It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the big fro-yo chain shops, but the yogurt is delicious and the topping selection is just fine - all the essentials, none of the goo.
It really is a "Weiner Wonderland" at Pinky's, with its griddled beef hot dogs and organic soy sausages. Our favorite, the Southern 500 dog, glistens with tasty chili, slaw and onions.
All coffee served here is fair trade, but the real draw is the sensational and certifiably addictive Liège waffles. Trust me, you'll make this a frequent stop.
With its red-checkered tablecloths, delicious pasta and homey vibe - well, now, that's Italian.
Readers will get fired up by the food offered at this favorite. "Wan fu" translates as "10,000 blessings," and at times it seems as if there are that many items on this lengthy menu.
Charlotte doesn't have ramen-yas (ramen shops), but luckily, Musashi serves a diverse menu, which includes soups. The best pork broth ramen in town is found here.
By 8:30 a.m. on weekends, the line forms for lamb barbecue made the traditional Mexican way: grilled and covered with maguey cactus leaves and served with house-made, griddled corn tortillas.
The coffee served here is fair trade, but the real draw is the sensational and certifiably addictive Liège waffles. Trust me, you'll make this a frequent stop.
Dynasty is the place for Shanghai and taro dumplings, congee or juk (porridge), preserved duck eggs, barbecue buns, turnip cakes, pot stickers and the ubiquitous egg custard tart.
Sure, organic is a little more expensive, but it's good for you. Besides, we always like to go wherever there's wine involved.
Like all good mom-and-pops, the food here - Vietnamese - is pure comfort and extremely reasonable.
By 8:30 a.m. on weekends, the line forms for lamb barbecue made the traditional Mexican way: grilled and covered with maguey cactus leaves and served with house-made, freshly griddled corn tortillas.
The eggs here are local and organic, and Harvest Moon's Summer Benedict, with thickly sliced heirloom tomatoes, will make you wish for tomato season year-round.
Enso not only offers delicious cuisine, but the drink menu ranges from sake selections to fancy cucumber/flower/fruit-infused concoctions straight from the imaginations of creative bartenders.
While many eateries come close, we're still going with the crown king when we want wings. With so many savory flavors and purchase options available, it's hard to bet against the house - er, café.
While many other eateries come close (for instance, the wings at Fuel Pizza are mighty tasty), we still think these wings are the best.
The venue offers regular fries, sweet potato fries, Brunswick fries and chili cheese fries, but we're all about the Smashfries: Tossed with olive oil, rosemary and garlic, they're spectacular.
If you think the quickest passage to Kingston is via US Airways, the curries, jerk chicken, coleslaw, plantain tarts and coco bread from Austin's may prompt your taste buds to disagree.
We can't help falling in love with The Elvis, a decadent banana cake with peanut butter butter-cream frosting and spiked with two strips of lean candied bacon.
In this day of pricey farm-to-fork cuisine, the burgers at Wysacky are about as local and fresh as can be, since the beef comes from neighboring Waxhaw farms.
Ben Thånh produces exemplary Vietnamese dishes: pho, crispy quail, curry spiked with shrimp, yellow rice flour pancake filled with shrimp, hot pots and charbroiled chicken in lemongrass.
Middle Eastern food in this town has a checkered past, present and future. Although Zeitouni offers foods in the street food range, the spin on traditional manoushi and the kibbeh support this nod.
Hands down the best chicken salad in town, but with so many creative lunch selections, it's difficult to choose. Plus, Halcyon - located in the Mint Museum Uptown - is open for lunch on the weekends.
If you like your sushi creative and flavorful, this is the place. The Hamachi Jalapeño roll with the sweetness of crab and the unctuousness of avocado spiked with a wasabi citronette is all that.
With so many savory flavors and purchase options available, it's hard to bet against the house - er, café.
Anything you want is available at TJ's, from fresh veggies to beer and all kinds of branded gourmet items done up to make you feel ... well, special.
You can get anything you want at Trader Joe's, from fresh veggies to beer and all kinds of branded gourmet items done up to make you feel ... well, special.
Southern and Low Country dishes prepared with heart by owners James and Renee Bazelle at this Uptown favorite where everybody takes out-of-town guests. It's Charlotte's version of NYC's Sylvia's.
The intimate place has the feel of a backyard in summer and the food is creative and delicious.
Chef Jamie Lynch makes use of local ingredients and puts a creative twist on any dish. (Try the NC Grouper.) The spot is perfect to enjoy a drink (we recommend QC Iced Tea) before hitting the clubs.
Ten Park Lanes has become one of the most revered nightspots on the ever-busy Montford Drive. In addition to the best bowling in town, Ten Park Lanes offers a full menu of food and libations.
Yiasou produces some of the best pastries. You'll find tasty loukoumades, galaktoboureko, baklava. And let's not forget the meals (including Grecian baked chicken and fish) and the entertainment.
Follow the aroma into this 1950s, western-style dining room. This is the only place in the state with the barbecue pit in the main dining room. Want outside brown? Old Hickory is your kind of place.
Monte is the place to hang with friends on weekends. Be warned: Given the quality of the French provincial cuisine, everyone will prefer to be chewing the tasty treats rather than chewing the fat.
To paraphrase Arlo Guthrie, you can get anything you want at Trader Joe's, from fresh veggies to beer and all kinds of branded gourmet items done up to make you feel ... well, special.
One of the last remaining family-owned Greek diners in Charlotte offers homemade spanakopita, cakes and reasonable prices.
Year in and year out, Chef Bruce Moffett creates the best restaurant experience in town. It's quiet and unassuming, but its food, desserts and wines are bold and delicious, the ambiance warm and cozy.
Need a place to watch the game? Dilworth has just what you're looking for: TVs galore. They offer shuttle service to and from Panthers games - once you're done tailgating in the parking lot, that is.
