Experience Charlotte
Photography courtesy of Toast Cafe
Toast Café is
the tasty creation of self-proclaimed “breakfast aficionados” and longtime friends Brian Burchill and Robert Maynard who put their affinity for all manners of French toast, flapjacks, and eggs Florentine to good use, whipping up their own version of the most important meal of the day. Launched in a small house-turned-eatery in Huntersville in 2006, the café specializes in the most delicious versions of breakfast favorites, made from scratch with a creative twist while highlighting local, organic ingredients. Going beyond the griddle with lunch and dinner fare, the Toast Café serves up plenty of charm and fun throughout the day. The concept is also in Davidson, Dilworth, and Ballantyne, and a host of new locations each promise to deliver one-of-a-kind personality with the same level of great tastes. Now that’s a reason to raise a toast—and never skip breakfast again.
Photography courtesy of The Wooden Vine Wine Bar & Bistro
The Wooden Vine Wine Bar & Bistro is reminiscent of a neighborhood pub, but with a loungetype flair. True to its name, there is a lot of wood— including striking bamboo floors!—and both the décor and menu emphasize wine. With a great location, it is one block from Spirit Square and two blocks from Belk Theater, but still far enough to be a comfortable respite from the wilder scene of the EpiCentre. Wine is truly the focus, with the restaurant named as having the “Best Wine List in Charlotte” for the past two years. Sommelier Andrew Lundquist carefully hand-selects fabulous wines that pair perfectly with chef Nicholas Tarnate’s delicious new seasonal menu and excellent desserts, with all of the food made from scratch using local and natural ingredients.
Photography courtesy of Petit Phillipe
Petit Philippe
and its in-house Twenty Degrees Chocolates shop are the very examples of passion bottled and sold; the wine and chocolate studio and tasting room is the brainchild of husband-and-wife duo Mark Meissner and Casey Hickey, who opened the location in December 2010. In fact, the idea for the rustic-elegant, Europeaninspired specialty store was wrapped into the couple’s romantic engagement story in Strassbourg, France—they spoke of it mere hours before Mark proposed to Casey, who had just graduated from Le Cordon Bleu Paris. Now they share their love through life’s little indulgences, with a carefully curated wine list and Casey’s handcrafted confections, including more than 35 flavors of truffles and her wildly popular caramels. Even the name of the shop packs its own meaningful story: While in France, the couple befriended Philippe Abraham, a deeply influential person they call “curious, engaging, interested, funny, worldly, and warm”—the exact qualities they wish to express through Petit Philippe.
Photography courtesy of The Westin Charlotte
The Westin Charlotte
hotel is a beacon of Southern hospitality and cosmopolitan character in the heart of the city’s Uptown cultural and entertainment district, mere steps from the expansive EpiCentre’s shopping, dining, and nightlife, as well as the NASCAR® Hall of Fame, Bank of America Stadium, and Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. The property is quite the Queen City attraction of its own, with sophisticated surroundings and 700 well-appointed guest rooms featuring unparalleled views of the city, along with more than 44,000 square feet of meeting space. Inside the Westin’s walls find an award-winning restaurant, two distinct bars with yearly events and specials, and a beautiful outdoor terrace, perfect for socializing with friends or dining with a loved one under the stars. With the LYNX Light Rail making a stop directly at the building, the Westin delivers convenience, comfort, and charm.