Charlotte’s dining scene is booming. We see it firsthand when reporting about new restaurants opening each week.
Why it matters: It can be hard to keep up, let alone sift through every new addition and rank them. That’s what this list is — a culmination of the best cuisine Charlotte has to offer.
The big picture: In 2023, we reported about 91 new restaurants and bars; this year we’re on track to see just as many new additions.
Charlotteans love to flock to the shiny and new, often forgetting about the restaurants that laid the foundation for those newer restaurants to succeed in a relatively young city.
What’s new: There’s so much great food here, this list now only contains restaurants within Charlotte city limits. That’s why — although our team agrees it deserves all the accolades — for the first time since it opened, Kindred in Davidson didn’t make it in the rankings.
What they’re saying: We recently surveyed our newsletter subscribers and Instagram followers, asking them “What’s your favorite restaurant in Charlotte?” More than 300 people responded…
No. 2: Customshop
A mainstay in Elizabeth for more than 15 years, Customshop has earned a prime spot on this list two years in a row.
Why we love it: It’s elegant but unpretentious. Dress up or dress down, Customshop is the kind of place you can go to for any occasion and know there’s something on the menu for everyone.
Dig in: The menu changes weekly and depends on the availability of ingredients from local farms. However, the burrata and flan are mainstays on the menu for a reason.
Pro tip: If you’re familiar with the restaurant but haven’t been in recent years, this is your sign to check it out. Its new chef-owner Andres Kaifer has made some major changes since taking over in 2022…
No. 16: El Puro
Cuban restaurant by the family behind Havana Carolina in Concord.
Why we love it: Dinner at El Puro is an experience meant to take you back in time to 1950s pre-revolutionary Cuba. They have live music and regularly host salsa lessons.
Dig in: Expect modern takes on typical Cuban cuisine. The ropa vieja, for example, is made with shredded brisket, creole sauce and congrí rice. Most entrees come with a side, and you’d be doing yourself a disservice to not throw an order of sweet plantains.
Pro tip: Its “happy hour bites” menu features shareable plates for $9, available Tuesday-Friday from 3-6pm.
