Caviar, Champagne and Wagyu: Experience Charlotte’s most extravagant dining options
There’s no shortage of good food in Charlotte, but sometimes you have to go big. A wedding proposal or milestone anniversary, a notable birthday, promotion or other special occasion calls for restaurant reservations that offer something special.
So we set out to find some of the most indulgent and extravagant food and drink options that the city has to offer. Now, we’re dreaming of caviar and champagne, steak and seafood — and a whole lot more — at some of Charlotte’s top restaurants.
Here’s what we found for luxury meal options in Charlotte:
Counter-
Location: 2001 W Morehead St., Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28208
Get adventurous at Counter-, the tasting restaurant that earned chef/owner Sam Hart a finalist spot at the James Beard Awards for Best Chef: Southeast. The restaurant doesn’t release its dishes in advance. Instead, it pairs 10- and 14- course menus with a theme that creates a storyline featuring music and art for a sensory experience.
Cost: $175 for the 10-course tasting meal; $235 for the 14-course dinner.
Deluxe Fun Dining
Location: 305 W 4th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
While it’s not atop highest price points for dinner in Charlotte, it’s unlikely you’ll find another restaurant in town with as many options for blinged-out, gold-laden food as you’ll find at Deluxe Fun Dining. Its Marinated Australian Lamb Chops come wrapped in edible 18K gold leaf, accompanied by baby potatoes, rice and vegetables, marinated red onion, Ajvar Sauce and flatbread. You can also get a gold-coated lobster tail or chicken wings at brunch, a gold Tomahawk steak or cocktails with gold adornments.
Cost: $56 for the lamb chops — and you can add on a 6 ounce lobster tail for $25.
Hestia Rooftop
Location: Ballantyne Village, 14819 Ballantyne Village Way Charlotte, NC 28277
Steak is a classic celebration dinner, and the reigning champion of the dish in Charlotte is Hestia Rooftop with its Wagyu Supreme Tomahawk, which is dry aged for 45 days. Let me quote myself from an earlier story and note: “It is melt-in-your mouth tender, and it is exquisite.”
Cost: $399, and it must be ordered ahead when you make reservations.
La Belle Helene
Location: 300 S Tryon St Suite 100, Charlotte, NC 28202
Poultry lovers looking to switch things up can get an extravagant experience at La Belle Helene. The French restaurant’s Duck A L’Orange For Two comes with roasted marbled potatoes, haricot verts and sauce bigarade.
Cost: $81
Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
Location: 2907 Providence Rd STE 101, Charlotte, NC 28211
Omakase — which means “leave it up to the chef — is all about luxury. Omakase Experince by Prime Fish’s version involves 16 courses of small plates and seasonal nigiri. The chef prepares the dishes right in front of you using fish imported directly from Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo, in an interactive and intimate environment. Sake pairings are available for each course, as well.
Cost: $300 per person, paid during the reservation process, plus beverage, tax and gratuity
Peninsula Prime Seafood & Steakhouse
Location: 19918 N Cove Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031
What says indulgence like Champagne? On Thursday nights, Peninsula Prime offers Champagne flights so you can up your game with a bubbly tasting. Each option features three 4 ounce glasses that are equivalent to two full glasses.
There’s three tiers to choose from: Piper, Moët and Veuve; the Charles Gardet trio from Reims, France;. and the JayZ flight featuring Roederer, Ace of Spades and Cristal for $295.
Cost: The Piper, Moët and Veuve flight is $75; the Charles Gardet trio is $100; and the JayZ flight is $295.
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Sea Level
Location: 129 East 5th St., Charlotte, NC 28202
A seafood tower can glam up any occasion — especially when it’s an all-out deluxe version. At Sea Level, The Truist Tower includes a chef’s selection of 24 oysters, 12 mussels, 10 raw clams, shrimp cocktail, seasonal ceviche, salmon poke, Maine lobster and Marshallburg Farm caviar.
Cost: $175
Steak 48
Location: 4425 Sharon Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
Steak 48 has racked up the accolades for its fine dining atmosphere, including being named North Carolina’s top-rated steakhouse by Yelp. So it’s not a surprise that there would be a few luxe options. We’ll call out what must surely be the most extravagant side dish in town — the Alaskan King Crab & Rock Shrimp Mac & Cheese, made with provel, romano, parmesan and a touch of Velveeta, along with herb butter.
Cost: $46
Supperland
Location: 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte NC, 28205
Put some bling on your brunch or dress up your dinner with a caviar spread. Supperland’s Osetra Caviar can be ordered as an an add-on la carte item during brunch service, at dinner and at the bar. Pick the traditional or classic options, each paired with blinis, creme fraiche, egg salad and chives.
Cost: Brunch buffet is $65/person, plus tax & gratuity, and dinner service is a la carte. Adding on Traditional Osetra Caviar is $89, while the Classic Osetra Caviar is $146.
Now that we’ve told you how to spend big money on dining, it’s all about balance: Check out our guides on cheap eats below:
