Threads-worthy restaurant murals in Charlotte to up your social media game
There are few places in Charlotte where you can drive down a main neighborhood drag without delighting in colorful murals catching your eye — prime spots to stop and take a photo for your next Threads post. In fact, mural artwork is so pervasive in the culture of the city that you’ll find them inside restaurants, too.
Full disclosure: We originally created this list to help you level up your Instagram, but then Threads came along and ... well, here we are in 2023. It’s being called “text-based conversation’ network that takes on Twitter,” but you can do photo galleries on Threads, too — and they look pretty good.
Our suggestion: Check out our list of some of the city’s most Instagrammable spots, then head out for a bite to eat for even more social media fun. (And we’re not even including brewery murals — that’s a whole other story.)
Here are eight restaurants with restaurant murals, perfect for Threads, Instagram, TikTok or any other social media site that is calling your name right now:
Archive
Location: 2023 Beatties Ford Rd Suite D, Charlotte, NC 28216
What to know: The mural at Archive, a West Charlotte coffee shop and bookstore showcasing Black ephemera from the 1930s to present, showcases Black creatives and historical figures. Spot photographer Gordon Parks, poet Nikki Giovanni, singer Prince, writers Audre Lorde and Toni Morrison and many more while you sip on a Foxy Brown coffee drink, made with brown sugar.
Artist: Sade Black
[READ MORE: The Skillet: How Black Cuisine Became America’s Supper]
The Bella Ciao
Location: 201 S Tryon St Suite 101, Charlotte, NC 28202
What to know: The Bella Ciao showcases a long, striking mural along the kitchen, where you can watch the staff prepare your favorite Italian pastas and pizzas. Is he angry? Is he singing? We’re not sure — but he certainly stands out.
Artist: Jeks
Frida’s Mexican Cantina
Location: 8740 Pineville-Matthews Road, Charlotte, NC 28226
What to know: Frida’s Mexican Cantina’s vibe is an homage to Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Along with murals of the artist inside and out, there’s also a few other social media-friendly spots: a throne-style chair highlighted by smaller artworks and the Kahlo quote: “Feet, what do I need you for if I have wings to fly,” and a large neon sign that says, “Let’s Party!” Pro tip: the South Charlotte restaurant’s asado de cerdo is made with a family recipe — and you can taste the difference.
Artist: Jorge Torres
Lula Banh Mi & Bakery
Location: 10400 Centrum Parkway, Suite A, Pineville, NC 28134
What to know: Lula Banh Mi’s bright, cheerful mural shows off the community spirit rising at the Centrum in Pineville, where a new influx of Asian-owned businesses have opened in the past year. When you stop in to pick up a handcrafted banh mi, make sure to check out the macarons and cupcakes in its bakery case, then snap a few photos for your socials.
Artist: Steffi Lynn Tsai
Lulu’s Express Fry House
Location: 2400 Tuckaseegee Road, Charlotte, NC 28208
What to know: When a seafood craving strikes, head to Lulu’s Express Fry House to order a Maryland-style crabcake or a crab and shrimp platter. While you’re waiting for your takeout order, get a few photos up on Instagram.
Artist: Unknown. Staff at the restaurant said the murals were already up when Lulu’s first moved into the Enderly Park building in 2019. (If you’re the artist or know who is, please drop us a note at charlottefive@charlottefive.com.)
The People’s Market
Location: 1609 Elizabeth Ave, Charlotte, NC 28204
What to know: “Star Wars” and “Mandalorian” fans will want to check out the “We the People’ mural tucked near the ordering counter at The People’s Market in Elizabeth. And there’s a bonus mural for “Friends” fans at the market, too: an Elizabeth mural done in the style of the popular 90s-era TV show. Snap pictures with both while you’re waiting on a Tommy Pickles Pizza.
Artist: Mike Wirth
Que Onda Tacos + Tequila
Location: 1518 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
What to know: Que Onda Tacos + Tequila’s newly opened Plaza Midwood location features a mural highlighting traditional Mexican Day of the Dead symbols and living icons such as singers Luis Miguel, Thalia and Alejandro Fernández. You can take photos and explore the culture while you try the restaurant’s ancho short ribs or pork pipan.
Artist: Nicole DeSourdy
Stone Fired Social
Location: 106 N Main St suite b, Belmont, NC 28012
What to know: Stone Fired Social, runner-up for Charlotte Five Readers’ Choice Best Pizza, offers a large mural with a pizza theme, featuring toppings such as mushrooms and pepperonis tucked into an older man’s beard. Count how many of each you find while you sink your teeth into one of its Sicilian-style Grandma pies — and take a few pictures before you go.
Artist: GmbH from 99 Designs
Do you know of an indoor restaurant mural we missed? Let us know at charlottefive@charlottefive.com.
