With an ever-evolving culinary scene of classic eats and new concepts, Charlotte has long been praised as a top dining destination in the South.
Now, the Queen City officially has bragging rights as one of the best foodie cities across the country.
WalletHub released a list of the top 100 “foodie-friendly” areas around America that “appeal to both home cooks and adventurous eaters eager to sample local flavors.”
To determine the rankings, over 180 cities were evaluated based on 28 key indicators, including the cost of groceries, the affordability and accessibility of high-quality restaurants and food festivals per capita.
Of the top 100 tasty spots, Charlotte is ranked No. 45 on the list:
Overall ranking: 45
Affordability ranking: 117
Diversity, accessibility & quality ranking: 45
With all the restaurant industry’s recent growth and increased national recognition, to be named one of the top foodie cities is not too surprising.
And you can’t you forget our growing list of James Beard award nominees. In fact, a total of 26 Charlotte area chefs and restaurants have been in the running for the prestigious honor since the inception of the annual awards.
Along with Charlotte, three other cities in North Carolina made WalletHub’s list of the top foodie cities: Raleigh at No. 43, Greensboro at No. 71 and Durham at No. 99.
More than 100 restaurants have opened across Charlotte in 2025. That’s a lot of new competition coming into the marketplace. And in a city where people are notoriously obsessed with “what’s new,” it raises the question: How do places that have been here a while manage to stand out and stay on folks’ radars?
CharlotteFive spoke to a few established local restaurants about their secrets not only for surviving but thriving, despite a challenging economy and ever-growing competition.
From a focus on hospitality and events to keeping things fresh and investing in their staffs and connecting with the community, here’s what they do to stay in the game.
The Artisan’s Palate, a local restaurant, craft bar and art gallery, hosts a variety of distinctive events including monthly Women of Whiskey tastings. Liz Rothaus Bertrand CharlotteFive
Service and hospitality
When Dalton Espaillat, founder and CEO of Raydal Hospitality Group, started in the restaurant business back in 2010, he said good food, freshness and authenticity were enough to be successful.
“And it worked great,” said Espaillat, whose company owns and operates 19 restaurants, including the Sabor Latin Street Grill fast-casual chain.
“It really put us on the map, and people appreciated what we had to offer, but then the pandemic came and everything just changed.”
Dalton Espaillat is the founder and CEO of Raydal Hospitality. His company owns and operates 19 restaurants, including the Sabor Latin Street Grill fast-casual chain. Jonathan Cooper
Now, he said, hole-in-the wall places have lost some of their charm.
“In order to be successful, you have to have good food, you have to have excellent service — because people are expecting an experience — and you also have to have sort of a beautiful location.”
The company started investing more in how its restaurants looked, improving efficiency and upgrading their interiors and murals, sometimes with nods to local heroes.
Connecting with the local community is an important factor in design choices at each Sabor Latin Street Grill. The Davidson location includes a mural featuring Dominican musician Juan Luis Guerra (left) alongside NBA superstar and Davidson alumnus Steph Curry, pictured enjoying a Presidente beer, a popular Dominican brand. Courtesy of Raydal Hospitality
In Sabor’s Davidson store location, for example, NBA superstar and Davidson College alum Steph Curry graces a wall alongside renowned Dominican musician Juan Luis Guerra. At another shop in the University area, other Latino icons are featured, including former Red Sox star “Big Papi” David Ortiz
For Espaillat, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and his wife, Miriam, from El Salvador, centering authentic Latino culture in their restaurants through their food and decor is a big part of their identity and how they connect with the community.
At the Sabor Latin Street Grill near UNC Charlotte, the mural includes a tribute to Dominican-American former Red Sox star David Ortiz, better known as “Big Papi,” and Dominican Musician Jean Luis Guerra. Courtesy of Raydal Hospitality
Other chefs and owners agreed that hospitality is at least as important as what they serve.
“For Dilworth Tasting Room, hospitality has always been the focus of what we do,” said Zoe Kovic, who launched the restaurant’s original wine bar in the Dilworth neighborhood with her husband, Jaffer, in 2017. The couple now also has locations in SouthPark and Plaza Midwood.
“We believe that guests remember how they felt at our restaurant even more than what they ate or drank …” she said. “So every connection we make with our guests is [an] opportunity to create” an experience that surpasses their expectations.
Dilworth Tasting Room often hosts wine tasting and other events at its Plaza Midwood location and other two restaurants around Charlotte. Chris Rodarte Rodarte’s Corner Media
From wine tasting to themed dinners
One way DTR set itself apart early on was by making wine approachable and non-intimidating. That’s something that Jaffer Kovic, a trained sommelier, has always excelled at, Zoe Kovic said.
Even as the restaurant has expanded from its original wine bar and tapas concept into more extensive menus with varied Mediterranean cuisine at its three restaurants, it continues to host wine tasting events.
