Charlotte is , in many way , a car - reliant city . But today , more and more vernal people are deciding to ditch the traffic press for a bike , the pavement , or public transit – specifically the light railing . And considering the fact that each stop off the LYNX Blue Line is just a short walk to some of the best legal community and restaurants in Charlotte , its popularity is reasonably apprehensible .
So yeah , we ’ll shoulder our way into the crowded light rail car if it means being able to conveniently have some of the metropolis ’s ripe local hangouts . Now please , grab your friends , grease one’s palms a ticket , take the drive , and feed your inner glutton already .
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / eat / charlotte / restaurants / futo - buta" ; target="_blank”>Futo Buta
Jennifer Bui/Thrillist
< strong > Blue Line stop: Bland place < br />Long besmirch as cheap and unhealthy because of that Top Ramen blade we all ate in college , this Japanese noodle is at long last get the deference it deserve , which has made Futo Buta the raw wunderkind of South End in Charlotte . An sexual group - style dining experience with long communal tables give the fantasy of a Tokyo region sushi Browning automatic rifle , and each gargantuan ramen bowl ( perfect for sharing ) wonderfully balances sugared & amp ; sour , spicy & amp ; umami.<!– single line of products template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locale / eat / charlotte / restaurants / Ho Chi Minh City - palace … ; target="_blank”>Saigon Palace
< strong > Blue Line stop: Tyvola station < br />Vietnamese food is a miscellaneous bag of flavors from Southeast Asia coupled with the expertise of French cooking techniques . It ’s a rare union of ingredients and skill , one best exemplified in bún thịt nướng , aka vermicelli noodle bowls . ( Do n’t even attempt to behave like you knew that . ) In Charlotte , Saigon Palace does it secure . This trough of rice noodles sit down atop a bed of sprout , basil , and mint , and is topped with grilled pork , outpouring pealing , pickled carrots , and chopped peanuts . Do n’t forget to add in the modest bowl of sweet & amp ; dark fish sauce that comes with it . Otherwise , what ’s the point?<!– individual line guide – >
Courtesy of Remy Thurston
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / feed / charlotte / restaurant / copper" ; target="_blank”>Copper
< strong > Blue Line stop: East / West station < br />Copper is n’t your stock Indian restaurant . This place has an elegant dining way ornamented with tasteful forward-looking graphics , a top - notch vino inclination , and some great twists on Greco-Roman cocktails ( like adding some crushed cardamom to gin & amp ; soda , or a loggerheaded impudence of curry pulverization along the rim of a paloma ) . It ’ll well bury any preconceived notion you may have about Indian eating house right under a pile of toothsome entranceway that immingle the traditional with the avant - garde . If you ’re travel a long way on the light rail to get here , just let the thought of the lamb mango - ginger “ Tawa Roast ” – meet with lamb bite , mushrooms , potatoes , coriander , and mango masala – feed your brain until you get the veridical thing .
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / drink / nation / bar / triple - c - brewery" ; target="_blank”>Triple C Brewing Co.
Courtesy of Triple C Brewing Company & Justin Engel
< strong > Blue Line stop: New Bern station < br />You could throw a rock music from the speed wakeful rail and more than likely dispatch a new opened guile brewery . So where is the best berth for a thirsty Blue Line rider to go ? Triple C Brewing . The Greenway IPA assume a subtle approaching to what is now trade brewing ’s darling : the IPA . It has a brilliant citrus note that goes down smooth and still give you a good buzz . If you care your IPAs to really make you hard , go for the Baby Maker , which comes in at a humongous 8.5 % ABV.<!– single line template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / eat / capital of West Virginia / eatery / taqueria - mex … ; target="_blank”>Taqueria Mexico
< strong > Blue Line stop: Arrowood post < br />If you want the unspoiled authentic street tacos in Charlotte , reckon no further . Taqueria is a favorite within the city ’s Mexican - American community , the type of station where knowing Spanish is a definite plus , but English works just okay . So hop off the Blue Line at Arrowood , stop by Taqueria , and challenge some ally to a greaser - eat contest . Then wash it all down with a guanabana peacock blue fresca , one of the most singular ( but refreshful ) yield juices you ’ll plausibly ever find .
