My List of Things to do in Charlotte

This is a great overview. Maybe the Moderator can pin this or put in the sidebar for others to reference in the future? It would answer a lot of questions on a go forward basis.

We need more people like you. Welcome to Charlotte!

I’d like to suggest Jack Beagles for when you really need some greasy food in your life. Their breakfast is a hidden gem, IMO, especially when it comes to fixing a hangover, and it’s pretty inexpensive.

If you want to learn how to ruin a perfectly good hike, consider taking up disc golf. Charlotte's set of courses is second to none and ranges from beginner to pro levels.

Pretty darn good list you compiled, even zeroes in on most of the actual food orders to make (I’m assuming you skimmed some list threads on this subreddit). You are spot on with bar-q-king dipped fried chicken (Guy Fieri stated all time fav meal). I think one big place missing on your list is Sal’s Pizza which is widely considered the BEST pizza in Charlotte. Order to make is grandma slice or eggplant ricotta pizza (trust) or buffalo chicken or their famous rice balls. Also the mussels with extra puffy bread at Leah and Louise”s is nationally recognized as a work of art (they are located in Camp Northend which is worth a trip too as well).

Saw Biltmore on your list, if we are allowed to stretch suggestions out that far your whole Hiking/Trail list needs Pisgah listed as the priority number one.

In nearby Concord we have recently found 2 overlooked GEMS. Havana Carolina Restaurant & Bar Is the best Cuban food I have found in the region. Try all the sweet and savory plantains and the pork plate. Two stores down is the Chocolatier Barrucand, a French bakery, which is hands down the best and closest thing you will find that rivals European bakeries.

Good luck and welcome!

You're gonna want to add Lang Van (Vietnamese) under Asian Food.

You need to add Intermezzo to the list of restaurants. Serbian 🤤

Anne Springs Close Greenway just a few minutes south of Charlotte.

Grandfather Mountain / Boone / Blowing Rock (all same area).

What a great list you made!! You are going to love the Charlotte area… Welcome and from your list I can tell we want to have you here 🙏

Asian

• Futo Buta
• Hawkers
• Yamazaru

Pizza

• Hawthorne Pizza
• Pizza Peel

Hiking

• South Mountains State Park
• Linville Gorge
• Morrow Mountain State Park

Music

• Neighborhood Theatre
• Visualite
• Snug Harbor

Not sure if the majority agrees, but I feel like Alexander Michael's (Food, Other) is kind of a staple for the area or at least for Fourth Ward. The neighborhood with the old homes is an interesting visit as well.

Throw in the NC Zoo in Asheboro. Its a brilliant zoo that is respected globally in terms of its research programs.

Plus it has really big habitats for the animals so its nice on that front too.

This is such an impressive list!

I have a major sweet tooth and would add at least two more to the desert list. Add Villani's and Suarez. Villani's has really amazing pastries and Suarez is my go to for cakes of any kind.

You may be surprised to find that the outer banks are NOT as close as you think. Looking at 7 hours driving or even longer to get to Cape Hattaras. Closer beaches would be NC beaches like Oak Island/Holden and Wrightsville/Topsail etc 4-5 hrs). (Do NOT recommend Myrtle Beach SC which is actually the closest to Charlotte).

Another big mountain adventure is the Blue Ridge parkway and it's probably the most easy way to see the mountains (easy drive and amazing views at overlooks, day trip).

Also Great Smoky Mountains National park is a huge national park and most visited National Park in the USA it is also only 3 hours away.

Old Salem is an awesome very old historic 1766 town in Winston Salem (1hr 15 mins) that is fully preserved. Be sure to visit the Moravian bakery while you are there. It's an easy day trip be sure and get the tours.

You can also easily get to some parts of Tennessee in less than 3 hours. It's kind of strange how quickly you can get to certain things. (DC is less than 5 hours away). See also Raleigh for it's Natural History and Science Museums.

Nice list! I also like Hawkers in South end and Copper modern Indian nearby for unique Asian flavors!

Things to do in Charlotte in August:

1. Make sure the A/C works
2. Stay inside
3. If you do go outside, try not to die of heat stroke. The humidity here gets nasty. In fact today is humid already and my clothes feel wet.

This is awesome! I would consider adding in Stagioni (upscale Italian and pizza) along with Mamma Ricotta’s (awesome Italian place, one of my go-tos when we have friends in town)

And not to be a downer but the past two times I’ve gone to Dunavant (used to be a favorite) it was very meh. But could have just been a couple short staffed nights.

Just wanted to add a few to check out..

viva chicken (cheaper eats) Legion, heist, and Suffolk punch (breweries with good food. Don’t recommend going for brunch) Peoples market for the breakfast burrito (not open yet, but soon?) Lincoln’s haberdashery (breakfast and lunch)

That’s just a couple more to add to your list :)

I like Park Road Soda Shoppe

If you're driving out of Charlotte and what not, Wilmington and the surrounding area/beaches aren't bad.