“People like unpretentious … casual gatherings where you still have wine experts, there’s a lot of options, but it feels more natural,” said Kovic, adding that at the Dilworth and Plaza Midwood locations, these events often happen on their spacious patios.
The patio behind Dilworth Tasting Room’s original location on East Tremont Avenue in Dilworth. Many guests think of the restaurant as an extension of their living room, owner Zoe Kovic said. Chris Rodarte Rodarte’s Corner Media
Being responsive to what customers want is key because it gives them a chance to feel ownership in the neighborhood spot that DTR aims to be.
Many people look for events they can’t find elsewhere. For example, DTR recently hosted three sold out evenings featuring wines from Croatia, where the Kovics both have family roots.
Kovic said people seek out events “where you can hear interesting stories, interesting experiences, maybe meet a winemaker that you don’t know, maybe learn about the country.”
Kovic said several exciting events are in the works, including a series of bar takeovers featuring top bartenders from across the world and some fun Halloween parties. There’s also a special “Wicked” themed prix fixe menu, with varying dish options at each of the three locations, while the show plays at Blumenthal Arts through Oct. 26.
At The Artisan’s Palate, a restaurant, craft cocktail bar and art gallery featuring local artists, unique events are also a major part of the equation.
The restaurant hosts monthly “Women of Whiskey” tastings, pairing original cocktails made from spirits crafted by women distillers with a selection of seasonally-inspired menu items. There are weekly live music events representing a mix of genres, and for years the restaurant has hosted a popular Charity Drag Brunch, which has raised more than $88K for local charities.
The Artisan’s Palate hosts a variety of unique events including the monthly series, Women of Whiskey. The Artisan’s Palate
On Nov. 5, chef and owner of The Artisan’s Palate, Christa Csoka, will team up with another local culinary team, Orrman’s Cheese Shop, for a special themed dinner paying tribute to legendary chef Jacques Pépin in celebration of his 90th birthday.
The Artisan’s Palate is one of 90 restaurants across the country hosting dinners and raising funds for the Jacques Pépin Foundation, which supports free culinary training for people with employment barriers, such as homelessness or addiction recovery.
Christa Csoka is chef and owner of The Artisan’s Palate. Courtesy of The Artisan’s Palate
It’s personal for Csoka, as well as Orrman’s founder, Rachel Klebaur, and chef Jose Espinosa, who were all classmates at the former French Culinary Institute when Pépin served as dean.
“With grace, humor and passion, he led so many young chefs into the world of restaurants,” said Csoka, who considers him a true mentor, and recalls how Pépin would sometimes join her and others for a drink after class.
Chef Christa Csoka, center, is pictured at her graduation from The French Culinary Institute, where legendary chef Jacques Pépin, second from right, served as dean. Courtesy of The Artisan’s Palate
Staying relevant
At Customshop, chef and owner Andres Kaifer said hosting special events is one of the ways it stays relevant and community-focused. Kaifer took over the longstanding Elizabeth neighborhood standout in 2022, but the restaurant first opened in 2007.
“We try to constantly be planning collaboration events with other chefs and other restaurants that we have copious amounts of respect for,” Kaifer said. The one-night takeovers are fun for his team and educational, as they see how another kitchen operates. The events are popular with customers, too.
Recent events featured collaborations with chef Michael Beltran from Michelin-starred Miami restaurant Ariete for a six-course dinner, as well as a brunch takeover with the same restaurant group’s more casual Cuban-American Chug’s Diner.
Chef Michael Beltran of Ariete & Chef Andres Kaifer of Customshop during August’s Customshop X Ariete Collaboration. Ryan Allen
Kaifer said warm, welcoming hospitality is what keeps customers coming back and recommending it to others. But you have to keep things fresh with new menu items and events to keep things interesting for regular customers and make a splash online.
“Word of mouth is always going to be king …” Kaifer said. “But I think second to word of mouth comes Instagram.”
At DTR, seasonal menu changes include new craft cocktails, too. For the last year and a half, the restaurant has hosted an internal competition among bartenders at its three locations to see which drinks should go on each new menu of seasonal drinks. At first, bartenders were reluctant to participate, but now the competition is fierce and popular, Kovic said.
There were so many great entries, Kovic said, that the restaurant ended up with 18 new drinks — the most ever — for the latest menu. This fall’s selections include drinks like SHHH! I’M HUNTING WABBITS (made with Ketel One Grapefruit, allspice, carrot, lime, ginger, Fresno chili) and PEAR PRESSURE (Plymouth Gin, spiced pear, Pasubio, lemon, thyme, aquafaba).
