This concept from culinary power couple Greg and Subrina Collier is a “Southern-inspired juke joint” located in the Camp North End development in the Druid Hills neighborhood. As Charlotte’s first chef to earn a James Beard finalist nod for Best Chef: Southeast, Greg along with Subrina and their team, are determined to trailblaze and advocate for Black chefs and the Charlotte culinary community. Inspired by their Memphis roots, the Colliers have fused Southern cuisine with a more modern touch and refined touches. There are many things to choose from but the cornmeal brioche served with black garlic butter, Mud Island blackened catfish, and Leah’s cabbage (a nod to Greg’s late sister, Leah) are a joyful place to start. For the full experience, order a cocktail created by mixologist Justin Hazelton. The Colliers also created a “Pay What You Can’’ community dish as they believe every patron deserves a place at the table.

Bardo is the older, fancier sister restaurant of VANA, and perfect for dates and special occasions. During the pandemic, the restaurant pivoted into a chef-driven tasting menu concept and the response has been epic. Chef Michael Noll and his team can be seen from the exposed kitchen at the back of the dining room preparing each dish throughout the evening. Pre-pandemic it was all about shared plates but the team switched gears to a five, seven, or 12-course tasting menu with a pairing option. The best part? You don’t know what’s coming until it arrives but expect to be wowed with dishes like Magret duck breast in a bath of curry, burnt orange, black truffle, and celery root crumble or bulgogi mushrooms with charred and fermented cucumber and truffled tofu.
How to book: Book a tasting menu reservation on Tock.

The “social seafood house” aspect married with an impressive raw bar and a standout wine and cocktails list make Fin & Fino, nestled between The Mint Museum and the Knight Theater, a must. The star of the menu, as expected, is the seafood. Fish and shellfish are delivered daily and are all sustainably caught or raised. The raw bar features an impressive lineup of oyster varieties, but if you really want to go all-in, order the Penthouse, a large tower featuring 16 oysters, 14 North Carolina shrimp, 16 mussels, scallop ceviche with honeydew melon, and lobster and shrimp salad. For turf, the Wagyu flatiron steak is juicy and delicious paired next to scallops. If you’re tired of making decisions and don’t want to think about deciding what to order, “The Treatment” is for you. Your server will create a personalized menu tour for you for $65 (which includes a $5 charitable donation to the nonprofit of your choice). Wash it all down with one of @bkandtheclams magical cocktails.

Paying homage to the mill workers who lived and worked in NoDa years ago, Haberdish focuses on Southern comfort food. It is known for its fried chicken. You can even add crispy chicken skins to your mac and cheese—or dabble into the land of spice with Nashville hot chicken. The chicken is great, but we recommend the cast iron North Carolina trout served with dill and scallion compound butter, and you should end your night with banana pudding that would make your mom proud. But if you leave without trying one of Colleen Hughes’ cocktails or mocktails, you’re not living your best life. And, please, don’t forget about weekend brunch.

Chef Lewis Donald’s Sweet Lew’s BBQ is a restaurant focused on honoring North Carolina’s long history with barbeque. The 450-square foot smokehouse remains the only authentic smoker in the Charlotte area, where meats smoke for hours over hickory, pecan, and peach woods for the best flavor in town. 15-hour beef brisket, pork ribs, and the chopped pork sandwich are the stars of the show but the sides, including boiled peanuts, collards, red slaw, and baked beans, are worth a few extra calories. Combo platters are a solid bet and come with a main, two sides, and the unforgettable sweet onion hush puppies.

Known for his flagship, The Market Place, in Asheville, Chef William Dissen expanded to Charlotte’s ever-growing food scene with the launch of Haymaker in March 2018. The modish two-story restaurant features a take on Southern fare by way of sourcing sustainable seafood and meat along with heirloom ingredients—something Dissen puts first and foremost in his restaurant concepts. The menu consistently changes based on what’s available and ranges from dishes, like a roasted beet and local peach salad with grandma’s cucumber pickles, red onion, farm cheese, and Benton’s country ham, to a juicy steakhouse burger with two Brasstown beef patties, Ashe County cheddar, caramelized onions and housemade mustard, sandwiched between a benne seed potato bun, plus fries. Brunch is also a treat and has been known to draw in the crowds for the Eggs Benton (Dissen’s take on eggs benedict but with Benton’s Country Ham) and bacon fat beignets alone.

El Toro Bruto started as a simple pop-up serving incredible breakfast tacos and gained such a cult following that it opened up permanently inside Resident Culture South End. The all-day menu will satisfy taste buds throughout the day and it’s up to you whether you pair them with a coffee or a cold, local beer. In addition to breakfast tacos, the menu includes “anytime” tacos, snacks, and “dilla” tacos (like tacos and quesadillas had a child). Fans of chef Hector González-Mora’s breakfast tacos will be stoked to see past favorites on the menu, plus new chorizo, bacon, barbacoa, steak and eggs, and even a tasty vegan option. If you’re really hungry, Tacos Brutos are “a beast of a taco” and as grand as a burrito. Think a six-inch flour tortilla with griddled cheese, meat (or poblano peppers for vegetarians) beans, cilantro, onions, pico de gallo, and salsa. A mix of traditional Mexican pastries and American baked goods are served fresh by González-Mora and whatever you do, don’t miss out on the Dirty Horchata drink—El Toro Bruto’s house-made horchata elevated with espresso and topped with cinnamon sugar.
How to book: First come, first served or order takeout online; keep up with the happenings via Instagram.

This rustic but chic setting in a 1900s mill house with ample outdoor seating in NoDa, is where good cocktails and elevated comfort food by Charlotte native chef Chris Coleman collide. Start with the snacks (the Devilish toast, aka smashed egg salad atop verdant seedy toast, is a must) and work your way into the smalls and plates. The menu is set up so you can go small or big—or share the entire meal. The smoked cashew mac and cheese and with chile breadcrumbs and shrimp and grits come highly rated. And if you’re in the mood for a burger, Coleman’s Goopy Burger is one of the most reputable burgers in the Queen City.