Chimney rock and there's also Sliding rock

Near or possibly in rockhill there's a public access boat ramp that a lot of people will bring floats too and go floating down the river on the weekends. It's pretty chill and fun if you have a group of friends. I bring a super soaker and "demand" pirate tax on the form of snacks from other floaters or they risk being shot. Obviously only do this to the fun groups of people lol. You go in basically at the base of the dam and come out at the Pumphouse, which is also a restaurant. Never been but I think it might be slightly fancy on the inside. Never seen anyone go in after floating. Oh, and you'll have to have at least one car down at the pumphouse parking lot. If you go in groups you can just pile into the car at the end of the day and drive back up top, but if it's just you two you can drop your stuff off at the top, one of you waits with it while the other drops the car off and ubers back to the starting point (bring sunscreen, snacks, and water but you can also drink drink)

I'll probably be downvoted to oblivion for this next statement, but I find Amelies to be completely overrated

Capitol Grille was pretty tasty when I went to it...think it's on the pricier side

Also, hole in the wall place that my husband and I enjoy is South 21 but the drive in one, not the other location

I don't know if it's open yet, but that new casino going in over by crowders mountain area could be fun too

I'm relatively new to town but here are some things I've hit that have been great:

1. Lang Van - Vietnamese food
2. Breweries are really specific to your wants, so be wary of recs but visit them all
3. McAlpine Creek Park - good hike in either direction. Well, walk, not really a hike, it's a nice greenway though.
4. This is in Rock Hill but Mado is one of the best French patisseries I've ever been to
5. Roof top bars are a big thing here, just as a consideration of what else to dive into.
6. Stevens Creek Nature Preserve isn't that long but it's always 10 degrees cooler than most other greenways because of the forest it's in.
7. Uwharrie National Forest if so cool
8. Record stores - Lunchbox is the largest. Tip Top Market Daily is the most curated. And Hardy Boys is a sleeper because it's in Mint Hill but worth the drive.
9. Rhino Market and Common Market are sort of Charlotte lunch institutions.
10. Sports - Hornets, Panthers, Charlotte FC, Knights (White Sox AAA affiliate,) Checkers (AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers,) Kannapolis Cannonballers (Single A ball, I think associate with the White Sox or Tigers.) I'm certain I'm missing some sports, I'm really only a baseball guy.
11. Verdant Bread - best bread in town
12. Matthews Farmer's Mkt has a great mushroom guy. Is that too specific?

Anyway, welcome to CLT, it's a great place. Don't listen to the people who grew up here. They didn't know that you're supposed to hate your hometown and that you're supposed to move away at some point.

Music:

Music factory actually has 3 venues, Charlotte Metro credit union amphitheater, The Fillmore, and The Fillmore's baby sister The Underground.

PNC pavilion (largest venue in clt)

The Milestone

Snug Harbor

Petra's

Tommy's Pub

Visulite

Neighborhood theatre

The Evening Muse

Skylark

The Rabbit Hole

Amos'

Blackbox

The owner of Noble Smoke is openly trans-phobic and anti-gay. But if you want to support that, go right ahead. We all make our own decisions of who want want to give our money to. Just wanted you to have the info.

Thank you for all these! I’m just beginning work but I’ll definitely be replying to these and asking questions when I have a chance. Keep ‘em coming!

The rail trail in South End is a nice area to walk around and there are a lot of breweries. Food truck Fridays is at sycamore brewing. There is also Suffolk, triple c brewing.

I recommend adding 704 BBQ/Iron Dish to Asian food. Its Korean BBQ that's so much better than Lets Meat. It's two different restaurant names but its owned by the same owner (even the websites/menu are the same).

For burgers, I also recommend Cowbell Burger and Bang Bang burgers.

For Peruvian chicken, Pio Pio.

For Indian, my go to is Curry Gate, but others recommend Passage to India and Persis Biryani

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Plus, may as well add sporting events (Panthers, Hornets, Checkers, Knights, Charlotte FC, Charlotte Independence)

I would highly suggest Whitewater rafting on some of the rivers to the west. I have done the Nantahala, which was a blast, and I did it through the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

For hiking that is nearby, Uwharrie and Pisgah national forests have wonderful trails.

Sandwiches: 1. Lincoln’s Haberdashery - in my opinion the best sandwiches in Charlotte. Get the Civil Union with cheddar cheese 2. Pasta & Provisions on Park Rd. Grab a beer at Brawleys, order sandwiches to go and eat at Brawleys picnic tables 3. Torta stand at Savway market

Villanis Bakery on Pecan Avenue is the best bakery!

While not directly in Charlotte, I would add Smoke Pit for BBQ. We have gone to the one in Concord, but they have locations in Gastonia and Monroe too. We haven’t been disappointed yet, and everybody we have sent there has loved it.

Beef n Bottle for a steakhouse. Charlotte staple. On the Greek Festival, go Thursday night, gets quite busy Friday-Saturday. Sunday is chill, but opens at noon and closes early.

This is the type of post we need people, the op is a quality person based on their homework they have done. Hell they may be the type of person that signals when they are turning and come to a complete stop at at stop sign.

Amelie’s is overrated for baked goods. Good atmosphere and coffee may be good (I don’t partake). Best bakeries for baked goods are Renaissance in SouthPark and Villani’s in Plaza Midwood.