At Dilworth Tasting Room, food and cocktail offerings change seasonally. The restaurant recently launched 18 new drinks on its Seasonal Cocktails Menu. Chris Rodarte Rodarte’s Corner Media
Kovic said DTR’s staff has a lot of fun with the competition, but it’s strategic, too. It’s a way to keep people motivated.
“I mean, they are the core [of] what we do … I always say, we’re really nothing without you.”
Investing in staff
At Raydal Hospitality, providing staff with opportunities to learn about the restaurant business and achieve upward economic mobility through the company has been an essential part of the business plan, Espaillat said.
It’s “part of the DNA of our company that if you want to own your restaurant, we can teach you. If you don’t have an education, we can teach you the basic … cooking methods and this and that, and then we go into the management,” understanding P&L (profit and loss statements) and the legal components of starting an LLC, he added.
“It has been the reason for our growth,” Espaillat said, noting that Sabor now has three franchisees, all former employees who worked their way through the ranks. At other non-franchisee locations, he said some cooks and managers also have an ownership stake in the business.
Investing in the community
Being actively involved in the community is another way to stay relevant and connect with folks. At Raydal Hospitality, Espaillat said it goes beyond simply donating food or gift cards. He encourages his managers to attend community events and meet the people they support.
It also means investing in the community in other ways.
Miriam Espaillat, the company’s director of community engagement, serves on several local nonprofit boards. She’s co-chair of Leading on Opportunity, which focuses on implementing systemic changes to boost economic mobility for everyone in the community. She’s also on the board of the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, a dual-language program focused on early education, particularly for native Spanish speakers.
Participating this way “really helped us to get ourselves ingrained in the community and really being intentional on our involvement,” Espaillat said.
As a whole, DTR’s Kovic said the local food and beverage scene is probably more competitive than ever.
Miriam and Dalton Espaillat, shown in this 2020 file photo, own Three Amigos Mexican Grill Cantina, MaBi Tropical Cocina and multiple locations of Sabor Latin Street Grill. Courtesy of Miriam and Dalton Espaillat
“Everybody’s trying to find the magic formula …” she said. Attracting new customers is always a goal, but making sure regular customers keep coming back is what their business is built upon.
“So, you got to keep listening to people, you got to stay connected to community, you got to give back. I mean, it’s all of that … and just keep providing the best experience for the guest.”
Liz Rothaus Bertrand is an award-winning writer based in Charlotte, NC. She writes frequently about the arts, food, travel, education and social justice. You can find her on Instagram @tournesol74.
Futo Buta, a popular South End eatery that opened before Charlotte ramen shops became cool, announced its permanent closure on Saturday.
The late Michael Shortino opened the restaurant in 2015, making it one of the first ramen shops in North Carolina at the time, according to Futo Buta’s website. In the nearly decade since, it built a loyal following near the intersection of South Boulevard and Rensselaer Avenue. That’s next to the Blue Line and the Charlotte Rail Trail.
Earlier this year, it was voted the second-best ramen shop in the city by CharlotteFive readers. Southern Living named it one of the best 22 restaurants in Charlotte last year.
Its just-announced closure comes months after the death of its founder, whom his family called “a culinary trailblazer” and “a beloved member of the hospitality community.” The restaurant’s Instagram post announcing the closure said Shortino was “up there, still listening to Pearl Jam and Motorhead, celebrating all of you.”
Futo Buta didn’t provide a reason for the closure other than to discuss Shortino’s death. People who said they worked there commented on CharlotteFive’s Instagram post about the news, saying they were surprised to learn about the sudden closure.
“Just as a death does not diminish the life of a loved one, the closing of a restaurant does not erase the impact it has had on a community,” Futo Buta’s Instagram post said. “Michael’s life was, and is, so greatly intertwined with this concept, one that cultivated an incredible story, marked with truly life changing relationships.”
The restaurant’s voicemail box was full Sunday morning. The Charlotte Observer and CharlotteFive sent an email to ask for more information about the closure.
Cassie Shortino, daughter of the restaurant’s founder, stepped in to run the restaurant after her dad’s death. She was an accomplished chef, too, as a two-time semifinalist for the James Beard Award’s rising star chef of the year honor.
Commenters on social media expressed disbelief over the news, calling it their favorite restaurant, that the closure was heartbreaking and that it will be “a huge loss for Charlotte.”
Futo Buta encouraged loyal customers to “carry on the memories” from first dates, late night take-out, meals with co-workers and milestones celebrated with a bowl of ramen.
This story was originally published June 9, 2024, 9:39 AM.
Related stories from Charlotte Observer
Josh Bergeron is a local news editor at The Charlotte Observer. Previously, he was the editor of the Salisbury Post in Salisbury, N.C. and worked as an editor and reporter at newspapers in North Carolina, Kentucky, Alabama and Mississippi. He’s a proud LSU alumnus — Geaux Tigers.
