Charlotte’s Top Spots Go Curbside Amid the Coronavirus epidemic, many restaurants on our “50 Best” list started offering curbside options. As of late March, these spots were doing just that:
Uptown THE ASBURY
235 N. Tryon St. 704-342-1193 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. To-go menu on its site (linked above). Chef Mike Long’s inventive menu mixes countryside favorites like biscuits and deviled eggs with bold flavors and contemporary techniques.
STOKE
100 W. Trade St. 704-353-6005 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. To-go menu on its site (linked above). Hotel dining gets an upgrade with this wood-fired grill, family-style concept in Marriott City Center.
ANGELINE’S
303 S. Church St. 704-445-2540 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Sun-Thur, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Fri, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Currently, they’re offering 20% off on all of these orders.) The Italian-inspired entreés at this uptown spot are all excellent, and the whipped ricotta with sourdough, lavender honey, and pistachio is the most imaginative appetizer on the menu.
South End/Dilworth BARDO
1508 S. Mint St. 980-585-2433 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, Mon-Sat, 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (They’re also offering to-go cocktail kits for $8 that make two cocktails and include instructions.) This foodie destination serves seasonal small plates and creative cocktails. The dining room looks into a big, open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs at work.
COPPER
311 East Blvd. 704-333-0063 OPTIONS: Take out and curbside pickup during regular hours. The restaurant also has free delivery with a minimum order of $40 within a 5-mile radius. Ease into Indian cuisine with standard dishes like chicken tikka masala, or be more adventurous with the seafood medley “anjeeri” and dial up the spice.
300 EAST
300 East Blvd. 704-332-6507 OPTIONS: Curbside pickup, with regular menu options and new family-style options. Owners say hours vary based on demands, but typically, the business is open 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. right now.
The interior of this old house-turned-restaurant is welcoming, as is the menu of familiar and surprising sandwiches, salads, and entrées. Save room for dessert by pastry chef Laney Jahkel-Parrish.
BONTERRA
1829 Cleveland Ave. 704-333-9463 OPTIONS: Takeout, curbside pick-up, and delivery (within 3 miles) are available. Hours are 4 p.m-8 p.m. right now. Its setting may be a historic Southern church, but Bonterra serves up modern Southern flavors with top-notch service. Wine lovers will be impressed by the more than 200 wines by the glass.
FUTO BUTA
222 E. Bland St. 704-376-8400 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pick-up daily until 9 p.m. This ramen house promises authenticity, irreverence, and delightful, salty bowls of the hot noodle soup.
NoDa/North of Charlotte HABERDISH
3106 N. Davidson St. 704-817-1084 OPTIONS: Order online and pick up to-go orders on the patio or curbside 4-8 p.m. Southern appetizers, fried chicken, and apothecary cocktails from Colleen Hughes draw a hip crowd to this mill town southern kitchen.
KINDRED
Plaza Midwood/Elizabeth MIDWOOD SMOKEHOUSE
1401 Central Ave. 704-295-4227 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up for online orders. (Service temporarily discontinued at Cross Hill and Birkdale locations) With North Carolina pulled pork, beef brisket, smoked chicken, and dry or sauced ribs, there’s a ’cue for everyone—and traditional sides to pair. The restaurant has a number of Charlotte locations including Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center, but the Plaza Midwood spot is its flagship post.
SOUL GASTROLOUNGE
1500 Central Ave. 704-348-1848 OPTIONS: Takeout or curbside pickup 5-10 p.m. daily, or limited delivery to 28202, 28203, 28204 and 28205 zip codes. Expect to wait a while at this no-reservations spot, known for small plates like pork belly tacos with compressed watermelon, and a rotating list of craft cocktails.
SWEET LEW’S BBQ
923 Belmont Ave. 980-224-7584 OPTIONS: Limited menu items available for curbside pick-up at Dish, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Demand for Lewis Donald’s barbecue hasn’t wavered since the “shack” opened last year; it’s not uncommon for Sweet Lew’s to sell out of its brisket and chopped pork shoulder.
PIZZERIA OMAGGIO
131 N. Main St. 980-231-5000 OPTIONS: Curbside pick-up or delivery. (The $5 delivery fee and any gratuity goes to the hourly team whose income has been eliminated.) Every meal at the Davidson restaurant starts the same way: with cloud-like milk bread, an appetizer with such a following, Kindred made T-shirts. The subsequent dishes are just as beautiful, and they’ve earned chef and co-owner Joe Kindred a James Beard nod for the past four years.
1055 Metropolitan Ave., Ste. 130 704-370-0777 OPTIONS: Takeout and curbside pick-up until 9 p.m. Among a sea of by-the-slice joints, owner Daniel Siragusa sticks by his Italian roots with personal pizzas. Some think they can’t possibly eat the whole pie, but they do. And then they order dessert.
HELLO, SAILOR
6601 Morrison Blvd. 704-366-8688 OPTIONS: Orders can be placed online from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Guests can park in one of the designated Rooster’s To-Go parking spaces outside of the restaurant and pick up at the hostess stand. Chef Jim Noble’s menu features gussied-up, Southern-tinged American and European peasant fare, like hand-tossed pizzas and roasted chicken. A second location is in uptown.
20210 Henderson Rd. 704-997-5365 OPTIONS: Hello, Sailor has closed and shifted to curbside pick-up and delivery services at Kindred restaurant. Davidson’s sweethearts, Joe and Katy Kindred, opened this lakefront spot. Expect Carolina classics like fried catfish and seafood platters, as well as tiki drinks.
South Charlotte ROOSTER’S WOOD-FIRED KITCHEN
MAY 2020 // CHARLOTTE
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