Destined for Dining
My discovery that a love of food could be turned into a career occurred in a somewhat unorthodox fashion
Food + Drink
Andrew Blair's Grows Up
Marc Jacksina brought some soul to the reanimated Andrew Blair’s on Montford. His refreshed and updated menu shows some of the simple (and largely affordable) bistro-style dishes that made his previous restaurant Lulu such a gas. Gone are ill-designed and…
Lattes and Local Art at FABO
FABO, a cozy, refreshingly non-Caribou addition to the Q.C.’s coffee shop scene, opened recently in Tranquil Court in Myers Park. The new shop is outfitted with funky armchairs, a full espresso bar, a gorgeous pastry case, and walls decorated with…
a la carte
Uptown Invasion Tryon Street seems to be hoarding all the new restaurants these days. First, there was the Midnight Diner (980-207-3541, 115 E. Carson Blvd.), serving classic diner food including hot dogs, burgers, and fried chicken. Then, Harvest Moon Grille…
100 Best Dishes
Clear your schedule. Make reservations. These are the 100 best dishes in Charlotte
Now Open: Divine Cupcakes and Yogurt Cafe
It seems like every time you turn around in Charlotte there's another cupcake spot. Or another frozen yogurt shop. So, when Divine Cupcakes and Yogurt Cafe opened in Dilworth I thought they'd done an excellent job capitalizing on the city's…
Paco's Tacos & Tequila New Lunch Menu & Vida Mexican Kitchen y Cantina New Brunch Menu
Two of the city's newest Mexican restaurants have announced new menus:At Paco's Tacos & Tequila, you'll find a new lunch menu complete with choices like a beef brisket sandwich with caramelized onions, American cheese, and chipotle barbecue sauce ($8), as…
The New York Butcher Shoppe Opens
Selwyn Avenue in Myers Park just keeps adding tenants—and with the exception of a random dentist office and the occasional boutique/gallery, most of them seem to be food related. The newest addition is The New York Butcher Shoppe, which opened…
Now Open: Pure Taqueria in Matthews
Pure Taqueria restaurant opened quietly a few weeks ago in Matthews, but don't mistake its small size, less-than-central location, or quiet opening as any indication of how much it deserves a visit. This is the fourth location of Pure. The…
Wine to Water Social at Soul Gastrolounge
Tonight TedXCharlotte and Soul are hosting Doc Hendley, the founder of Wine to Water, for a social from 5 to 8 p.m. All proceeds from the event go to Wine to Water, a non-profit organization dedicated to getting clean water…
Andrew Blair's Announces New Chef
After the news broke last week that Marc Jacksina would be moving from his head chef position at Andrew Blair's to the Mint Museum's Halcyon: Flavors of the Earth restaurant, the big question became "Who would replace Jacksina?" (This was…
The Cowfish Soft Opening, Frankies 710 Trattoria Grand Opening, and Michael Collins Whiskey Dinner at Whiskey Warehouse
The Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar is opening soon in the former Counter location in The Village at SouthPark. From the owners of Huntersville's eeZ Fusion & Sushi, the menu will feature more than fifteen burgers as well as sushi rolls.…
Whole Foods Market Coming to Charlotte
It's official. According to a press release from Whole Foods, the natural and organic foods supermarket has announced plans to open a new store (it's first here) in Charlotte in the spring of 2012.The store is set to be built…
Pie Town Closing, Frankies 710 Trattoria Opening
Pierre Bader of The Sonoma Restaurant Group (Aria Tuscan Grill, Press Wine/Food, Sonoma) has announced that he will be opening Frankies 710 Trattoria on November 12th in the current Pie Town location in Third Ward's Gateway Village. “We want to…
a la carte
Penguin-gateChances are by now you’ve heard about the dramatic changes taking place at the city’s favorite dive dining establishment, The Penguin Diner (1921 Commonwealth Ave., 704-375-6959). On October 24, the restaurant will shift management to franchisor Martin Sprock with the…
Raising the Bar
Scotch whiskey may carry connotations of smoky lounges and old men, but Heather Tapper, the assistant director of food and beverages—and the resident Scotch aficionado—at the Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge is out to change that. Tapper, a self-professed “huge Scotch…
Mouthwatering Memories
Describing the menu at 15 North Roadside Kitchen isn’t an easy task. Other things are easy to describe. The atmosphere, for example, is sophisticated while still feeling cozy, with shiny dark wooden tables and fabric-backed booths lit by modern, round,…
News and Notes
I haven't posted in awhile, so if these seem like a random assortment of what might pile up in a dining editor's inbox, it's because they are.Thanksgiving at MezMez is offering a Thanksgiving brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.…
BLT Steak Serves Thanksgiving Meal
Thought you wanted Mom's turkey and stuffing for Thanksgiving? Think again. BLT Steak is open on Thanksgiving day and serving a three-course prix fixe turkey dinner that is seasonal-home-cooking-meets-sophisticated-culinary-creations. The menu is below. BLT Steak is open from 12 p.m.…
Kalu Asian Kitchen Makes Esquire's Top 20
By now you may have heard that Charlotte's own Kalu Asian Kitchen made Esquire magazine's list of the top twenty new restaurants in the country in their November issue.Haven't had a chance to pick up the issue yet, but still…
Now Open: Paco's Tacos & Tequila
A few weeks ago Frank Scibelli (as in the guy behind Charlotte favorites Mama Ricotta's, Big Daddy's, and Cantina 1511) opened his newest restaurant, Paco's Tacos & Tequila. The new spot, which is in the old Manzetti's location in South…
Aria Wine Dinner, Ilios Noche Open Sundays, Mez Relaunching
On October 11th at 7 p.m. Aria is holding a Pio Cesare Wine Dinner. The dinner, which is prepared by Chef William Shutz, will feature five courses and seven different wines. Think pairings like wild mushroom manicotti with regiano cream…
Will Travel for Beer
Charlotte is surrounded by great beer. Here are four brew-centric day trips — now hop to it!
All-Day Dining
Terrace Café is a restaurant that wants to be all things to everyone. It’s a breakfast joint, a bistro-style lunch counter, and a Southern fine-dining restaurant. Yet the moniker “café” is misleading, because in many ways Terrace Café is really…
Beer Bites
NoDa’s newest pub is all about the brews
Your Guide to Charlotte's Beer Scene
Charlotte—and North Carolina—is in the midst of a beer revolution, and we’ll drink to that.
My Brew Heaven: 50 Best Places to Drink Craft Beer in Charlotte
Last updated: February 2015. You'll want to raise a glass to — and at — each of the 50 places on this list. Be it a tiny pub or a sprawling market, these are the top beer destinations in Charlotte.…
Grateful Growers On-Farm Dinner
Chances are, if you've lived in Charlotte for very long and are a pork eater, you've enjoyed some Grateful Growers' local farm-grown pork. It's served in area restaurants, can be found at various farmer's markets, and is the star of…
