by side in equal enjoyment. Diners can choose items off of the extensive fresh sushi menu, from the organic burger menu or they can try something slightly more unusual from the ‘burgushi’ menu. Fusing burgers with sushi, these dishes are definitely interesting but good fun to try. If ‘burgushi’ doesn’t quite appeal, customers can still get creative by ordering off of the ‘build your own sushi roll’ menu allowing them to try out their own flavour combinations and invent new rolls. Completing the unusual dining experience, there’s a 600-gallon live cowfish aquarium acting as the restaurant’s centrepiece.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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