On the fancy list, Fig Tree is a must add

Gotta add Ace No 3 for burgers

Gotta add, Ace No 3 for burgers and Sals for pizza

Good work, OP! Appreciate the effort!

a delicious bakery i found in Ballantyne is called Sunflower Bakery.. AMAZING sandwiches and coffee/ teas and baked goods if you ever want a grab and go on the way to 485 adventures..

Super Abari

Excellent list. For dessert I would also recommend Villani's bakery. Amazing tiramisu and other options too

As a Niner I have to correct you that it’s the UNC-Charlotte botanical gardens not UNC! Good list, I would add NoDa as a place to visit, more specifically the food they have plenty of options. My favorite restaurants there are Haberdish and Cabo Fish Taco

Add villani's to that bakery list

You'll want to add Saigon Palace (Vietnamese) and New Zealand Cafe (sushi). Great spots!

Great list...we moved here about 2 years ago and still figuring it out and trying new things. We have knocked out a bunch of these already.

You mentioned Fahrenheit...please take some time to read their Yelp and Google reviews. If you want a awesome dinner experience and 100x better food, I would recommend "Steak 48". Another cool place to go for a casual date or with friends is "RH Rooftop".

I have been to the Mac's Speed Shop in LKN...the atmosphere was cool and good live music. The food however is not the greatest IMO and pretty small portions for the cost. Around the LKN area, check out "Eddie's on Lake Norman".

Cookout...bruh, this is literally one step above choking down wet cat food.

For Hiking/Biking and other outdoor stuff...Mountain Island Lake has several trails (Latta Plantation and the Raptor Center are also there).

White Water Center is basically free to enter if you want to go hiking or if you bring your own bike (just pay $6.00 for parking). Every Thurs-Sat evening between March and September, they also have live music...cant beat it for the cost of parking (bring bug spray!)

Also Hiking...dont forget about Pisgah National Forest out by Asheville. Use Google maps and just look up "waterfalls"...you're welcome :)

Follow all the local breweries on Instagram. Most have rotating food trucks every Friday, and several of them have "makers markets" on Saturday/Sunday mornings which are nice to just get out and walk before it gets too hot.

Beaches...Outer Banks (OBX) is gorgeous, but far. We went out there to check out a few of the old lighthouses. Everything is pretty seasonal there. We went in April and NOTHING was open, the only ferry going to Ocracoke was the car ferry, and there was about a 3 hour wait to get on...so you would burn almost a full day just waiting for transportation. I believe the lady there told us the pedestrian ferry as well as most of the stores/restaurants open from June-September.

You have to go to Myrtle at least once...you know you will, but we prefer to go to Charleston. It's the exact same length of time to get there and way better.

The North Carolina Zoo is great, I highly recommend it...but its far. Troutman has a nice zoo which includes both a walk through and a drive through zoo experience for one price. We have also gone to the zoo in Columbia SC which is also pretty nice. The Atlanta Aquarium....this is a must, its only 3.5 hours away and its the largest Aquarium in the US and I think like the 3 or 4th largest in the world.

You mentioned the UNC Botanical gardens. Also check out the Daniel Stowe gardens in Belmont. If you are up for a drive, check out the Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach...its enormous and tons of huge marble sculptures.

I'd add Beef and Bottle to the steak / fancy list as well. Looks like its a strip club on the outside but damn good food await ya.

Add Windy hill orchard - driving distance in SC Add Lake norman - rent a boat/jetskis go play on the water

Add Luigis pizza is the best greasy ny style here favorite takeout

Dot dot dot. Cocktail bar. https://dotdotdotcharlotte.com/

Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts is also a good museum to visit.

Thank you, relocating next month to Charlotte and needed this, thank you!

You could add:

Bang Bang Burgers

Countless Breweries

The Punch Room (in the Ritz)

Visiting Asheville (2 hour drive) - Could stay at the Grove Park Inn. Golf for you, spa for her.

The BBQ in Charlotte is OK, but there are better places a short drive away. Lewis' in Charleston is an example. (a lot of the food in Charleston is worth the trip) Better to avoid the sweltering heat of summer though.

Plenty of local lakes to visit.

Even non-racing fans enjoy the experience (usually just once) - both Nascar and drag racing are pretty impressive to see in person.

Charlotte Knights if you like baseball... Great venue and not too expensive.

We saw an exhibit of the plane that went down on the Hudson river (not sure if that is still going or not, but it was fascinating)

Personally I don't love Carowinds. Dirty and crowded, expensive (for what it is). You'll see the full spectrum of the local culture. We take our kids sometimes, and they have fun, but afterwards I always feel like there are better ways to spend money and time.

Charlotte is known for disc golf courses as well. A very inexpensive way to get outside and visit different parts of the city.

Hope that helps

Add "The Cellar at Duckworths" to your nice dinner list. It's a hidden gem in uptown and has the best cocktails and among the best dining experiences in Charlotte. Can guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Another upscale(ish) food option which exclusively serves NC cuisine is Dogwood! I'm a sucker for the authentic local food options. Had a killer rainbow trout with okra over polenta. Great cocktails there too.

