These five delicious, distinctive restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina, will make your taste buds dance. Brianna Crane, author of “100 Things to Do in Charlotte Before You Die,” describes five Charlotte restaurants that Seniors Guide readers can enjoy.
For a tasty look at regional food across the state of North Carolina, read Journey Through the North Carolina Food Scene.
Five captivating Charlotte restaurants
KINDRED: CELEBRATE SOMETHING SPECIAL
Kindred owners, Katy and Joe Kindred, are local food royalty – and not just because Joe’s a five-time James Beard Award semifinalist. The husband-and-wife duo are lauded for their ever-changing, always-inspiring menu and expertly curated wine list. They take their craft seriously, but not too seriously. Their dessert menu features a fat, delightful slice of birthday cake, a playful way to punctuate an elevated meal. The seasonally driven menu features contemporary twists on Southern cuisine, and you’ll always be served their signature salt-topped milk bread to start (it’ll be tough, but try not to ruin your appetite for the main course).
131 N Main St., Davidson, 980-231-5000
BEEF ’N BOTTLE: HAVE A CLASSIC STEAK DINNER
Charlotte has plenty of flashy steak houses, but if you want a tried-and-true classic, Beef ’n Bottle is your spot. The old-school steak house has been around for more than 60 years, and if walls could talk, I sure would like to know what Beef ’n Bottle’s would say. Wood paneling and white tablecloths make this restaurant feel welcoming and worn in (in a good way). With low lighting and low ceilings, even an early-bird dinner feels like an intimate night out here. Like the ambience, the menu is straightforward, and they serve your steak with a giant onion ring on top.
4538 South Blvd., 704-523-9977
SUPPERLAND: DINE IN A BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED CHURCH
Restaurateurs Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown opened Supperland in an old Plaza Midwood church. From the careful architectural preservation to the bespoke custom china, this Southern steak house delivers a special dining experience. In true Southern fashion, most dishes are meant to be shared. The steaks come sliced, and the miso mac and cheese and other sides are large enough to split. If you want to experience more Supperland magic, there’s a separate stunning, floral-wallpaper-clad bar – the original church sanctuary – with more casual foods like onion dip, brie bites, and oysters. If you fancy yourself a cocktail connoisseur, spring for the spirit experience – a four-course, boozy cocktail pairing in Supperland’s speakeasy (shh).
1212 The Plaza, 704-817-7514
MERT’S HEART AND SOUL: GET A TASTE OF THE LOW COUNTRY
Mert’s Heart & Soul has been dishing up authentic low-country cuisine since 1998. The unpretentious Uptown spot is wildly popular, even President Joe Biden and Guy Fieri – host of “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” – have stopped in. Guy called the Soul Roll – a chicken egg roll wrap with collard greens, blackeyed peas, and rice – a “soul food missile pop.” The Soul Sampler includes an order of those famous rolls, along with salmon cakes, cornbread, and fried chicken wings. If you’re shopping for mains, consider the smoked barbecue beef ribs, and do mac and cheese and collard greens on the side for a comforting flavor-packed meal. Saved room for dessert? Mert’s has five slices of cake on the menu to choose from – coconut, pound cake, red velvet, strawberry, or chocolate.
214 N College St., 704-342-4222
LANG VAN: TRUST THE HYPE
Not many Charlotte restaurants have been around longer or are loved more than Lang Van. People love Lang Van for its 100-plus authentic Vietnamese dishes, including pho, noodles, rice, yellow pancakes, and hot pots. But they really love how owner Dan Nguyen never forgets a face and insists on treating everyone like family. If you want a specific recommendation, try a yellow pancake and the bun ga nuong, a well-balanced dish made with mildly sweet chicken, tons of bright fresh veggies, and a little sauce with a slight bite on the side.
3019 Shamrock Dr., 980-443-3160
PHOTO CAPTION, TOP: Interior of Kindred, a favorite Charlotte restaurant. Courtesy of Kindred.
All descriptions from “100 Things to Do in Charlotte Before You Die” by Brianna Crane (Reedy Press: 3rd edition, 2024).
