Charlotte City Guide
My first trip to the Queen City - let’s get right to it.
Coffee
Charlotte had an abundance of coffee shops, but because the coffee scene has gotten so good in Orlando, quite a few shops just didn’t hold up for me.
However these were the ones I would recommend.
Interestingly enough the two best shops didn’t come up in any of my searches.
Provided Coffee
Thanks to an Orlando transplant in Charlotte, I got a DM to check out this shop, as they had the same issue I was experiencing. So on my last day I headed to Provided Coffee. It’s non-descript on the outside and extremely small on the inside. There wasn’t anywhere to sit, so I just ordered my latte and took it to go. It had an excellent extraction; it was smooth and had no bitterness. 9/10 would recommend.
I went to the Uptown location, but there is another in Concord that is larger, so if you find yourself out there, you can also check out their bigger cafe.
DEFINED COFFEE
This shop North of Charlotte in Mooresville was another accidental find. We headed up to visit a large antique mall to find this coffee shop, which was part of a huge building (that also hosted other businesses and restaurants). It was a charming cafe with a large roaster on site. The drinks here were excellent, 10/10 and the service was friendly. I was pleased to stumble upon it.
Also, the antique mall was dope - it’s Main Street Antiques, and if that is something you like to do when visiting cities, I would add it to the list.
Undercurrent Coffee
Third place goes to Undercurrent Coffee. There are a few locations in Charlotte; I went to the one in Plaza Midwood. I don’t have any pictures of that specific location because I was catching up with a lovely friend, but the latte was a solid 8.5/10, and that location had plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The image below is of their counter inside Optimist Hall.
Not Just Coffee
Charlotte seems to have a handful of shops that have multiple locations, just like Not Just Coffee. I went to the Jay Street location which was quite large and had a long line so clearly a popular spot for locals. They got my order wrong, but the coffee was good so it was no matter.
The coffee shops that left me a bit disappointed were Hex and the Hobbyist. But always go for yourself and see what you like. I wanted to love them, but both drinks were exceptionally weak and tasted like I paid for a glass of oat milk.
EATS
Haberdish
This was the meal we had on the first night, and after 8 hours in the car, we were exhausted and looking for something chill and lowkey without just staying in our spot and ordering in. Haberdish was within walking distance and many had recommended it, so we went.
The menu leans very Southernly, and my stomach just wasn’t up for a whole lot of food at the moment, s my summation rests on the back of mac and cheese, fried chicken, and hush puppies with sweet tea butter.
I know these sad iPhone pics aren’t causing you to drool, but it was practically pitch black, and I didn’t lug my camera with me. But I can tell you that the food was fine, but nothing mind-blowing, but again our order was basic. The service, however, was excellent. The hush puppies and sweet tea butter were mighty tasty and lulled me into a deep sleep that night.
The Goodyear House
The Goodyear House was missing from the planned itinerary, but a last-minute pivot found us in this Noda neighborhood spot. What I loved about it the most was the backyard area. It was very cozy, pretty, and peaceful.
As much as I love to destroy my stomach on vacation, some nights, I have to chill and eat veggies, and this was a great place to do that. Their Good Salad was simple and savory. Lots of lettuce, pickled onion, Parmigiano-Reggiano, herb verde dressing, and I added chicken. I wanted more flavor to add to my dining experience, so I got the Roasted Carrots with Herbed Boursin, chermoula, candied benne, honey, and mint—an absolute delight.
I also couldn't keep my hands away from my husband's massive bag of fries with Togarashi, which was dangerously addictive. If restaurants around here charging obscene amounts for a side of fries did it like this, I wouldn't complain.
The Local Loaf
The Local Loaf was another last-minute breakfast pivot. Despite all my research, I'll second guess my picks at the last minute and take a chance. The breakfast cafe I had slated for this morning started to look more and more like an Instagram trap to me, so I called an audible and found the Local Loaf, and WHAT A CALL IT WAS.
The Local Loaf was my kinda vibe, a small neighborhood cafe (literally in the middle of a cute street of houses) and a simple menu. It felt very "locals only" inside; no neon sign or green grass wall was in sight.
