5 Best Restaurants in Charlotte, North Carolina

Business executives and bohemians alike make their way to Mert's, an old-school gem that hides out under one of the city's many nondescript office buildings. Owners James and Reneé Bezzelle serve large portions of soul food and Lowcountry and Gullah staples, like fried chicken with greens, mac and cheese, and red beans and rice. Buckwheat and sweet-potato pancakes draw a weekend brunch crowd.

Operated out of an old home in pleasant Dilworth, this comfortable little spot offers an always-changing menu blending Southern and Californian styles in its meat and fish dishes, pizza, salads, and pastas. Always available items include Chesapeake-style crab cakes and the Usual, a chicken salad sandwich that has been a local favorite for years. This is the kind of place where longtime regulars have their names engraved on the back of barstools.

Located in the funky Plaza Midwood neighborhood (and with satellite locations now in Ballantyne and Park Road Shopping Center), this barbecue joint carries a full range of sauces and meats and keeps its wood-fired smoker burning 24/7. This is no hole-in-the-wall joint but instead a fun and modern-looking place with something for just about every kind of barbecue lover. The beef brisket is excellent, especially with a half-lean, half-fatty plate. For a special treat, order the banana pudding; it's some of the best in the state.