CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA – APRIL 07: Shops and restaurants are closed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on April 07, 2020 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The State Department of Health and Human Services has reported more than 3,200 confirmed cases of the virus. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesLeah & Louise
301 Camp Rd. (Camp North End)
The Memphis-style juke joint is third concept from husband-and-wife team Greg and Subrina Collier and the first restaurant to open in Camp North End. Greg, the James Beard-nominated chef and Soul Food Sessions co-founder, serves soul food he grew up on in Memphis.
Uptown Yolk
224 E. 7th St. (inside 7th Street Public Market)
The Collier’s breakfast-focused uptown spot serves cheesy grits, fried chicken sandwiches, and 17 other options that are good any time of day.
Mama Gee’s
509 Beatties Ford Rd.
This take-out-only spot is owned and operated by a Ghanan family, so it’s the most authentic jollof rice and tomato stew you’ll get outside of West Africa.
Mert’s Heart & Soul
214 N. College St.
This uptown eatery is where you take Mom and Dad when they’re in town. Mert’s housemade seasonings set the “Southern Fried Chicken” here apart, alongside its cornbread (and two other sides) that accompanies it.
1501 South Mint
1501 S. Mint St.
The bodega’s on-site food truck focuses on street food reminiscent of the owner’s Dominican heritage and childhood in the Bronx. Get corn tortillas loaded with carne asada, carnitas, or chicken—so much meat that every taco comes with a fork to scoop up the leftovers.
BW Sweets Bakery
5821 E. W.T. Harris Blvd.
The dessert bar is full of grab-and-go goodies like brownies, donuts, and 16 flavors of cake slices. There are whole cakes, too, if you have a crowd at home and a special occasion.
Popbar Charlotte
3123 N. Davidson St., Ste. 102B
Customize your own gelato, yogurt, or sorbet popsicle with drippings and toppings at Kia and Clarence Lyons’ counter-serve spot in NoDa.
Abugida
3007 Central Ave.
Yodite Tesafye and her brother Zemaf serve Ehtipian food in this Plaza Midwood spot. Find the city’s best injera, a spongy flatbread made from teff flour.
Caribbean Hut
9609 N. Tryon St., 200 W. Woodlawn Rd.
Get a true taste of the islands with the curry goat, or stay in more familiar territory with the jerk chicken, blackened with spices.
Soul Central
2903 Central Ave.
Order from a rotating daily menu of soul food at this tiny counter-serve joint. Owners Joe and Kathleen, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, put an island twist on traditional Southern fare.
Bedder, Bedder & Moore
3501 South Tryon St.
This uptown deli bakes their own bread daily, builds salads to order, and makes all of their soups from scratch.
Cuzzo’s Cuisine
3418 Tuckaseegee Rd.
This no-frills eatery, owned by cousins Andarrio Johnson and Anglee Brown, serves seafood, wings, and their famous lobster mac ‘n cheese.
