Highest-rated restaurants in Charlotte by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans said they rarely, if ever, try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, and 5% say they never do, according to a survey of more than 2,600 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—56% of Gen Zers and 47% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on online reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google or from social media. The TouchBistro survey found that 71% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials have opted to try a new restaurant solely because of favorable reviews online.
Some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established spots that customers have been visiting for decades, but some may be brand new. More than 10,000 new restaurants opened in 2023, up 5.7% from 2022, according to a report from BentoBox. The states that saw the most new restaurants open up in 2023 were Florida, Texas, California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania, but new locales are popping up all over the U.S.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Charlotte, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2024. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
Note: The photos in this article are stock images and do not necessarily reflect each restaurant listed.
#27. Arbol Eatery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (24 reviews)
- Address: 227 West Trade St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Salud Beer Shop
- Rating: 5.0/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3306-B North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Beer, Wine & Spirits, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Chicken Salad Chick
- Rating: 5.0/5 (39 reviews)
- Address: 2114 Freeman Park Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Salad, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (246 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3007 Central Ave. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Curry Gate - South Blvd
- Rating: 5.0/5 (76 reviews)
- Address: 5516 South Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian, Himalayan/Nepalese
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Little Village Grill
- Rating: 5.0/5 (25 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 901 East 4th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Greek, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Geno D's Pizza
- Rating: 5.0/5 (188 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 224 East 7th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Ohana Poke
- Rating: 5.0/5 (45 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 320 South Tryon St. Ste 114 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Hawaiian, Poke
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Sanctuary Bistro
- Rating: 5.0/5 (113 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6414 Rea Road Ste C2 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Breakfast & Brunch, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Mac Tabby Cat Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3204 North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle
- Rating: 5.0/5 (57 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3429 Toringdon Way Ste 104 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Noodles
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Stacey's Deli & Catering
- Rating: 5.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Address: 10720 South Tryon St. Ste O Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches, Wraps
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Pupusa 503
- Rating: 5.0/5 (64 reviews)
- Address: 850 Chancellor Park Drive Ste C Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Enat Ethiopian Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4450 The Plz Ste D Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian, Vegetarian, Vegan
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Vicente Bakery & Bistro
- Rating: 5.0/5 (47 reviews)
- Address: 2520 South Blvd. Ste 108-B Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Sweet Crunch Waffles
- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Address: 224 East 7th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Waffles, Desserts, Chocolatiers & Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#11. The Tasty Bowl Subs N Such
- Rating: 5.0/5 (176 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2900 Westinghouse Blvd. Ste 116 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Indian, Mexican, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Koibito Poke - Charlotte
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 4701 Park Road Ste B Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Poke, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Pasta & Provisions
- Rating: 5.0/5 (40 reviews)
- Address: 1600 South Mint St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Pasta Shops
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Brazilian Eats & Treats
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Address: 16049 Johnston Road Ste K Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Bakeries, Brazilian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Urban Sweets
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 222 West Blvd. Ste S114 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt, Macarons, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Enat Ethiopian Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (49 reviews)
- Address: 1115 North Brevard St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian, Vegan, African
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Nile Ethiopian Restaurant & Grocery
- Rating: 5.0/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3113 North Sharon Amity Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Ethiopian, Grocery
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Mama Gee's Takeout Restaurant
- Rating: 5.0/5 (31 reviews)
- Address: 509 Beatties Ford Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: African
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Chili Man
- Rating: 5.0/5 (183 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Street Vendors
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Anju
- Rating: 5.0/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 1600 East Woodlawn Road Ste 260 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Korean, Beer Bar, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Archive
- Rating: 5.0/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2023 Beatties Ford Road Ste D Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 331 metros.