Charlotte may not receive as much attention for its dining scene as U.S. cities like Houston, New York and Washington, DC, which boast top-notch restaurants owned by celebrity chefs. But the Queen City, as residents affectionately call Charlotte, has some culinary gems worthy of their own spotlight. These new restaurants are slowly helping make Charlotte an exciting food city.
Fahrenheit – Charlotte
222 South Caldwell Street, Charlotte, NC
[Website]
Floor 21. After 11 successful years with Fahrenheit – Cleveland, restaurateur Rocco Whalen (@Rock1chef) chose to install his second location on the top floor of a 21-story, mixed-use building in uptown Charlotte. You may have seen Chef Rocco, a Wolfgang Puck protégé, when he appeared on The Food Network’s (@FoodNetwork) TV Show Fat Chef.
Whalen’s 8,600-square-foot space opens up to an astonishing roof area where contemporary fire pits draw diners out to enjoy the wrap-around patio. Allow yourself plenty of time before (or after) dinner to enjoy the panoramic city view.
Above photos credited to Fahrenheit Charlotte
The exciting atmosphere is not the only aspect to delight. The food, described as contemporary American with Mediterranean and Asian accents, is good. I mean really, good!
Noteworthy Noms: Chorizo Stuffed Dates, wrapped in bacon, served with tomato aioli; Grilled & Glazed Wild Caught Salmon, served with wasabi mashed potatoes.
littleSpoon Eatery
2820 Selwyn Ave, Suite 180, Charlotte, NC
[Website]
littleSpoon is a standout restaurant concept. The eatery focuses only on the most essential meals of the day: breakfast, lunch, and – America’s favorite – brunch. Today’s soundtrack is Biggie Smalls, as in: “Born sinner, the opposite of a winner / Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner.”
Distinctly different without trying too hard, littleSpoon manages to keep things exciting by offering a continually changing menu that highlights locally grown ingredients.
Noteworthy Noms: The ChickenBiscuit and Hapa custom-crafted cocktail.
Above photos credited to littleSpoon Eatery
