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Discover the Best New Restaurants in Charlotte

by The OpenTable Team

Updated 23 October 2019

Locavore cuisine defines the best new restaurants in Charlotte, a contemporary trend centered around locally sourced ingredients. From Italian eateries in Uptown to downtown gastropubs and South End seafood spots, Charlotte's most innovative chefs take advantage of the incredible natural bounty of the region's mountains, plains, and waterways. The celebratory seasonal cuisine represents a new wave of culinary excellence across the Queen City. But where do the smartest, savviest foodies eat out in Charlotte when they want to go somewhere new? We studied data covering thousands of restaurants to discover the top spots according to OpenTable's most experienced diners. The following new names in Charlotte come highly recommended. Why not book a table and become one of the first to discover them?

A photo of Peppervine restaurant

4.7

4.7 (2134)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

SouthPark

About the restaurant

Produce-forward small plates showcasing impeccable locally sourced ingredients are the signature of Peppervine, a spacious new restaurant in SouthPark. Several full-sized entrees also feature on the frequently changing dinner menu created by award-winning chef Bill Green. Some standouts among the small plates include squid ink bucatini with Spanish octopus, bone marrow and kale, a Thai-flavored fried chicken with papaya and burnt lime, and N.C. shrimp with grits, maque choux and tomato jus. Diners with bigger appetites might opt for such large plates as snapper baked in banana leaf and the 48-hour short rib pastrami.

Top review

J

John

Dined 5 days ago

This was our first visit to Peppervine, and we will certainly be returning. The ambiance is lovely and classy. We were seated in a cozy corner half-booth, and the noise level was perfect for having a conversation. Hope, our server, was attentive and helpful throughout the meal. Cocktails: The Misty Eyed Margarita and the Wild Maple Old-Fashioned were both flavorful and well-crafted. Appetizers: The yeast rolls were warm and delicious. The burrata was also tasty, but at $28 for a small portion, it felt overpriced, especially since it wasn’t served with bread until I requested it. Entrées: While the pasta portions were on the smaller side, everything was expertly prepared and full of flavor. We tried the Bison Bolognese, Mushroom Agnolotti, and Szechuan Beef Bowl - all with thoughtful and deep flavor profiles. Dessert: We ended with the Cranberry Orange Zeppole Donuts, which were very good and a delightful way to finish the meal. Overall, it was a great experience, and we look forward to returning.

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A photo of Branzino of a restaurant

A photo of General Tsos Cauliflower of a restaurant

General Tsos Cauliflower

A photo of Pimento Cheese Scones of a restaurant

Pimento Cheese Scones

A photo of forchetta restaurant

3.8

3.8 (522)

$31 to $50

Mediterranean

Uptown

About the restaurant

For the lunch and dinner menus at his new Uptown restaurant forchetta, chef Luca Annunziata draws on the authentic cuisine of his hometown, Naples, as well as other regions of Italy. His enticing creations include an award-winning fagottini, a dish of lobster-stuffed crepes enveloped in vodka sauce, and elk meatballs in a saffron aurora sauce. Also expect perfected versions of Italian classics like veal osso buco and casarecce carbonara. Some more casual options include burgers and paninis. The sleek and modern yet warm space is attached to the Holiday Inn Charlotte City Center. Since forchetta’s summer 2019 opening it has proved a big hit among locals as well as hotel guests.

Top review

F

Frank

Dined 3 days ago

We had the Chilean Sea Bass over Risotto. It was delicious and prepared to perfection. The wait staff was tremendous. I will go back again. We also had the lobster bisque and it was so good. It was a great evening.

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A photo of Rigatoni Pasta of a restaurant

A photo of Rigatoni alla Luca of a restaurant

Rigatoni alla Luca

A photo of Fin & Fino - Uptown Charlotte restaurant

Fin & Fino - Uptown Charlotte

4.8

4.8 (2848)

$31 to $50

Seafood

Uptown

About the restaurant

Fin & Fino, which opened in Uptown in 2018, is committed to serving only the freshest sustainably sourced local fish and seafood, which it brings in daily. At least a dozen oysters feature on the raw bar menu every day, making Fin & Fino one of the best new restaurants in Charlotte for oyster aficionados. Tiki drinks are another signature, some served inside pineapples for a tropical touch. Highlights of the lunch and dinner menus include the "dish of fish" comprising six oysters, six NC shrimp, blue crab, mussels and a lobster tail, and the squid duo of squid ink shells and squid Bolognese. Diners tempted to try a bite of everything should opt for “The Treatment.” It’s an ever-changing tasting menu that includes a series of on- and off-menu items for a fixed price, $5 of which goes to a select charity.

Top review

T

Teresa

Dined 2 days ago

Madison made our first time to the restaurant a fabulous experience!! Service was excellent and the food was amazing!!

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A photo of Angeline's restaurant

4.5

4.5 (1470)

$31 to $50

Italian

Uptown

About the restaurant

Angeline’s, an upscale casual restaurant inside the Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, specializes in contemporary Northern Italian cuisine prepared with seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. The menus focus on wood-fired pizzas and house-made pastas, plus a range of handhelds at lunchtime and hearty entrees for dinner. Some dishes are traditional and straightforward, such as the Margherita and funghi pizzas, pappardelle Bolognese and a whipped ricotta and sourdough appetizer. Others are more complex creations like the cavoletti pizza topped with white sauce, pancetta, Brussels sprout leaves, Calabrian chiles and mozzarella, and the braised oxtail baguette sandwich. Angeline’s hosts a popular brunch on weekends.

Top review

A

Andy

Dined 1 day ago

Angelines was a great Christmas dinner for my family of four. The entire staff from the valet to the server made us all feel welcome. We started with whipped ricotta. It was delicious! Don’t sleep on the chopped salad, very tasty. It was hard to choose an entrée because each one looked amazing.

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A photo of Whipped Ricotta of a restaurant

Whipped Ricotta

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A photo of Flour Shop restaurant

4.6

4.6 (1151)

$31 to $50

American

Myers Park

About the restaurant

Farm-to-table fare cooked over live fire is the signature of Flour Shop, certainly one of the best new restaurants in Charlotte. Chef-owner Trey Wilson uses produce from his own garden as well as top-quality seasonal ingredients from local farms. He turns to minimalist preparations to best showcase such ingredients. An exhibition kitchen is the centerpiece of the intimate, dinner-only restaurant. Diners can watch the chefs make fresh pasta by hand for some of Flour Shop’s most popular menu items, among them a bucatini with salami and zucchini, and lemon ricotta ravioli with sage, parmesan and almond. Other popular choices are the wood-fired Lady Edison pork chop and the grilled UGF mushroom appetizer.

Top review

W

William

Dined on 17 Dec 2024

We ate here for the first time on our anniversary. The appetizers, pasta, main entree, and dessert were incredible! Our server, John, was friendly, courteous, and attentive, and the entire staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome! We will definitely be back!

A photo of Haymaker restaurant

4.1

4.1 (1846)

$30 and under

American

Uptown

About the restaurant

Haymaker, the brainchild of chef-owner William Dissen, is a celebration of heirloom produce, sustainable meats and seafoods, and the traditional culinary techniques of the Piedmont and Appalachia. Both dinner and brunch menus focus on farm-to-table fare packed with bold and complex flavors. Dissen’s signature dish, NC shrimp a la plancha with grits, manchego and pickled chiles, is available for dinner and brunch. The small plate shares space on the dinner menu with artisan cheese and charcuterie plates, heirloom cornmeal hushpuppies, and toast topped with charred peaches, lemon ricotta and crispy ham. Brunch diners go crazy for the bacon fat beignets and Billy D’s fried chicken sandwich.

Top review

T

Todd

Dined on 15 Dec 2024

Incredible find in Uptown. Great tapas style restaurant with awesome cocktails and a very friendly staff. Our server was well versed in the menu options and drinks. We will definitely be back!

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A photo of Bacon Fat Beignets of a restaurant

Bacon Fat Beignets

A photo of Roasted Chicken of a restaurant

Roasted Chicken

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