Also, Seoul has a KTV room you can rent out (the only in CLT as far as I could tell) if you're into that sort of thing.

For fucks sake when is Owen’s bagels gonna make a comeback

Switch out novas for villanis but overall amazing list

Add Blacow to your burger list. You will not be disappointed. Welcome to the Queen City!

1. Nascar museum

2.the whole Charlotte Motorsports complex

nascar (oval and roval), karting, dirt track, and drag racing.

Even non race people enjoy a good top fuel 4 wide event (drag race) easily the most accessible and inclusive of all events. Byob

I’d like to add Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Asheville (I see biltmore), Lake Lure to your list. Also, Smoky mountains (Tennessee) and the Blue ridge parkway. A day trip we have been wanting to take for 10 years is bbq tour in Lexington. We recently noticed Childress Vineyards is near by so we were thinking of combining it. I’m sure the wine isn’t anything to write home about but it might be worth trying.

Where are you coming from?

Try Optimist Hall too. Let me add a little road with some good hole in the wall ethnic foods….drive down Central Ave. Try Pho Hoa, Jasmine Grille and Abuguida Ethiopian.

Someone sticky this post, please.

Living in South End for about a year, going on 2 and have some to add to your list

• Futo Buto for Ramen
• Rai Lay Thai for the best drunken noodles or general Thai food
• Leroy Fox is my favorite fried chicken place in Charlotte and always a great atmosphere inside
• Wooden Robot, Sycamore, Triple C, & Lenny Boy are all awesome breweries
• The NC Zoo is about an hour and a half outside of Charlotte but highly recommend it along with Asheville & Wilmington

South 21 drive in on Independence Blvd has been open since the 50s- highly recommend the onion rings!

Monterrey in Matthews (also off Independence) is my favorite restaurant of all time- ask for their homemade hot salsa!

Thanks for posting this! Same situation but just moved out here.

Dilworth Tasting Room (https://www.dilworthtr.com/) belongs in either the Fancy or Other categories, IMHO. It's a wine bar with beer/cocktails and small plates. 2 locations, Dilworth and Southpark. Spent an evening on the patio (with Koi Pond!) at the Dilworth location during a recent visit to Charlotte, and it was wonderful.

Definitely make the trip over to Kyle Fletchers in Gastonia at some point. Really great bbq

I would add Mico under fancy.

Hey - love the list but please remove the feedback about Sweet Lou’s being a take out only. I live right around the corner from the place and their outdoors space is fun with a lot to do around them.

I would add Crave Dessert Bar (though they have great small plates and drink options too) in Fourth Ward. Went there the other day and one of the best meals I’ve had recently and prices are reasonable too. I would also recommend Basil in Uptown for Thai and Cafe Monte in South Park for French food.

I moved here from the mountains so I know those areas well. If you want the mountain town experience I would recommend Boone/Blowing Rock, especially in ski season or around Asheville I’d recommend Black Mountain or Brevard. Also check out the waterfalls in Transylvania County area, waterfall central USA. For a day trip consider Linville Gorge area or a little bit further of a drive but Mount Mitchell or Roan Mountain have nice hikes with great views and are less crowded than the National Park.

Please please please add this to the list Breakfast / Brunch - Ruby Sunshine 7am-3pm

Open mic (Voted 2021 best open mic ) pin house

Also should add “all you can eat “ Let’s meat

Stowe botanical gardens as well, just west of Charlotte.

You should add noble smoke to the bbq section, it’s in Wesley heights and is amazing

Excellent list, I hope everyone just links people to this instead responding to the near daily “what to do/where to eat” posts.

A few additions I would suggest:

Asian- Lang Van Le’s Bahn Mi

Things to do/Amusements- Abari (pinball and retro arcade games, big focus on multiplayer games) Paranoia Pinball (strictly pinball) Stroke indoor mini golf and lounge BATL Axe Throwing Knights games (top rated minor league stadium)

Late Night/Diner Food- Midnight Diner Mattie’s Diner (24 hrs Thurs-Sun)

And an edit to Music #5- it’s The Evening Muse

Landmark diner has a fantastic old school southern breakfast. Fried shrimp and flounder also excellent. I’m sure it’s frozen, but it’s damn good.

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If you like tubing you can bring your own tubes and ride on the Catawba for free in Rock Hill, SC about 20 minutes outside of Charlotte. There is also tubing and camping in Saluda, NC and Asheville about 2 hours away. I haven’t been to Ebenzer Park in Rock Hill yet but it looks fun. It’s a little beach area and park on Lake Wylie (kinda gross but…). Definitely check out Abari for drinks and games. There’s plenty of fun trivia around during the week mostly at different breweries if you’re into that. Lang Van and Saigon Palace for Vietnamese. Siam Garden and Deejai for Thai. Passage to India for Indian. Ru San’s for sushi.

Brooks Sandwich house in Noda should of been talked about more for burgers and being old school charlotte. First place I ate when I moved here 10+ years ago.

Passage to India for Indian food

521 BBQ in SC shoukd be on your BBQ list

Cafe Monte should be on breakfast/brunch list

Columbia, SC also has a nice zoo and is a good day trip from Charlotte

Queens Cup is a horse race (steeplechase) in late April over in Waxhaw. It's a whole event to be experienced at least once.

