Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Charlotte area by diners
Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Charlotte area by diners
Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Charlotte area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#27. North Italia
- Rating: 4.2/5 (804 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1414 South Tryon St. Ste 140 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Pizza, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Rosemont
- Rating: 4.3/5 (107 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1942 East 7th St. Ste 101-H Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Delis, Coffee & Tea, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Indaco
- Rating: 4.3/5 (329 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2046 South Blvd. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. AQUA e VINO
- Rating: 4.3/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4219 Providence Road Ste 3 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#23. The Southern Pecan
- Rating: 4.3/5 (358 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6706-C Phillips Place Court Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Beer Bar, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#22. 131 MAIN Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 5970 Fairview Road Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Seafood, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Sea Level NC
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1279 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 129 East 5th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Dressler's - Charlotte
- Rating: 4.3/5 (580 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1100-E Metropolitan Ave. Ste 125-E Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Steakhouses, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Miro Spanish Grille
- Rating: 4.3/5 (409 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12239 North Community House Road Ste 102 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, Spanish, Mediterranean
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Waldhorn Restaurant
- Rating: 4.3/5 (501 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 12101 Lancaster Hwy Pineville, North Carolina
- Categories: German, Wine Bars, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Good Food on Montford
- Rating: 4.3/5 (992 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1701 Montford Drive Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates, Cocktail Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Haberdish
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1733 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3106 North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#15. New Zealand Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (968 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1717 North Sardis Road Ste 6A Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Supperland
- Rating: 4.4/5 (499 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1212 The Plz Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Southern, Steakhouses, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Alexander Michael's
- Rating: 4.4/5 (562 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 West 9th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: American, Pubs, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Mariposa
- Rating: 4.4/5 (208 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 500 South Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Osteria LuCa
- Rating: 4.4/5 (214 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4127 Park Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#10. The Fig Tree Restaurant
- Rating: 4.5/5 (645 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1601 East 7th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, French, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Fin & Fino
- Rating: 4.5/5 (550 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 135 Levine Avenue Of The Arts Ste 100 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Seafood, Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Bulla Gastrobar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (806 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4310 Sharon Road Ste W01 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Tapas Bars, Spanish, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Ever Andalo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3116 North Davidson St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Italian, Breakfast & Brunch, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Steak 48
- Rating: 4.5/5 (550 reviews)
- Price level: $$$$
- Address: 4425 Sharon Road Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Steakhouses, New American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#5. The Cellar at Duckworth's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (1159 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 330 North Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Gastropubs, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#4. The Crunkleton
- Rating: 4.5/5 (468 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1957 East 7th St. Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Cocktail Bars, New American
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Peppervine
- Rating: 4.5/5 (273 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 4620 Piedmont Row Drive Ste 170B Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: New American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Catalina Kitchen And Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (137 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 1942 East 7th St. Ste 106 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Bars, Breakfast & Brunch, American
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Sanctuary Bistro
- Rating: 4.9/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 6414 Rea Road Ste C2 Charlotte, North Carolina
- Categories: Vegan, Breakfast & Brunch, Gluten-Free
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.
