North Carolina has so many things to see and do. However, checking out the Michelin Star restaurants in Charlotte is not one of them. This is not because of the quality of the food or the skill of Charlotte’s chefs. This is because the Michelin Guide doesn’t cover Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Michelin Guide and its three-tier star award system is one of the most well-known culinary awards. However, there are a few other major food awards you should know about. Local magazines, larger publications, and foundations can also give out reviews and honors to the restaurant community. One of these foundations is the James Beard Foundation. These awards honor chefs, restaurants, and restauranteurs for the mission, values, personality, and skill level of a restaurant. There are several categories of the James Beard Award, including Best Chef and Outstanding Hospitality.
There are quite a few restaurants in Charlotte that have been nominated at several different levels of the James Beard Awards. Even making it to the semi-final round for James Beard is noteworthy in the culinary awards circuit. Keep on reading to learn about some of the restaurants that have made waves in the community. Many of these have also earned awards.
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Leah & Louise
301 Camp Rd, Charlotte, NC 28206
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Leah & Louise is a Southern-inspired restaurant under the management of James Beard-nominated Chef Greg Collier and his wife Subrina. Collier got a nomination as recently as 2023 for the Outstanding Chef category of the awards. Using locally sourced food, Collier's Kitchen refines and updates Southern classic dishes. Start with their chicken skin river chips or the turnip greens with potato puree and apple molasses. You might also love their grits cooked in a turkey base.
Mains include blackened catfish and local rabbit and duck dishes. Try their brined pheasant with chestnut polenta in a glaze of persimmons. And don't forget the dessert! Pick from items like custard with shaved white chocolate, or cornmeal pound cake with a seasonal fruit compote. In honor of their community ties, Leah & Louise offers a “pay what you can” option. There is a special community dish full of delicious options for those who can't afford full-priced meals at Leah & Louise.
Salud Cerveceria
3306 N Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
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This modern bar food establishment got a James Beard nomination in the Outstanding Bar category. The Salud Cerveceria menu is a lovely combination of powerful flavors and comforting recipes. For breakfast, sample their breakfast crunch wrap, breakfast burrito, or lox sandwich. And that's only a few of the many great breakfast options.
The dinner menu features chicken wings, pepperoni rolls, and a beet salad, among other dishes. They have a number of wood-fired pizzas. With so many different options, you'll definitely have to visit more than once!
Counter
2001 West Morehead Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28208
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Counter is a fine dining tasting menu restaurant operated by Chef Sam Hart. Chef Hart got a nomination in the regional best chef category in the 2023 James Beard Awards. Located on the westside of Charlotte, the tasting menu is one of the pricier options on this list. Ten courses will run you around $175 per person, and up to $235 for an additional 4 courses. Add in wine pairings and the whole night could cost you up to $500+ per person (via Eater). Keep in mind that prices may change, so put a call in to the restaurant for the latest information.
- The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
- Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
- Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.
The menu is set up like a story. Detailed planning goes into the tastes, sounds, and emotions behind the food on the seasonal menus. Some of the previous themes included a menu with ingredients entirely from North Carolina, color, and a menu with all the dishes made in tribute to Pink Floyd's album, The Wall. Check out their website for details of their previous menus. All of the menus are beautifully designed. Check out the artistic features like a crossword of ingredients, or the entertaining word finder puzzles. There's also original menu art, and more.
Ever Andalo
3116 North Davidson St., Charlotte, NC 28205
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Ever Andalo is owned by Jeff Tonidandel & Jamie Brown, who were inspired by their Italian heritage to undertake this endeavor. They also have shared plates of classic Italian recipes. Try their charcuterie board or marinated white anchovies to start your meal off. Main dishes include short rib, lamb chops, and chicken piccata. Try some of their pasta for an out-of-this-world experience. Desserts feature cannoli, olive oil cake, chocolate sorbet, and tiramisu trifle. Pair these with some great wines.
Lang Van
3019 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215
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Lang Van is a beloved restaurant in the Charlotte community. Owned and run by the Nguyen family, Lang Vang Vietnamese restaurant is a pillar of the community food scene. So much so that they received charitable financial support from locals during the pandemic just to ensure it would stay open. And stay open it has, so take your pick from some traditional Vietnamese and nuanced menu items.
Pick from a core of pho, spring and summer rolls, veggie dishes, fried rice, and both vermicelli and flat noodle options. Eater recommends the banh xeo yellow-curry pancakes and the quail.
Letty's
2121 Shamrock Drive Charlotte, NC 28205
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Of all of the restaurants on this list, Letty's takes the cake for classic Southern comfort food. Try Letty's famous pimento cheeseburger or their grilled chicken and bacon. Pick from a number of classically delicious sandwich options, as well as heartier dishes like fish and chips or meatloaf. Side options include veggies, potato wedges, mac & cheese, fried okra, rice pilaf, coleslaw, and crinkle-cut fries.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Kevin Ruck/Shutterstock.com.
- The must-have convenient reference guide for every home cook!
- Includes more than 8,000 substitutions for ingredients, cookware, and techniques.
- Save time and money on by avoiding trips to grab that "missing" ingredient you don't really need.