Carolina Balloon Festival (hot air balloons) is in Oct near Statesville

Grandfather Mtn Highland Games is in July

Mayberry Days Festival is held in Sept in Mount Airy, NC

Umm, how dare you not mention The World Famous Milestone for music!

The restrooms are particularly iconic.

Also, Tommy's and Common Market!

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This is solid, guess I’m planning a week worthy trip from J-Vegas in the upcoming months.

Great work

Yunta is a restaurant that opened recently and it’s fantastic. It’s Peruvian-Japanese fusion I believe. Worth checking out!

I just moved her a few weeks ago and I love this list. Bookmarking it!

Few things to mention:

• Haberdish is awesome
• Noble Smoke was fine, but it wasn’t all that different from bbq in Oklahoma so that was disappointing for me
• Farmer’s market near the airport is so fun. We have been twice in the past 3.5 weeks
• Harriet’s at Optimist Hall makes a fine burger, but it’s on par with what you can do at home. I wouldn’t make that one a priority
• Mal Pan is good cali-style Mexican. Make a reservation for peak nights
• The Depot at Gibson Mill is a huge antique gallery / consignment store. Wear comfy shoes it’s really huge.

Axios is salivating rn

A lot of the hiking spots on your list get fairly crowded. If you enjoy more secluded and moderate to hard hikes, you need to check out Green River Narrows. After a moderate hike that takes about an hour to trek, there is a split where you can use a system of ropes that are in place to safely go down a steep incline. Then there is a wood plank that is over a narrow ravine that you cross and if you trek a little further over some boulders, it takes you to a series of swimming holes and a couple of those spots have natural grotto-like structures. It’s so refreshing to go swimming in the crisp water after a hike in the hot NC weather. It’s a popular rapids kayaking spot so another plus is that you get plenty of entertainment watching the kayakers zip by while you lounge around and swim.

If you want something easier and again, not crowded, my favorite summer hiking spot is Harpers Creek. Its an easy hike that leads you to a big swimming hole that has a natural slide on a boulder face. There is a rope to the side that you use to climb up the face so that you can reach the top to then turn around and slide down the small waterfall. It’s a great family friendly spot. Just avoid it on Saturdays because it can get busy sometimes.

A great fall hike is High Shoal Falls. It’s beautiful out there and the falls are so peaceful. But since it’s an easier hike, it can also get crowded sometimes with inexperienced hikers. If you can go on a weekday, it’s definitely worth it.

And if you like hard hikes, check out the Upper Creek. There are some great trails out there.

All of these spots are listed on the AllTrails app. This app is a must-have if you want to explore Western NC and find great hiking spots.

Another great activity is tubing on the French Broad. If you go to Asheville in the summer, definitely check out Zen River Tubing. It’s inexpensive and so relaxing and fun.

Edited to add: it’s a tradition in my family that everytime we head back to CLT after a hike in western NC, we stop by The Yellow Deli in Hiddenite. The food is amazing and it’s such a unique establishment. Just google it and you’ll see why! It isn’t for everyone but it’s my favorite deli that I’ve been to and they have the best fresh food and their market is awesome.

Where’s the brewery list at?

It’s seasonal, but Charlotte is one of just a few cities in the southeast with a Curling (the Olympic sport) facility. It’s an underrated sport and great for meeting people.

Do they still do the Bon Odori festival, or has that gone away? That was always one of my favorite things to go to back in the day.

Wow… thank you for compiling this!

Damn, this is awesome. Definitely cross checking this with the list I've got going. I'm also moving in August from out of State (cue the groans) so this is extremely helpful. Love seeing the other recs that people have as well.

Thanks. This is awesome!

I love the list. I see a couple others threw in Hawkers for Asian food and Bossy Beulah’s for chicken sandwiches. Big concur on those.

I would also add GOOD FOOD on Montford for fancy small plates… it’s delicious. And for breakfast, try Easy Like Sunday.

Mac's isn't great for BBQ. Replace it with McCoy's, Noble Smoke (asshole owner though), Dixie Pig, and 521 (Dixie and 521 not directly in Charlotte, but in the region). If you're coming from somewhere without City BBQ that's also a good one.

I assume the burgers Big Daddy's is actually Bad Daddy's, which I don't recommend. At least one and I think more of their shops have really low health ratings. Mid B range, or even a C grade IIRC. Replace with Bang Bang Burgers, Casual Pint (maybe a chain? but good), and Sweetwater (again out of Charlotte but really good).

Continuing in region suggestions: Lorenzo's pizza in Indianland area.

Places to drive out to: Columbia, SC, Hendersonville,NC, and Greenville, SC, are cool places to check out and visit imo.

Great compilation. Gonna follow this and keep it for reference when I have guests in town

You should also look into "NC Wine County" - one hour north and you will find many vineyards. Great for a wine tasting day. Yadkin valley and Lexington, NC area.

I also recommend heading up to the Greensboro Science Center!! So much fun!

As for Asian also go to: Jinya, Futo Buta, Room 112, Doans, Crispy Banh Mi, Yame Noodle House, Hasaki, Cilantro Noodle

As for other delicious food: Ace No.3, Crave Dessert Bar, Toppers, White Duck Taco Shop, Horaces, Maple Street Biscuit Co, Tupelo Honey, Nana Morrison Soul Food

Add Bossy Beulah's to your sandwiches list if you like a good chicken sandwich 👍

No to Fahrenheit & Snooze, but it looks like you’ve nailed everything for the most part. Heist location near North End has some great pizza, and you should also hit Noble Smoke. Not the greatest bbq, but it’s solid and the location is great, especially on Saturday’s when they have live bluegrass/music. Hit Bossy Beulah’s right next to it too if you’re feeling fried chicken.

Also look into River Jam, even though you already have WhiteWater listed it’s worth hitting in and of itself.

Edit: Fig Tree for fancy/high end dinner

Welcome to the city!

Where are you relocating from? When fall comes around there will be lots of apple picking, pumpkin patches, etc things to do but personally it’s still to hot to enjoy those sometimes so definitely head to the mountains for those (and don’t miss out on apple cider donuts, they basically drop them from the deep fryer to your mouth). There’s also lake/river activities where you can paddle, boat, beach. And Carrigan Farms, a family friendly swimming hole. Veronet, a winery in Kings Mountain. In September don’t miss the build Your own boat event at the whitewater center. There are lots of dog bars, fancy putt putts, and also Top Golf. If you like wine, I’d check out Rosie’s Wine Garden and Foxcroft. Davidson could be a half day trip, and is sometimes closed down in the summer due to school being out. Check out the Saturday farmers market there.

For outdoors, there are miles and miles of greenways to explore. Freedom park. Whitewater center is always busy. Lake Norman state park. Anne Springs.

Honestly there is so much to do here, take your time. And Welcome!

No breweries? (I know we all make the jokes but some in particular are local institutions and part of the city culture)

add Alino's pizza up in Mooresville, def one of my favorites

Neighborhood Theater and the Visulite are the two best music venues in town IMO and with Covid shutdowns mostly gone consistently have shows 3/4 nights a week. They don’t draw the larger acts like the music factory does but definitely have more character and are generally better experiences in my opinion.

Three things.

1.) Burgers restaurant is Bad Daddy’s.

2.) Please add McCoys BBQ. They have smoked Mac and cheese and it’s incredible.

3.) Please add Chimas Brazilian Steakhouse to the list. Worth a trip.

Cheers! Welcome to the area!

Noble Smoke for BBQ.

Bird for Pizza.

Visualite and Neighborhood Theater for music venues.

For BBQ Perry's Market in Mint Hill has been around since the late 70's. It's a family run gas station but the best thing is they've been making BBQ since I was a kid. You can get it hot at lunch time or refrigerated anytime of day. Great specials for a family meal as well. 1.5 lbs of BBQ, beans or Brunswick stew, slaw, buns, sauce for $25.

I don't ever see much about it online but all the locals around here know and love it. One of my favorite BBQ spots for sure.

Emmy Squared is good pizza. skip portofino’s

Charlotte so damn boring

Maybe we went on a bad day, but my experience at Sweet Lew's was real bad, food wise, let alone the bad service. The brisket was hard and dry as a brick, no joke, and the sausage was cooked to death as well, dry, mealy, and looked like a turd. The flavor was ok but couldn't get past the way overcooked texture, all the fat was cooked out. Mac and cheese was dry, barely any cheese. Ribs were good but nothing to write home about and not good enough to outweigh the poor quality of the rest of the meal, unfortunately probably won't give it a second chance.

Dessert add insomnia cookies epicenter

I think portofinos has garbage pizza, and would like to nominate DiVinci’s to take their spot

No fuel pizza? No brooks sandwiches? No Eddie v’s? No pnc pavilion? No nascar hall of fame? No victory lane karting?

Please be sure to check the local health department grades before venturing out. I say this, not to deter you, but to keep you healthy! Even the best restaurants can be listed! I tried to post the website, but it's not working right now. Google Mecklenburg County Health Department restaurant scores.

Abari has been closer for awhile now .. at least a year.

I would add Another Broken Egg for breakfast and Jim N Nicks for barbecue.

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Great list. But Midwood Smokehouse should be 1, not 4. It’s the best BBQ in Charlotte hands down.

This list sucks lol

Noble Smoke is the best bbq. Mac’s is awful. Peppervine and Kindred for fancy

We’ve got pretty good high school football in the area. Highly recommend finding what school your neighborhood goes to and check out a game. Great way to get a better feel for your community. Also recommend going to the big games at memorial stadium. They are usually fun.

Add Counter- to your fancy list and put it at the top!

Definitely forgot the farms someone else mentioned for apple cider donuts.

There's like 4 farms within a 1/4 mile of each other in York County in and around Windy Hill orchard. Pretty much all of them have tasty treats. Black's Peaches is one and I think they had the strawberry donuts this past fall that were yummy.

Other burger places to check out: Bang bang Moo n brew

Nova's bakery is now an ice cream place like a coldstone creamy type place. Down the street is two scoops which is much better

I've been to seoul meat co quite a bit over the last 2 years and have not noticed any part of it going downhill. Get the kimchi fries and pork belly if you are interested!

