A melting pot of delicious dishes and southern hospitality fit for the Queen City
Gastro Obscura’s Guide to Eating Your Way Through Charlotte

For owner Dan Nguyen, Lang Van isn’t just about her homeland’s cuisine - it’s about making everyone feel like family when they’re in her restaurant. After a tough childhood in Saigon, Dan and her husband moved to America, where she worked long hours for years before she had the opportunity to purchase the Vietnamese restaurant. Nguyen always greets guests with “Hello, love!” and has regular patrons’ orders memorized. Those who frequent the East Charlotte eatery end up knowing the staff by name. 

Lang Van menu standouts include customizable rainbow spring rolls and Banh xeo, a savory yellow pancake stuffed with shrimp, beef, and bean sprouts. But sometimes not knowing what you want to eat is best. If you look lost searching the menu, Nyguen will ask what you’re in the mood for, then bring you a dish that’s exactly what you didn’t know you needed.

For a true taste of Charlotte, there’s no better place than Mert’s Heart and Soul. The restaurant is almost entirely hidden between rows of skyscrapers in the city center, but once inside, you’ll find the space filled with vibrant history. Each wall displays stories of notable patrons and memories collected by staff since the restaurant’s opening in 1998. This atmosphere pairs perfectly with the menu – it feels like the low-country specials have been handed down for generations.

The owner James Bazzelle has always loved cooking, and he went from catering to owning a restaurant in the 90’s. The made-from-scratch southern fare is a nod to the food Bazzelle ate growing up, and although the menu isn’t huge, he has spent years refining it. Dine on delectable shrimp with seasoned rice or low-country combo with beef rib and a chicken leg. 

Whether you stop by for a quick lunch or stay for dinner and drinks, you will surely be greeted with friendly (and delicious) southern hospitality at Mert’s.

Fin & Fino’s creator Jon Dressler knew he had something special when the restaurant opened in 2017. As a “social seafood house,” patrons are encouraged to come in large groups and order The Treatment, where your server and the chef choose a medley of dishes such as tuna and salmon poke, furikake fries, and oysters from different regions of the country. “You can end up sharing 15 plates if you come with a group of six or larger,” Dressler said. “It’s really the best way to experience the menu.” 

Fin & Fino doesn’t just serve great seafood; it’s also known for its cocktail menu. Brittany “BK” Kellum, recognized as best bartender in Charlotte by the Unpretentious Palate, and her team whip up custom cocktails. Part of their drink menu, The Library of Magic, offers the option to “browse by vibe, not by ingredients,” for those who just can’t put their finger on what they want.

Nestled between 19th century Victorian homes in the historic Fourth Ward neighborhood sits Alexander Michael’s. The restaurant, housed in a carefully renovated building that first opened in 1897 as a general store, blends elements of old Charlotte with the style of an old English pub. Steve Casner was general manager when the restaurant opened in 1983, just as the neighborhood was being brought back to its former glory. He took over ownership in 2005. “It’s the only part of Charlotte they haven’t torn down,” Casner said.

And at this tavern, you won’t find any gimmicks – what you see is what you get. So much so that Casner decided to call one of his menu items What It Is — blackened chicken over rotini with a cajun sauce — because he realized he didn’t need to name the dish anything special. Other standout dishes include the Honey Chicken Pasta and the Fourth Ward Stroganoff. “There’s just something about this place that has a comfort feeling. I think it’s the whole package,” Casner said. 

The staff love being a part of this restaurant too, with the average employee working there for 8 to 10 years. “Everyone does their job and we treat people like we want to be treated, and that seems to work for us,” Casner said. 

Greg and Sara Zanitsch seized the opportunity when a 1912 Craftsman bungalow in Charlotte's historic Elizabeth neighborhood went up for sale in 2004. Within a week of it being listed, they purchased what would soon become The Fig Tree and began a year-long renovation, which included preserving the fine woodworking inside.

The fine dining restaurant quickly became a go-to spot for romantic occasions. “We’ve been recognized for 19 years as being a great place for dates, anniversaries, and a lot of proposals,” Greg Zanitsch said.

The Fig Tree’s menu features elements of French and Italian influences along with American cuisine and fresh seafood — all crafted with the best ingredients. Elk chop is one of the most popular dishes, which includes a horseradish spätzle and boursin-dijon sauce. And with over 1000 different labels to choose from, you’ll find the perfect wine to pair with your dish. 

“We just take really high-quality ingredients and prepare them classically, and I think that fits this old historic [home],” Zanitsch said. 

Located in the center of NoDa, a Charlotte neighborhood known for its arts and culture scene, Ever Andalo gives guests a taste of authentic, old-world Italian cuisine. Owners Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown spent six weeks tracing back the origin and family ties of his surname Tonidandel. He found not only relatives in Italy, but cuisine that had been made for generations.

Dishes include fresh local items along with true Italian ingredients, adding authenticity to the meticulously edited menu. You can get a medley of olive oil sourced from different regions in Italy with a loaf of focaccia. A big part of this sourcing philosophy is bringing in DOP products from Italy. DOP stands for Denominazione d’Origine Protetta, which translates to Protected Designation of Origin. This classification protects against counterfeit items such as olive oil, flour, and wine from being sold as true Italian ingredients.

What if you could go to the place where the American craft beer craze started in 1546 and buy a flight of bratwursts while you’re there? Enter Gilde Brewery. 

They offer a wide variety of draught beers while maintaining the centuries old German purity law that only allows four ingredients in the beer making process. Other breweries in the area also make traditional German beer, but Gilde’s menu of authentic German cuisine mixed with Southern comfort food favorites makes it a standout option. 

From a northern German knackwurst to a Bavarian bratwurst, the brewery offers an array of Deutschland’s most recognized foods. If you’re feeling fancy, go all-out with the wurst flight and try them all. For more traditional options, don’t miss the Spaetzle (an egg noodle dish) with Swiss gruyere cheese and onions, or the Bretzle and Obatzda with the mustard trio dip for a true taste of German pub fare. 

Following the success of their fast-casual Peruvian hotspot, Viva Chicken, Randy Garcia and Bruno Macchiavello delved deeper into their cultural heritage to introduce something fresh to the Queen City. “Pollo de brasa and ceviche are common in Lima, Peru – so we wanted to bring those flavors to Charlotte,” Macchiavello said, adding that exacting the authentic flavors from home took time to get right.

Yunta also serves Nikkei cuisine, which blends Japanese dishes with Peruvian flavors. Nikkei originated in Lima after Japanese immigrants settled in the area and began combining the best of both countries to create this unique fusion. Think of the freshness of nigiri or Maki with a kick of aji amarillo cream.

The word yunta means “friend” in Quechua, the ancient language of the Inca Empire of Peru. Garcia and Macchiavello have infused friendliness throughout the menu, atmosphere, decor, and entire dining experience. “Yunta is an everyday word in Peru for ‘my best friend,’” Macchiavello said. “We wanted to bring part of Lima here, so that when you come in, you feel like a yunta.”