Queen City Favorites

When we first moved to Charlotte, sometimes I felt like there wasn't much going on. It always takes a little while to find your favorite places and feel like you know your way around, which is why two years later I'm finally putting this post together. I figure there's no time like the present, even if movers are coming to pack us up today as we get ready to move across the country!

The truth is that there is a ton of great food, coffee, cocktails, and craft beer in Charlotte. After twenty-five months I've narrowed down a not-so-short list of my favorites, which will make it clear why I'm leaving the Queen City at least ten pounds heavier than when I arrived.

Coffee:

Not Just Coffee (7th Street Public Market and Atherton are my favorite locations)
Hex Coffee
Smelly Cat (for the cortaditos)

Food and Drink:

Kindred (in Davidson but worth the drive)
Sabor Latin Street Grill ($1 tacos on Tuesday and the greatest nachos ever)
Zen Fusion (for tapas happy hour Friday and Saturday)
Customshop (everything is good)
Bakersfield (get the cheese dip)
Fahrenheit (the food is okay and the drinks are expensive but the view is great)
Basil Thai Cuisine (they have this seafood soup that is absolutely amazing)
Soul Gastrolounge (go early or you're going to wait 2 hours for a table)
Lang Van (awesome hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese place)
Bad Daddy's (great burgers) and/or JJ's Red Hots (great hot dogs)
Sea Level (best oysters I've had in a long time and a fabulous cocktail list--the corn fritters are amazing too)

Things to Do:

Take a SkillPop class
Walk along the Rail Trail
#instabeerupclt (last Thursday of each month, search the hashtag on FB or Instagram)
Bring a picnic to Romare Bearden Park
Hang out at a brewery (see favorites below)
Food Truck Friday (bring a lawn chair and a little patience)
Visit Paper Skyscraper and try not to buy everything
Hike to the top of Crowder's Mountain

Breweries: