Where We Stayed
Where We Ate/Drank
Soul Gastrolounge // We ate dinner here on Friday night thanks to stellar online reviews and several recommendations from friends. It’s a super popular place that’s known for its tapas, sushi, and cocktails. We had to wait around an hour for a table, but their food was incredible and worth the wait! I was originally skeptical because I’m not typically a tapas type of gal, but I’m so glad we ended up trying it out. The Spicy Feta Cheese Dip was incredible, the Dirty South Nachos were different but SO good, and the Queen Charlotte sushi roll was to die for!
Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit // This one was a little bit of a cheat since Kendall and I had already been to the original location in Charleston. But it was so good there that we just HAD to have it again at their new Charlotte location. If you’re a brunch and biscuit lover, you have to try this place! We love the Bacon Egg and Cheese biscuit, but you can also get 3 mini biscuits for only $6. From the mini biscuits. our top favorites are the Cheese & Chive and the Cinnamon!
QC Pour House // pictured in top left photo // We were on the hunt for the perfect place for lunch and drinks on Saturday afternoon. We loved the environment here – packed with young people, tons of space, and they also have games for you to play! It’s mainly a bar, but they also have a full food menu with some GREAT eats. Our top favorite dishes were the Philly Fries (omg, mouth watering good), and the Hand Pies. When we ordered the hand pies we were expecting pizzas, but they’re more like miniature calzones. We ordered the Pepperoni and the Chicken Tender to share, and both were AMAZING.
Mama Ricotta’s // This was our dinner spot on Saturday night! I’m typically not the biggest Italian lover, but this place proved me SO wrong. They’ve got the best selection of wines (a must when you’re eating Italian), and their food was incredible. We started off with the Goat Cheese & Mascarpone Dip (yes, yes, and more yes), followed by the White Pizza (add chicken and tomatoes!). It was so great that we were shamelessly eating our leftovers lukewarm for breakfast in the hotel room the next morning.
Jeni’s Ice Cream // Alright friends, I am low key mad at everyone I know for not telling me about this place sooner. I have never in my life tasted ice cream as good as Jeni’s! There’s a location in Nashville, so I can guarantee you that we’ll be stopping by during all our future Nash trips. We had the Pineapple Upside Down Cake flavor, and I really don’t think my taste buds will ever be the same. UNREAL. *insert praise hands*
Cowfish // pictured in top right photo // Well, we saved the best for last. Before heading out of town on Sunday we went to, hands down, the most highly recommended spot in Charlotte! I want to build one of these in my backyard, y’all. For you Tennessee readers, I would compare this to Drake’s (but MUCH MUCH BETTER). I had the Mad Mango-Cado Roll (without the mango, lol), and Kendall had the CBCLT Burger. That sushi roll was the best I’ve ever had, and Kendall says the burger was top 3 burgers of all time! We will 100% be going back next time we’re in the area!
What We Did
City Lights // As I mentioned above, this was the bar on the rooftop of the Le Meridien hotel! Even if you aren’t staying there, I would 100% recommend grabbing a drink so you can see the view!
Shopping // SouthPark Mall has it ALL. My favorite stops include Ballard Designs (best furniture store!), GNC (love picking up my favorite Alani Nu products!), Lululemon, Morphe, Nordstrom, The Container Store (my guilty pleasure), and Urban Outfitters!
QC Pourhouse // Again, I mentioned this place above, but I think it’s a must stop even if you aren’t eating. The drinks were great, the prices were right, and it was the perfect place to relax or play games with friends!
Fahrenheit // pictured above // This is a MUST-see spot for your next Charlotte trip. It was another top recommendation, and I’m so glad we went! It’s located in Uptown so it was within walking distance of our hotel. We actually ended up Uber Scootering from one location to the other! As you can see in the photos above, the view from this rooftop is unmatched. They have a pricier menu than what we were shooting for, so we ended up just grabbing a drink and enjoying the view before dinner!
Sycamore Brewing // This is the best chill hangout spot for a weekend with friends. We spent several hours there on Sunday afternoon! I’m not a beer drinker, so we enjoy going to breweries that offer alternative options for people like me. This brewery had mimosas, wine, and ciders too!
What’s Still On Our List
- Pins Mechanical Company – This is located in the heart of South End (near Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit) and would be the perfect place to spend a Saturday afternoon! They have foosball, pinball, duckpin, ping pong, bocce ball and a full bar. I’d compare it to Nashville’s Pinewood Social!
- Elevation Church – We had several people recommend that we go to this church on Sunday morning. Supposedly the live worship experience is incredible, so that’s definitely on our to-do list for our next trip!
- Optimist Hall – This place has tons of dining options, cool bars, and small specialty shops. It’d be the perfect place to go with a group of people with differing food preferences!
- Whiskey Warehouse – Another cool rooftop bar with a great skyline view! They have cocktails, food, and live bands on the weekends!
- Restaurants – Haberdish (Southern), Midwood Smokehouse (BBQ), Merchant & Trade (rooftop bar), Cabo Fish Taco (Baja Mexican)… and more!
