JULY 2019 // CHARLOTTE 103
seasonally inspired dishes from North Carolina chef
William Dissen. 225 S. Poplar St. (704-626-6116)
$$$
âTHE KING’S KITCHEN
SOUTHERN
Chef Jim Noble's restaurant, which serves traditional
Southern fare, donates prots to faith-based feeding
centers and employs troubled youth and people who
have just come out of rehab or prison. 129 W. Trade St.
(704-375-1990) (weekdays) $$$^
LA BELLE HELENE
FRENCH
The Parisian menu oers rotisserie chicken and a mix
of pour commencer and plats, as well as decadent des-
serts and specialty cocktails. 300 S. Tryon St., Ste. 100.
(704-969-2550) (Sun) $$$ - $$$$
âLOFT CELLAR
GLOBAL
Executive chef Greg Collier specializes in imaginative
plates that change seasonally. Come for an evening of
cocktails and music, and treat yourself to some fried
dyed chicken skins. 305 W. 4th St. (704-817-9057)
$$$
LUCE
ITALIAN
Luce is a beautiful, intimate, luxurious restaurant with
simple but innovative northern Italian cuisine. 214
N. Tryon St., Ste. J, in Hearst Plaza. (704-344-9222)
(weekdays) $$$
MALABAR SPANISH CUISINE
SPANISH
This sister restaurant to Luce serves authentic regional
cuisine from Spain (plus a few Latin American favor-
ites) for lunch and dinner. 214 N. Tryon St. (704-344-
8878) (weekdays) $$^
MCNINCH HOUSE
NEW SOUTHERN
Guests order from a daily prix xe menu (ranging from
ve courses to nine courses), choose their wine and
entrées, and the sta takes care of the rest. 511 N.
Church St. (704-332-6159) $$$$MERT’S HEART AND SOUL
SOUTHERN
James Bazzelle’s pride and joy features down-home
Southern cooking, with a dash of Lowcountry, in a
downtown-feeling place. 214 N. College St. (704-342-
4222) $MIMOSA GRILL
NEW SOUTHERN
This popular aer-work spot has a menu that changes
seasonally, but always has friendly service, tasty sea-
food dishes, and interesting grits. 327 S. Tryon St. (704-
343-0700) (weekdays) $$$^MURPHY’S KITCHEN TAP
IRISH
Pies, tarts, meats, potatoes—everything you’d expect,
you’ll nd at this Irish pub with a large range of alcohol-
ic beverage options. 445 W. Trade St. (704-332-0557)
$$^QUEEN CITY Q
BARBECUE
Here, the barbecue slow cooks every day in wood-
red smokers and comes served with classic sides like
peppery green bean casserole and slaw. 225 E. 6th St.,
Ste. A. (980-272-6341) $âSEA LEVEL
SEAFOOD
Concrete beams and rustic brick give an industrial feel
to this seafood restaurant, which serves up dishes that
are accessible, inventive, and sustainably sourced. 129
E. 5th St. (704-412-2616) $$$^SOHO BISTRO
ASIAN
Lightning-fast, friendly service complements hot, sa-
vory Chinese favorites such as Sha Cha Shrimp and
Mongolian Chicken. 214 N. Tryon St., Ste. 110. (704-
333-5189) $$SOPHIA’S LOUNGE
NEW AMERICAN
Attached to The Ivey’s Hotel and run by the same team
behind 5Church, this moody cocktail lounge serves
small plates and drinks in a regal setting. 127 N. Tryon St.,
Ste. D. Enter on 5th St. (980-260-3227) âSTOKE
NEW AMERICAN
Former Asbury chef Chris Coleman looks to reinvent
hotel dining with this wood-red grill, family-style con-
cept in the Marriott City Center. 100 W. Trade St. (704-
353-6005) $$$âSUKOSHI
SUSHI
Think high-quality sushi in a fast-casual setting. Execu-
tive Chef Michael Chanthavong brings favorites from
his menu at O-Ku, like the tuna wrap-it-up roll and thesalmon citrus roll. 101 S. Tryon St., Ste. 120. (980-495-
3800) NEW LISTING
âTHE YOLK
AMERICAN
Greg and Subrina Collier's breakfast-focused concept,
located in the 7th Street Public Market, is open for
breakfast and lunch, but the shrimp and grits topped
with Gouda cheese, jerk seasoning, and scallion pesto
is a good choice any time of day. 224 E. 7th St. (980-
495-3800) -West/Northwest Charlotte
âCOMMUNITY TABLE BISTRO
SOUTHERN
At the Goodwill Opportunity Campus, a small, cafe-
teria-style restaurant sears, bakes, and fries comfort
food on a daily rotation for an aordable price. 5301
Wilkinson Blvd. (980-636-1000) $ESTIA'S KOUZINA
GREEK
This upscale Mediterranean restaurant oers healthy
and delicious dishes like gyro pitas, lamb burgers, and
hearty salads. 609 N. Main St., Belmont. (704-825-
7005) -âHEIRLOOM RESTAURANT
NEW AMERICAN
Chef/owner Clark Barlowe's menu is sourced almost
exclusively from North Carolina, and his tasting menu
includes à la carte options like fried chicken and pork
and beans. 8470 Bellhaven Rd. (704-595-7710)
-PINKY’S WESTSIDE GRILL
AMERICAN
Housed in an old auto shop, this funky spot serves
great burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, and salads, as
well as tasty sides like wa ̈e fries. 1600 W. Morehead
St. (704-332-0402) $RHINO MARKET DELI
AMERICAN
Stop into this casual food store for a breakfast burrito,
lunchtime soup and salad, or a sandwich while on
the run. It also sells cold beer and local snacks, such
as Queen Charlotte’s Pimento Cheese. 1500 W. More-
head St., Ste. E. (704-375-2036) $TOUCAN LOUIE'S
CARIBBEAN
With state-sourced meats smoked in-house and strict-
ly NC cheese, this new cafe's commitment to local
ingredients is notable, but it's their food's Caribbean
ªair that elevates their grab-and-go sandwiches. 2753
Rozzelles Ferry Rd. (980-209-9791) $$ Most entrées under $10
$$ Most entrées $10-$17
$$$ Most entrées $18-$25
$$$$ Most entrées $26 & up
â Editors' Picks
Breakfast
Weekend brunch
Lunch
Dinner
Vegetarian friendly
Beer and wine only
Full-service bar
Patio seating available
Reservations suggested