I ordered a breakfast plate of Patatas Bravas - Local Crispy Fingerling Potatoes, Queso, Creme, Jalapeno Hatch, Red Chili Sauce, Salsa Negro, Scallions, Cilantro Microgreens, and I added an egg and a side of bacon. Oh, it was such a joy to eat; everything worked in perfect harmony. Simple, fresh ingredients make for a happy meal. Would 10/10 recommend.
Futo Buta
For a quick ramen lunch, we hit up Futa Buta. This is on many lists as a highly-rated eatery for Charlotte.
I kept my order simple with an appetizer of crispy rice squares (spicy tuna, crispy fried rice, wasabi soy) and Tonkotsu. Orlando has some good ramen options, and this didn’t really compete with any of our heavy hitters, but it's still solid if you are in Charlotte craving ramen. Not a must-stop, but a good stop if you’re in the mood.
Milkbread
I was really excited to try Milkbread, as were many other people lined up outside. The concept seems both healthy and unhealthy: doughnuts, fried chicken, salads, bowls, and toasts. So you can be as bad or good as you want, I suppose. We went for breakfast, and I was lured to their Morning Bowl - labneh, blueberry, citrus, nut crunch, mint, local honey.
I was immediately obsessed with the first spoonful. The labneh and grapefruit gave me an instant tart zing, followed by the sweetness of the honey and blueberry. Then you hit the cool down with the fresh mint, and for texture, the nut crunch. It hit so many spots on my taste buds. It sounds lame, but it was exciting and delicious. More importantly, I hadn’t ever had anything quite like it. So, for this bowl alone, I would go. I can’t tell you about the chicken (I didn’t order it), and certainly don’t go for the doughnuts (they were dry on my visit), but I would still recommend this spot based on Morning Bowl.
Midwood Smokehouse
I wasn’t sure which local BBQ spot reigned supreme in Charlotte, so I took my chances with Midwood Smokehouse. The highs were the skillet cornbread, the brisket, and the coleslaw. The lows were the awful jalapeno cheddar sausage that had no flavor and was bascially mush, with zero snap to the casing. I wouldn’t say this is a must when in Charlotte, but if you steer clear of the sausage, you’ll probably be good.
Osteria LuCa
I wish I had better pictures to share of Osteria Luca, but I got sat way in the back of the restaurant, and the lighting was not optimal for pictures. However, more importantly, the space was beautiful and warm, and the service was terrific. It had a very comfortable vibe.
We had a very simple Italian dinner of pizza and pasta, which was delightful. The pizzas have a great crust and nice flavor, and the Chicken Parmigiana was a healthy portion.
Optimist Hall
I’ve been to several food halls around the country, and Optimist Hall is definitely in the top five nicest food halls I’ve visited. It’s really well done with a great variety of food vendors. There is so much space inside and out. You could easily find an area to relax, work, and eat comfortably. I went twice and could have quickly gone more.
We tried Botiwalla Indian Street Food and Suarez, a Cuban bakery. If you are familiar with Chai Pani from Asheville or Decatur, Botiwalla is a part of that restaurant group, so obviously, the food is terrific.
Suarez has a large display of pastries when you walk up to the alluring pink counter and a neon smiley face. But I didn’t go for pastries. I went straight for a Cuban sandwich and cafe con leche. It was such a solid Cuban that we returned for breakfast another day.
Sadly, there were just so many stalls we didn’t get to try that I had been told were also delicious; I wish I had the stomach space to try more. This is a must-go spot to visit and go really hungry.
Ka Udon in the Urban District Market
Another food hall in Charlotte is the Urban District Market. Not as big as Optimist, but it holds about 12 stalls and an area that is supposed to be a replica of a Japanese convenience store. We went to check out one of the newer stalls - Ka Udon.
Since the opening of Zaru in Orlando, I was curious to see another Udon offering and how is stacked up. Here, you chose the base bowl and then could grab additions, of which I grabbed a few tempura add-ons and an egg. Two bowls with additional add-ons only cost $31. I say only because I paid almost twice that at Zaru for just myself with tip.
This was a good and cost-effective dinner which was needed as plenty of dinners were much closer to $100.
