Fall food guide: 10 desserts, dishes and drinks to try in Charlotte this season

Chyna Blackmon
·4 min read

For some, it’s the most wonderful time of the year in Charlotte: fall. The season of cooler temperatures, cozy clothes and of course — pumpkin spice everything.

Some call the PSL the drink of the season, but several local restaurants and bakeries step up their seasonal menus this time of year, too.

So if you’re looking to really get in the fall spirit by indulging in fall flavors, here’s a list of 10 dishes, desserts and drinks to try at local spots around Charlotte:

Apple dump cake from Salted Melon Market & Eatery

Location: 100 W Worthington Ave Suite 107, Charlotte, NC 28203

Satisfy your sweet tooth this fall with the apple dump cake from Salted Melon Market & Eatery. The newly released dessert is made with several fall flavors, including spiced apple pie filling, yellow cake and pecans topped with vanilla ice cream and mint leaves.

The apple dump cake from Salted Melon Market made with spiced apple pie filling, yellow cake, pecans and ice cream.
The apple dump cake from Salted Melon Market made with spiced apple pie filling, yellow cake, pecans and ice cream.

Autumn gold bowl from Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co.

Location: Multiple

Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co. is bringing back its autumn gold bowl this season. The acai bowl has a base made of pumpkin, banana, almond milk and pumpkin spice, all topped with the shop’s custom house-made granola, banana slices, dates and pumpkin seeds, and drizzled with hazelnut spread and honey.⁠

The autumn gold bowl from Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co.
The autumn gold bowl from Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co.

Butter candle from Billy Sunday

Location: Optimist Hall, 1115 N Brevard St UNIT 1, Charlotte, NC 28206

What better way to warm up this season than over a butter candle? The appetizer is offered year round, but right now you can enjoy an herbed focaccia dipped in a lit sun-dried tomato and garlic butter candle at the cocktail bar.

The butter candle with herbed focaccia from Billy Sunday.
The butter candle with herbed focaccia from Billy Sunday.

French onion bacon melt from Sunflour Baking Company

Location: Multiple

Treat yourself to one of the newest seasonal menu items at Sunflour Baking Company: The French onion bacon melt. The panini is made with caramelized onions, gruyere and provolone cheese, bacon, spinach and herbed garlic butter.

The French onion bacon melt is one of many seasonal sandwiches and desserts now offered at Sunflour Baking Company.
The French onion bacon melt is one of many seasonal sandwiches and desserts now offered at Sunflour Baking Company.

Frozen apple cider from Sugar + Ice

Location: 16940 Birkdale Commons Pkwy Suite B, Huntersville, NC 28078

Craving apple cider? Enjoy it as a slushie from Sugar + Ice. Pair it with the newly released apple pie specialty doughnut and you’ll get $1 off your purchase.

[READ NEXT: 11 places to go apple picking this fall near Charlotte.]

Loaded fries bowl from Que Fresa Taqueria & Bar

Location: 1500 W Morehead St A, Charlotte, NC 28208

Que Fresa just rolled out new comfort foods and fall-flavored cocktails, including the loaded fries bowl. Voted the best taco spot in Charlotte and named one of the best new Latinx-restaurants in the country, the restaurant offers a bowl of french fries topped with steak, chorizo, pico de gallo, queso, poblano crema, a fried egg and pickled chiles.

The loaded fries bowl from Que Fresa Taqueria + Bar topped with steak, chorizo, pico de gallo, queso and more.
The loaded fries bowl from Que Fresa Taqueria + Bar topped with steak, chorizo, pico de gallo, queso and more.

Oatmeal créme pie doughnut from Milkbread

Location: 1431 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205

Location: 624 Jetton St #110, Davidson, NC 28036

Milkbread is always introducing seasonal sweet treats, and this fall you can enjoy the new oatmeal créme pie doughnut. The old-fashioned doughnut is glazed with cream cheese icing and topped with candied oats.

Panthers Tracks ice cream from Two Scoops Creamery

Location: Multiple

Cheer on the Panthers over a scoop of Panthers tracks ice cream from Two Scoops Creamery. The new flavor, which hit the menu just in time for football season, is made with vanilla ice cream, blue sprinkles, mini peanut butter cups and fudge.

Panthers Tracks is one of the newest flavors at Two Scoops Creamery.
Panthers Tracks is one of the newest flavors at Two Scoops Creamery.

Pumpkin cheesecake milkshake from Ninety’s Dessert Bar

Location: 9009 J M Keynes Dr #4, Charlotte, NC 28262

Location: 502 Cherry Rd Suite 105, Rock Hill, SC 29730

If you’ve got a sweet tooth for a pumpkin-flavored dessert, sip on a pumpkin cheesecake milkshake from Ninety’s Dessert Bar. The new seasonal drink is made of pumpkin and vanilla ice cream blended with the shop’s homemade layered pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin cookies and caramel cookies, then topped with caramel drizzle and a mini layered pumpkin cheesecake.

The pumpkin cheesecake milkshake from Ninety’s Dessert Bar made with pumpkin and vanilla ice cream, homemade layered pumpkin cheesecake and more.
The pumpkin cheesecake milkshake from Ninety’s Dessert Bar made with pumpkin and vanilla ice cream, homemade layered pumpkin cheesecake and more.

Spiked pistachio latte from Rosie’s Coffee & Wine Garden

Location: 940 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28206

Want to skip a pumpkin spice latte and try something new? How about a spiked pistachio latte from Rosie’s Coffee & Wine Garden, made with two shots of espresso, pistachio syrup and Maloney’s Irish Cream? Cozy up in the garden and sip on the new latte or one of the other seasonal drinks, such as an apple pie shaken espresso or maple pecan latte.