Courtesy of Taps & Snaps
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / boozing / charlotte / bar / the - cellar" ; target="_blank”>The Cellar at Duckworth’s
< warm > Blue Line stop: 7th St station < br />This is plausibly one of the most exciting dining experience in Charlotte . Once you get beyond the stewardess and walk through the thick , < em > something - cloak-and-dagger - is - behind - this - door room access , you ’ll immediately be tossed back in fourth dimension to a speakeasy reminiscent of the Prohibition era . After gape at the decor , slack and consecrate a cocktail : the Sazerac is a New Orleans original , and a underhanded wallop to your sobriety . Next comes the food for thought : let the waiter guide you through the menu on your first visit . It ’s a tapas - style joint , which allows you to enjoy a Brobdingnagian swath of unlike flavors , textures , and ingredients .
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venue / eat on / charlotte / restaurants / legal profession - drinking chocolate - at- … ; target="_blank”>Bar Cocoa
Bar Cocoa
< potent > Blue Line stop: CTC place < br />If you ’re looking to skim the cheap drink at the Epicentre , head to Bar Cocoa in the Ritz Carlton and take hold of some macarons and a gelato . It ’s veracious by the CTC station , and will probably give you some brownie points if you ’re on a escort ( seriously , it ’s the Ritz ) . Right next door is the hotel lobby bar & amp ; lounge , which is always secure for a well - craft cocktail or glass of wine . So ditch the Epicentre for one Nox ; keep it classy and end your evening in genuine style.<!– single line templet – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venues / consume / charlotte / restaurants / zacks - hamburg … ; target="_blank”>Zack ’s Hamburgers
< strong > Blue Line stop: Scaleybark < br />Eating at Zack ’s is like shoot a trip back in time to the days when McDonald ’s was just getting started and had a menu that did n’t include things like " all white-hot meat " poulet nugget and whatever the hell a McRib is . Zack ’s has a simple carte that focuses on delivering the quintessential cheeseburger : a sesame seed bun with charbroiled nub patties , American cheese single , mustard , mayo , onion , and pickles . It ’s traditional . It ’s easy . It ’s delicious.<!– exclusive line guide – >
Courtesy of New World Media, LLC (edited)
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locale / eat / charlotte / restaurants / lolas" ; target="_blank”>Lola’s
< strong > Blue Line stop: 3rd St / Convention Center < br />This place is easy to spot after you mistreat off the light rails platform . It ’s the eating place with the railway line wrapped around the building . Seriously , people pile into Lola ’s every 24-hour interval around lunch period , mostly in lookup of one thing : individual food for thought . ( Though we ca n’t say enough about the fry catfish and jalapeño sugar . ) Whether you ’re sit in or drive it to go , be prepared to wait . But like most dependable things in life , it ’ll be worth the wait .
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venues / drink / Queen City / bars / big - ben - british - plutonium … ; target="_blank”>Big Ben
Courtesy of Bill Spoon’s BBQ
< potent > Blue Line stop: East / West Blvd station < br />This is an Arsenal Football Club bar , and it make about as raucous as a mid - first light bar can get . The full English breakfast ( poach eggs , English - style bacon , blimp , adust beans , toast , roasted mushrooms , and tomatoes ) is the perfect complement to the peculiar gulp deal on Guinness and other British Isle brewage . It ’s also the arrant pairing for those Saturday break of the day English Premier League soccer games.<!– single ancestry guide – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venues / eat / charlotte / restaurants / the - mad - greek … ; target="_blank”>The Mad Greek Cafe
< strong > Blue Line stop: Woodlawn station < br />Charlotte native may commemorate a place scream Hugo ’s Diner that started serving Greek favorites back in 1991 . Hugo ’s closed in 2008 , but in its office we have the even respectable Mad Greek . This stone has a gyroscope record that can do no wrong : immense chunks of finely shaved , well - seasoned lamb , a strong pita , fresh tzatziki sauce , and a great Greek salad with spare pepperoncini and Kalamata olives . ( No need to Google the fare ; chances are you now know what you ’re having when you determine to go.)<!– single line guide – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locale / use up / charlotte / eatery / halcyon - flavo … ; target="_blank”>Halcyon , flavor from the Earth
< stiff > Blue Line stop: Stonewall < br />Halcyon ’s commitment to locally sourced nitty-gritty , veggie , wine , and spirit is steady . It ’s an upscale , mod dining room just next to the entrance of the Mint Museum , with an ever - alter carte created to feed with the time of year . Among all the favorites on the cocktail fare , the Frambuesa en Fuego – a chili - infuse altos tequila with raspberries , Cointreau , lime , and Chambord – may be what keeps you coming back , specially if you take advantage of the outdoor patio.<!– single agate line template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locale / eat / charlotte / restaurants / light - rail - fa … ; target="_blank”>Light Rail Family Restaurant
< strong > Blue Line stop: Sharon Rd West < br />If you find yourself getting off at the Sharon Rd West post on the Blue Line , there ’s only one beacon of promise : Light Rail Family Restaurant . Breakfast is a indisputable stake , with its biscuit & amp ; gravy , and you definitely ca n’t go incorrect with the meat loaf , pot Proto-Indo European , and nation fry steak later on in the day . essentially , just keep it simple and you ’ll be beguiled .
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locale / wipe out / charlotte / restaurants / throwaway - spoons - b … ; target="_blank”>Bill Spoon ’s BBQ
< strong > Blue Line stop: Tyvola station < br />Bill Spoon ’s is a Charlotte culinary landmark . This place has been serving up whole - Sus scrofa BBQ ( yep , that ’s correct , whole squealer ) since 1963 . While the area around it has changed drastically in the years since it opened , this BBQ nirvana is pretty much exactly the same : braggart portions of Eastern NC - panache pulled pork barrel with sides of collards and mac & amp ; cheese served on a report plate.<!– single line template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / locus / eat / charlotte / restaurants / owens - bagel - a … ; target="_blank”>Owen ’s Bagels
< strong > Blue Line stop: East / West Blvd station < br />At Owen ’s , it ’s all about crafting a bagel sandwich for every taste and preference under the sun . Chances are , the weirder it sounds , the best it is . lesson : the Booty Bagel ( monkey nut butter , banana tree , and honey on a raisin beigel ) and Mary ’s Grubby Bubby ( egg , muenster , smoked cheddar , tomato , and avocado on a bialystoker ) . If you ’re into pimento cheese , try out out the drink everything bagel with butter , bacon , bollock , and pimento . Who say there are no good bagels in Charlotte?<!– individual ancestry template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venues / eat / charlotte / restaurants / midnight - dine … ; target="_blank”>Midnight Diner
< impregnable > Blue Line stop: Carson < br />Up all Nox and in indigence of some comfort intellectual nourishment ? Look no further than the bright lights of the Midnight Diner on Carson Blvd , just a block from the Blue Line stoppage . One of the few legitimate diners in Charlotte , Midnight service some of the best southerly staples around Ithiel Town . It ’s the go - to spot for < em > real shrimp & amp ; grits , chicken & amp ; waffle , and chili cheese fries.<!– undivided line template – >
< h2><a href=“http://www.thrillist.com / venues / corrode / charlotte / restaurants / the - burrito - f … ; target="_blank”>The Burrito Factory
< strong > Blue Line stop: Archdale < br />That E. coli eruption at Chipotle is a keen excuse to see how a real burrito is done . For that , ill-use off the light runway at the Archdale stop and hit up this new Tex - Mex articulation on South Blvd . There are sight of option to choose from , but you ca n’t go wrong with the burrito al pastor : pork , noodle , Sir Tim Rice , high mallow , and guacamole . Then again , it ’s a decent - sized computer menu , so take your pick.<a class=“vortex - open " data - campaign=“5144 " href=“https://signup.thrillist.com/" ; target="_blank”>Sign up here for our casual Charlotte electronic mail and be the first to get all the food for thought / drink / fun in the Queen City. Travis Mullis is currently wearing Spanx and doing the Beyonce cleanse to regain from this article . you’re able to follow him on Twitter : @trex_mullis and on Instagram : trexmullis.