Bistro la bon does unlimited breakfast tapas for brunch Also try ruby sunshine for brunch

For sushi also try ru sans its mine and my partners favorite!

Welcome to charlotte!

Benny pinellos (sp?) for pizza

Roasting Company aka RoCo for hot wings

Remindme! 2 days

As for nature exhibits the Columbia Zoo isn't too far away and makes for a great day trip!

Some other great things not listed:

• NASCAR Hall of Fame. I know it's not for everyone, but if you are a race fan it's a great place to visit

• McDowell Nature Preserve. Beautiful area near Steele Creek with some good hiking trails, fishing spots, and camp grounds

• Veronet Winery for some good food/drinks after hiking Crowder's Mountain

• Burgers and Barley. Best burgers in Rock Hill and arguably my favorite in the entire Charlotte region.

I’d add the quarry at Carrigan farms for a nice swim/day trip

How can you not have vilani's bakery on deserts? They are better than Amelia's any day.

Mccoy has pretty good bbq

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Sweet Lew’s is great. It actually has parking, has a place to eat inside, and is usually not packed shoulder to shoulder inside.

Mods, sticky this please.

Saw Visulite added, but this is correct spelling. Evening Muse for music too. Food I would add Ace #3( burgers) and House of Pizza (phenomenal oven baked subs). Cheats Cheesesteaks if you like cheese whiz style cheesesteaks. They are currently only doing pop ups at local breweries, but will have brick & mortar on Pecan Avenue this spring or summer at latest. OP I work at the Visulite, when you get settled reach out and I’ll put you plus one on guest list to a show as a Welcome to Charlotte.

If I may give my quick opinion....

Skip Lancaster's BBQ.

Get the brownie for desert at 131 Main

And I'm not sure if it's a different Big Daddy's but that is a seafood place (in Mooresville) known for its seafood. I don't eat seafood but I've heard good things I guess.

If you are confusing that place with Bad Daddy's (also has a Mooresville location) just pass. I've had nothing but terrible experiences there.

But overall it seems like a great list and I hope you enjoy yourself on your visit.

Put Yunta at the top of your Asian list and add Rusan’s.

Idk what’s wrong with Sweet Lew’s location and atmosphere, I’ve eaten there a hundred times, it’s just a chill little bbq place with a nice outdoor seating area

Put on your cape you hero you!

Just commenting so I can find easily later

I would add the Gant Museum. Your very first ittem if my fav. Optimist Hall food. Rent one of the public scooters and get around real quick. You can drop them almost anywhere.

Ace No. 3 is the truth.

The Punch Room is closed :(

One place I recommend is Ruru’s Tacos + Tequila

Bit pricey but great tacos

Hey you have to put Lang Van on the list for Asian food. It’s by far the best Vietnamese place in the city and one of the best restaurants in general.

For fancy, you should definitely add Del Frisco’s. It’s by far the best steak I’ve had in Charlotte!

Harriet’s at Optimist Hall is my favorite burger in town!

I'll recommend you add Bocao Sushi, is a Japanese/dominican fusion restaurant near the music factory, that serves as a dance club on friday and Saturday nights

Really good list, in fact I'm gonna save it for later. Would be good to cool if we could all add a few places and get this pinned to the sub.

Couple to add:

BBQ:

Midwood has made some unearthly good brisket but they're inconsistent. Sweet Lew's is great (meat, not sauce focused) and the owner is a fantastic dude.

Smoke Pit is consistently awesome and they have a meat market attached.

Asian:

No list is complete without Lee's Bahn Mi. Lang Van is the perennial favorite.

Burgers:

Brooks is great. I love them for their story and super sad to hear about the brother getting shot dead. Totally amazing shop worth supporting.

The Diamond is pure perfection diner

Fancy (ish):

Dresslers at the Met: Thai calamari app will ruin you for calamari. Mom's cheesecake will ruin you for cheesecake. Mom's carrot cake will ruin you for carrot cake (all actually mom's). I don't remember an entree I've had there. All good but I just do two orders of calamari and skip to the dessert.

Cellar at Duckworths is solid. Ask about the history.

Farenheit is totally overrated but you should go for drinks at least anyway.

Pizza:

Bird in Area 15 is some of the best pizza I've had anywhere. Brand new, family run place. Great people.

Rosario's up in Concord is 2nd best in the Charlotte area. Pesto chicken Alfredo is 5lbs a slice and fantastic.

Salud is fantastic all around and a community pillar.

Places:

GoPro motorplex up in Mooresville is by far the best karting in the SE for rental carts.

Great list, this should be stickied.

I highly recommend adding A Taste of SHU to your list if you like spicy/Szechuan. They do proper dry heat without drowning food in sauce and the best fish+black peppercorn dishes https://www.yelp.com/biz/taste-of-shu-authentic-szechuan-cuisine-charlotte

​

EDIT - also for Baked Goods, specifically japanese/asian ones, this opened up last month in South Park https://www.tljus.com/ it's fantastic. https://www.yelp.com/biz/tous-les-jours-charlotte

Don't forget about sports! Obviously hornets and Panthers, but you've got the charlotte knights, kannapolis cannons and greensboro grasshoppers not to far away for baseball. Look up the schedule usually there's special nights like fireworks.