Cold Hearted Gelato
I would be lying to you if I said I ate only local desserts because I went to Jeni’s twice during our stay. However, I got a local recommendation for Cold Hearted Gelato that I followed through on. This small cafe is located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. They had interesting flavors like Hazelnut and Miso, and Pumpkin and Coriander Cream Cheese. Very nice mouth feel on this gelato, and it wasn’t overly rich. Two scoops of flavors that complement each other was the perfect light dessert.
Things to Do
CAMP NORTH END
I would love to see something like Camp North End in Orlando. They took 76 acres of industrial buildings and created a mixture of workspaces, retail, food, arts, and more. It was well done and serves the community in many different ways. On our visit, a market was going on, prepping for an ice skating rink, all surrounded by local shops and eateries amongst workspaces for local businesses.
I recommend visiting when in Charlotte to see it for yourself. I’m sure there is more going on during a weekend, but it won’t take long to explore, and it’s worth it to see how some cities are creating new mixed-use spaces for the times instead of just bulldozing everything and building more strip malls.
There were a few eateries here, a record shop, some other retail, and coffee.
Pepperbox Doughnuts
I passed this doughnut shop many times as it was close to my home base in NoDa. I had no clue it was a vegan doughnut shop. It’s a cozy, chill shop where I could see curling up with a book, coffee, and a box of different flavors to nibble on. To be honest, once I realized they were all vegan, I only ordered two because vegan doughnuts are notoriously dry. After the first bite, I realized I should have ordered a whole dozen to take as we headed to Savannah. Whether you are a vegan or not, everyone should try these doughnuts.
Things to Do
The Puttery
The Puttery is an indoor putt putt course that is broken into two 9-hole themes. There is the library and the conservatory. You can choose to do one course or both. There are bars everywhere, so clearly drinking is the name of the game here, as each hole has a place to hold your drinks.
It’s silly and fun, but when it’s crowded it gets backed up (you are only allowed 6 tries on each hole to keep things moving) but that really just meant we ended up watching teams before us and cheering them on. Everyone was surprisingly so friendly which was a recurring theme in Charlotte.
Images from the Puttery website
Pins MECHANICAL / 16-Bit Bar + Arcade
In the South End area of Charlotte (where most of the nightlife can be found) we went to Pins Mechanical and 16-Bit, which share the same space. Pins Mechanical has Duck Pin bowling lanes, ping pong, and other games while 16-Bit has a host of arcade games.
The space itself is large and open with a lot of lounge areas to hang out including a nice patio with a two-story slide and swings that overlook the downtown skyline.It’s a great spot for getting out of your hotel when you feel like staying in because it got pitch black at 5:30pm.
Sleepy Poet Antique Mall
Sleepy Poet is a large antique mall in the southern part of the city, and didn’t disappoint. When you enter to the right you’ll find an area curated with vintage clothes by decade/era as well as a collectible area. There is also record store called the Poet’s Vault in the back. I’ve never been to an antique mall that had a little snack area to buy food and coffee, so that was pretty neat as well.
The rest of the space is your standard antique mall vibe with booths ranging from grandma’s treasures to more nostalgic millennial glory. Definitely worth going.
The Rat’s Nest
The Rat’s Nest was not on my original list, but we found it walking the Noda neighborhood. Lot’s of vintage items here. We didn’t find anything, but worth a stop if you are in the area.
The Mint Museum Uptown + Bechtler Museum of Modern Art
These two art museums are right next to each other, so it’s easy to do both. It would have been nice they offered some sort of discount when going to both, but that wasn’t offered. Bechtler is ($9) the smaller of the two while the Mint Museum ($15) has more exhibits to go through.
Personal opinion, if you’re trying to be frugal pass on the Bechtler. The Mint has much more to offer and there are some beautiful exhibits.
What to know about Charlotte before you go:
You need a car to explore the city, but there are definitely walkable neighborhoods like Noda, Plaza Midwood, or you can stay near the South End.
The downtown was extremely clean and felt safe to explore.
I saw people claiming traffic was bad, and I didn’t experience this, even closer to peak times. Maybe that’s because I’m use to Orlando traffic.
We found people to be extremely friendly everywhere we went, and the city itself had a lot of diversity in its residents.
