These are the hottest new restaurants in Charlotte that opened in 2021
Dozens of new restaurants open in Charlotte each year, some with more buzz than others. But 2021 brought a wide variety of flavors and influences to the table.
Restaurants with Latin American cuisine, Asian food and upscale American dishes joined new coffee shops, bakeries and craft beer breweries. There are vegan options, charcuterie and global cuisine — something for every taste.
These are some of the Charlotte restaurants, breweries and other food and drink spots that opened in 2021 that we found most exciting:
Babe & Butcher
Location: 301 Camp Road, Charlotte, NC 28206
Neighborhood: Druid Hills South
Cuisine: Charcuterie
Customers can build their own boards and to-go boxes by selecting from a display case filled with fruit, veggies, locally-sourced meats and cheeses along, with tasty treats including cookies, meringues and chocolates. Online ordering is also available.
The Batch House
Location: 901 Berryhill Road, Charlotte, NC
Neighborhood: Station West Charlotte/FreeMore West
Cuisine: dessert
After a devastating flash flood, Cris Rojas Agurcia, aka the Batchmaker, opened back up in a new location to fanfare that included an appearance on Good Morning America. The bakery sells cakes, cheesecakes, bars and cookies by the batch that can be ordered online or in person.
Bird Pizzeria
Location: 510 E. 15th St., Charlotte, North Carolina, 28206
Neighborhood: Optimist Park
Cuisine: pizza
Instagram: @birdpizzeria
The restaurant opening just before the end of the year will offer window pick-up service and outdoor patio seating. Diners can choose to order ahead or walk up, with a choice between three pies and a kale Caesar salad to start with. More salad and pies options will soon follow.
Bitty & Beau’s
Location: 1930 Camden Road, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Cuisine: Coffee
Instagram: @bittyandbeauscoffee
The mission at Wilmington-based Bitty & Beau’s Coffee is to promote the value, inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Go for the coffee and stay for the good vibes.
Bocado
Location: 2000 South Blvd., Suite 530, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Cuisine: New Southern American
Atlanta-based Bocado is known for its burgers. But don’t sleep on the new brunch options, including the Milky French Toast with maple syrup and a choice of smoked bacon or breakfast sausage, or the Sizzle Platter, with local sunny side up eggs, smoked bacon and smashed potatoes.
Calle Sol Latin Cafe and Cevicheria
Location: 1205 Thomas Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Commonwealth
Cuisine: Latin American
Restaurateur Frank Scibelli opened the Latin cafe with the help of Bruce Moffett, who closed NC Red because of COVID-19 challenges. With Latin American chefs at the helm, it specializes in Cuban and Peruvian food, including ceviche.
Capicúa
Location: 140 Regency Center Drive, Mooresville
Neighborhood: Mooresville
Cuisine: Latin American
Capicúa, named after a wining Dominoes move, showcases influences from Dominican, Ecuadorian, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican and Spanish kitchens. Owners Jennifer Alcantara, Edwin Mejia and Jacob Pacheco are from the Dominican Republic and wanted to bring their culture to the area.
Chef’s Kitchen
Location: 11025 Carolina Pl Pkwy, Pineville, NC 28134
Neighborhood: Pineville
Cuisine: American, Italian and Southern
Chef’s Kitchen brings upscale dining to Carolina Place Mall with a menu by chefs and co-owners Anthony Smith and Taylor Bishop that highlights seafood with dishes like Salmon New Orleans, Seafood Creole and Buffalo Shrimp Penne.
Cloud
Location: 1510 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
This high-end late night lounge offers indoor and outdoor seating with bar food and craft cocktails designed to stand out — its signature dish is a 24-karat gold leaf lemon pepper chicken wing, and its featured drink is the Cloud Millionaire, a unique combination of brown liquors from whiskeys to cognacs.
Dilworth Tasting Room
Location: 4905 Ashley Park Ln., Suite J, Charlotte, NC 28210
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Cuisine: American, Italian
Dilworth Tasting Room opened its second neighborhood spot in the former Corkbuzz location in the Sharon Square development with a wine list topping 400 options. The new location comes along with a fresh lunch menu and additional entree options at dinner.
The Eagle Food & Beer Hall
Location: 2120 South Blvd., Suite 1, Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Cuisine: American
This Cincinnati-based spot at Atherton offers American fare, 100+ beers and blues music. For parties of six or more, you can order The Eagle Family Meal with a family-style selection of salad, sides and its award-winning fried chicken.
El Puro Cuban Restaurant
Location: 5033 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217
Neighborhood: Madison Park
Cuisine: Cuban
El Puro is a dream-turned-reality for Manny Perez, his mom and sister, who are serving up traditional favorites such as masitas de la loma, ropa vieja and tamal en cazuela. Live music and a colorful, welcoming space aim to transport guests to pre-revolutionary Cuba.
Emmy Squared
Location: 1508 Central Ave., Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Location: 1932 Hawkins St., Charlotte, NC 28203 (Opening in October)
Neighborhood: South End
Cuisine: Italian, American
Don’t let the name fool you. The restaurant known for its blend of New York- and Detroit-style pizza also has burgers and other sandwiches. You can even make it at home.
Exposed Vegan
Location: 1540 West Blvd., Suite 102
Neighborhood: Revolution Park/West Charlotte
Cuisine: Vegan
Triathelete owner Zsa-Zsa Porter kicked off 2021 by opening the plant-based restaurant selling juices, bowls and cookies to go. She also started the Exposed Vegan 5K to promote wellness.
Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop
Location: 2410 Park Rd., Charlotte, NC 28203
Neighborhood: Dilworth
Cuisine: American
Charlotte restaurateur Fran Scibelli closed Fran’s Filling Station and has reopened it as Fat Cat Burgers + Bakeshop. Visit the walk-up window for fresh doughnuts, or stop inside for the familiar bacon-wrapped tater tots and the house signature burger, the Fat Franny — it unforgettably matches two maple bacon donuts with your choice of beef burger or fried chicken with pepper jack cheese, crispy onion strings and a drizzle of spicy honey.
Golden Owl Tavern
Location: 9041 Robert D Snyder Road, Charlotte, NC 28262
Neighborhood: University City South
Cuisine: Southern, American
Find Southern-inspired classics Inside the UNC Charlotte Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, right off the LYNX Blue Line. It’s a spot where you can come casual, but you also won’t be out of place dressing up for a special occasion. And — importantly — there’s brunch.
The Hangar
Location: inside Devil’s Logic Brewing at 1426 E. Fourth St., Charlotte, NC 28204
Neighborhood: Cherry/Elizabeth
Cuisine: American
The Hangar — a concept from the owners of Paper Plane — opened inside of Devil’s Logic Brewing with a revamped menu of favorite items from the market, along with new snacks and sandwiches made to pair well with the brewery’s craft beers.
HideAway
Location: 2710 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte, NC 28208
Neighborhood: Smallwood/Seversville
Cuisine: American
Jay Davis, the co-owner of Lulu’s Maryland Style Chicken and Seafood, opened his newest venture, Hideaway Bar & Lounge, as a space where adults can sit back and relax.
Hoptown Brewing Co.
Location: 107 Plantation Ridge Dr., Mooresville, NC 28117
Neighborhood: Mooresville
Cuisine: American bar food, food trucks
Homebrewer Scott Plemmons and his wife, Sandy, said the new Hoptown Brewing Co. will be the first of at least three locations in areas that aren’t as brewery-dense as Charlotte. Look for classic styles of beer and a few IPAs to choose from.
JINYA Ramen Bar
Location: 601 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Cuisine: Japanese
Find traditional Japanese ramen and small plates with catchy names like Slurp Up, Cilantro and The Red Garnet. Vegan options are available, too.
La Belle Helene
Location: 300 S. Tryon St., Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Cuisine: French
5th Street Group chef, partner and Top Chef alumnus Jamie Lynch helped bring the French brasserie back to life after it closed during COVID-19. Now, you’ll find classic French cuisine with a twist.
Mariposa
Location: 500 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Cuisine: global
Mother Earth Group founder Jill Marcus, along with the Mariposa team, created a menu based around Marcus’ travels around the globe. The restaurant will feature shareable dishes in a modern space.
Mizu
Location: Inside Hyatt Centric SouthPark Charlotte, 3100 Apex Drive, Charlotte, NC 28211
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Cuisine: Japanese
Inspired by the wood-fired Robata grills of Japan, the seafood-forward menu infuses Southern influences with Asian flavors and traditions. There’s a chilled and raw section of the menu, as well.
Night Swim Coffee
Location: 1620 Oakhurst Commons Dr #306, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Oakhurst/near MoRA
Cuisine: Coffee, American
Not Just Coffee and Undercurrent Coffee teamed up to create Night Swim Coffee, making caffeinated dreams come true. Look for seasonal coffee drinks, sandwiches and pastries.
OMG Donuts
Location: 6209 Old Post Rd Suite 108, Charlotte, NC 28212
Neighborhood: MoRA
Cuisine: Doughnuts
You may have noticed that doughnuts are a thing for the CharlotteFive staff. So we simply must note the new location of Concord-based OMG Donuts. The shop right next to Edge City Brewery in MoRA features California-style yeast doughnuts and apple fritters., along with a coffee program.
Romeo’s Vegan Burgers
Location: 5518 South Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28217
Neighborhood: Closeburn-Glenkirk/South Charlotte
Cuisine: Vegan burgers
As a food truck Romeo’s quickly gained popularity as vegans and non-vegans stood in line for hours, waiting for plant-based burgers, chili cheese fries and vegan shakes. Now, it’s gone brick-and-mortar, with a soon-to-be open drive-thru .
Supperland
Location: 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Cuisine: Southern, American
This attention-grabbing concept from Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel puts cocktails and Southern steakhouse staples into a beautifully renovated Plaza Midwood church. Main courses are cooked on a 14-foot fire grill and inside a fire brick oven.
Vaulted Oak Brewing
Location: 3726 Monroe Road
Neighborhood:
Menu: Food trucks
Cuisine: Craft beer
Vaulted Oak is a brewery inside an old bank that incorporates Of course, the vault door, pneumatic tubes and bank teller window in the design. Craft beer enthusiasts will find a variety of small-batch styles, plus kombucha and cider, wine and housemade non-alcoholic beverages.
What The Fries
Location: 10707 Park Road, Suite F, Charlotte, NC 28210
Neighborhood: South Charlotte
Cuisine: American
Chefs Jamie Barnes and Greg Williams took their popular food truck concept brick-and-mortar, expanding their offerings of loaded fries with wings, soups and other new menu items. We’re here for all of it.