Carolina hurricanes games are about 2 hours away but they're a good team so fun to watch. Atlanta Is a 4 hour drive but it's a while other city with more to do.

The overlook next to the airport is a great date spot or to have dinner. It's on a hill next to the runway. Good for watching planes takeoff and land and a good view of uptown.

Well done!!!

I don’t see El Puro (Cuban) on the list. It’s quite excellent, and the vibe is superb.

Also, if you get here after the uptown location Museum of the New South opens, hit it. The current location is closed while they relocate, and is a great run down of Charlotte’s history of the social rights movement and general history. It’s one of my fav spots. Definitely add it for later.

And the whitewater center. If you’re an outdoorsy couple, it’s worth an annual pass. We renew ours every fall during ice skating season and hit the place hard through winter/spring and take a little bit of a break through the summer heat.

Thank you for doing this! As someone who has lived in Charlotte since they were three I'm going to use this list lol. As far as suggestions... Day and Night cereal bar in the French Quarter for dessert should be on the list (trust me, it's better than it sounds). Smoke Pit is the best bbq, Duke's in Monroe for the best burger, and for the love of god if you take the drive to Charleston don't leave without getting some shrimp and grits.

Thanks for this!

Breakfast: 8th and Sand

Taste of SHU for Asian

Any authentic Italian recommendations?

I'd put forth Little Mama's, bc its the only place I've been, but we really enjoyed it. Fettuccine Pugilese is amazing

What happened to Seoul Food? I haven't been since the start of the pandemic.

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I really like North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro but also wanted to add Greensboro Science Center. Took my granddaughter there yesterday and it was very nice!

Renaissance festival - oct/Nov each year

Thanks man!!

Would add Thai Orchid and Vietnam Grill. I actually think both of those are best in Charlotte in their respective categories. New Zealand Café is also excellent.

You’re missing Rhino Market for breakfast and Pizzeria Ommagio for Pizza/real good Italian food.

Other than that, great list imo 👍🏻

Just went to Charlotte beer garden, bring some cards! I didn’t see any games available

Thank you! Burtons Park Rd is good if anyone has food allergies and loves great service

Please add Rosie’s wine garden!!

Dessert: Ninety's milkshake bar in University Latin: Sabor (like 12 locations)

Very nice

I would add queen city grounds for coffee. Also, if you're not going for ambiance, I'd put Curry Gate ahead of Copper Indian Grill.

Oh one i forgot to bring up but I like to hit up about monthly.. sandwiches etc

https://www.yelp.com/biz/noda-bodega-charlotte

Inizio for top pizza? I’d rather eat papa johns. Spent $30 and it was hands down the worst pizza I’ve ever had.

I want to share my appreciation for your list, /u/bigcat7373. I've got a new coworker starting soon and had a half-assed list of local destinations to share. Thank you thank you!

The Crunkleton should have made this list in my opinion for Burger, cocktail, and other. They cook on hardwood and have an entire wall of antique liquors spanning decades. Way worth a $10 annual membership.

nice list! you forgot bojangles. 😂

IMO the Asheboro zoo is way better than the Columbia one. It fees more like you are part of an ecosystem than looking at animals in cages. The Columbia zoo may have more, but the asheboro zoo is a much better experience.

Wow… thank you for compiling this!

Wow… thank you for compiling this!

Wow… thank you for compiling this!

Benny Ferrovia’s for another NY pizza style!

Blue Bar and Smokehouse located in Fort Mill really good brisket, smoked chicken thighs, wings and corn casserole. They don't necessarily always have servers though, so best bet is to sit at the bar or outside.

There seems to be less Latin choices on the list…You should add:

Los Paisas (Colombian)

Cuzcatlan Restaurant (Salvadoran)

Lempira (Central American)

La Poblanita (Mexican)

Don Pedro’s (Mexican restaurant with karaoke on the weekends)

Mi Tierra (Colombian)

Arepas Grill

It looks like you may be looking for things do to while in Charlotte. In the meantime, you can also check out the "Map of things in Charlotte" also Charlotte on the Cheap

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Awesome job u/bigcat7373 curating all these places.
I added \~20 to an Alp map to make it easier for people to contribute. This is how it looks on my screen now.
If you feel this is of value, I can add a few more or anyone interested can pitch in! Let me know what you think.

I’m new here, but your list could include a Vegan/Vegetarian section. So far, I’ve found:

1. Deli St - cool, but not my fav
2. Pepperbox Doughnuts - mostly vegan!
3. Fern, Flavors from the garden - a bit pricey but v good
4. Plant Joy - Camp North End is great
5. Momo Station - vegan and vegetarian options
6. Optimist Hall - has a decent amount
7. Cilantro - vegetarian and maybe vegan options

Haven’t tried yet: 1. Oh My Soul 2. Living Kitchen 3. Bean 4. Romeo’s Vegan Burgers 5. Iirc, Some of the pizza spots around Plaza Midwood have vegan options