Food + Drink
Queen City 'Cue
Bill Spoon's5524 South Blvd., 704-525-8865Bill Spoon, who founded the restaurant in 1963, passed away last year, but his namesake eatery still serves his famed chopped, eastern North Carolina-style barbecue. Hush puppies, cole slaw, baked beans, and banana pudding complete the…
Charmed, I'm Sure
For many a discerning diner, Monticello has long been a go-to choice for a solid pre-Blumenthal meal, a quiet business lunch, or a romantic date night. We've visited on and off over the years, too, but must confess to having…
Local Links
DIY SausageSausage is made from ground meat, which can be purchased from a butcher or, for the extra-ambitious, made at home with a meat grinder. Once you have the ground pork, the next step is seasoning it. From the extravagant…
East of the Everyday
The Large Kabob Platter includes grilled Cornish hen, chicken, lamb, beef tenderloin, ground sirloin, and grilled vegetables.Experience a new world of tastes and colors as you journey east—to east Charlotte, that is. Kabob House opened more than a decade ago…
Seeing Stars
An example of Cosmos’ more exotic fare is the grilled octopus with roasted cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and grilled baby artichoke.Cosmos Café has endured. It's hard to believe, but Cosmos Café is one of downtown's longest-tenured restaurants. Hard to believe…
Coming Up Short
So-called fusion cuisine takes many forms. It first crept into the American vernacular in the early 1980s with the popularity of restaurants like Spago, Wolfgang Puck's homage to Asian, French, Italian, and American cooking. Now it seems that fusion cooking…
Everything Nice
Bright orange with white trim, Sweet Spice: Royal Caribbean Delight is highly visible from the street. With flowering bougainvilleas growing up against the concrete exterior, the restaurant has a tropical feel—not in the way of tropical theme restaurants, but in…
Worth a Second Look
Carne asada tacos in handmade corn tortillas El Pulgarcito are good, but Salvadoran specialties like pupuses are your best bet.In Charlotte, Little El Salvador occupies half a city block. Gathered around a single parking lot are Salvadoran stores, bakeries, and…
Viva La Paz
Eleven years ago, I took my now-wife on our first official date to La Paz, when it was located in an old house in Myers Park near the Manor Theatre. I must have been a little nervous, because I forgot…
Amelie's French Bakery
This emphasis on quality and attention to detail is what sets Amelie's apart. Especially noteworthy are the fruit tarts—baked just long enough to begin to darken and caramelize, with homemade pastry that blends seamlessly with the fruit layer on top.…
Handbags
Inexpensive but cool EileenAs a boutique that actually boasts handbags under $100, it's a no-brainer why South End's Eileen is the top pick for inexpensive (yet totally chic) handbags. You'll mostly find larger shoulder bags and totes (love the Melie…
Shopping
Readers' ChoiceWomen's boutique The Pink HangerMen's fashions Paul SimonWomen's shoes Nordstrom Men's shoes NordstromVintage clothing Hong Kong VintageMaternity clothing Beaux BellyEvening gowns NitsaStore to buy jeans NordstromJewelryHand PickedStylish gifts PaperSkyscraperAntiquesMetrolinaFurnitureBoylesBike shop/repair Black SheepHardware StoreBlackhawk HardwarePet store Pet SmartBookstore Barnes &…
Food & Drink
Readers' ChoiceBurger PenguinPizza BrixxSteakhouse Morton’sVegetarian selection Zada Jane’sComfort food DishBreakfast Original House of PancakesBrunchPewter RoseBarbecue Mac’s Speed ShopTaco joint Cabo Fish TacoCoffee shop (non-chain)Dilworth Coffee HouseLate-night diningPenguinHotel restaurant Ember GrilleNew restaurant M5Caribbean Anntony’sIndian CopperItalian Mama Riccota’sJapanese/Sushi NikkoMexican Cantina 1511Seafood UpstreamSouthern/Soul…
Service
Readers' ChoiceYoga/Pilates studio Iron Butterfly PilatesSpaThe Spa at Ballantyne ResortBarbershop Emerson JosephSalon Modern Salon & SpaDry cleaner Long'sFlorist Elizabeth House FlowersCaterer Something ClassicConcierge serviceSimply Done Eyebrow wax/shaping Parvin's SpaA great eyebrow wax is like a great haircut. You can't put…
Spa Treatments
Body TreatmentPumpkin Pie & Sweet Wine Body Scrub The Spa at Ballantyne ResortFollowing a soft dry scrub, an aesthetician exfoliates and rehydrates your dry skin with a yam and pumpkin enzyme peel, almond and mineral treatment, ten grains and spices…
Best of the Burbs: North
Brunch Toast Café If you want weekend brunch at family-owned Toast, show up early to avoid the line of patient diners wrapped around the little mustard-colored house. They're likely waiting for their turn to have made-from-scratch raspberry and walnut pancakes.…
NASCAR
DriverJimmie JohnsonTo become the champion you must beat the champion. That's what Jimmie Johnson did en route to winning the 2006 and 2007 Sprint Cup championships. Considered a rising star in 2001, and handpicked by Jeff Gordon to join the…
Essentially Charlotte
Readers' ChoiceSkyline view Bentley's on 27Picnic spot Freedom ParkFestival Festival in the ParkInternational event Yiasou Greek FestivalFree event Pops in the ParkNoteworthy event of last 12 months Light RailGossip/rumor Prostitution in SouthParkPublic gardenWing Haven Gardens and Bird SanctuaryWing Haven qualifies…
