Diners' Choice: Neighborhood gem restaurants in Charlotte

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for the best restaurants that are the best neighborhood gems in Charlotte? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Novanta Pizzeria Napoletana

4.8

4.8 (289)

$30 and under

Italian

Mooresville

About the restaurant

The owners of Brooklyn South and Brooklyn Boys Pizzeria's are venturing again to bring you truly Authentic pizza. Pizza cooked by wood fire in 90 seconds. Among pizza stay tuned for the finest, truly authentic, rustic Italian dishes from different regions of Italy. Enjoy our extensive wine and beer indoor/outdoor bar and private dining area for your most exclusive intimate celebrations.

Top review

PaigeVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Our server was top notch and the food was great. Ask for Cecily if you decide to give it a try.

Dolce Ristorante

4.8

4.8 (1875)

$30 and under

Italian

Dilworth

About the restaurant

Dolce Ristorante in Charlotte is a classic Italian restaurant serving up family friendly favorites. The atmosphere at Dolce Ristorante is airy and bright with a deep Mediterranean feel complete with Italian style artwork. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner with special cooking classes offered regularly.

Whether you are looking for a pleasant lunch or a lively dinner, Dolce Ristorante has something on the menu to please every palate. Try the ravioli in a parmigiana cheese pink sauce, the Milanese breaded chicken with lemon dressing or the salmone fresh Atlantic salmon in a white wine sauce. Be sure to save room for the Italian cheese cake dessert.

Top review

Evelyn

Dined on Dec 24, 2024

I've been going to Dolce for 10 years, never had a bad meal or experience. Definitely two big thumbs up . Best Italian food in Charlotte

Discover more

Rusty Bucket - South Park

4.8

4.8 (397)

$30 and under

American

SouthPark

About the restaurant

Rusty Bucket is a casual neighborhood tavern serving the highest quality food and beverage in a “come as you are” setting. Scratch kitchens, fresh cocktails, and the perfect pour are our craft. Our associates are welcoming, and our hospitality naturally makes us the local hub where friends and family frequently gather to share in a good time.

Top review

James

Dined on Dec 17, 2024

Everyone in our group enjoyed their meal. Our server was attentive, friendly and helpful. Noise level increased as more patrons filled the dining room.

Sneak CLT

4.8

4.8 (9)

$30 and under

Cocktail Bar

Elizabeth

About the restaurant

SNEAK is a true hidden gem nestled in the Elizabeth neighborhood, where we delight in putting a playful spin on classic and retro cocktails alongside our own unique creations. Step into our intimate yet lively atmosphere filled with custom playlists and delightful surprises, making us the ultimate destination for a memorable night out. Embracing a concept beyond that of a traditional speakeasy, we proudly present ourselves as a SNEAK-easy! Take pleasure in our inviting patio, daily specials, and live music. Please dress to impress, as we kindly request no backwards hats or athletic wear to maintain our upscale ambiance.

Join us for a night of cocktails, music, and vibes.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 5 days ago

Overall great experience! A little on the small side, but definitely recommend.

The Blue Taj

4.7

4.7 (810)

$30 and under

Indian

Ballantyne

About the restaurant

Located in Ballantyne Village, The Blue Taj is a groundbreaking restaurant serving Indian Cuisine and a much needed and welcome addition to Charlotte’s dining scene. The Décor at The Blue Taj is chic and modern, yet very cozy and eclectic. There are four themed dining areas to keep the excitement going for each time you visit. A chic wine cellar also graces the floor of the restaurant where vast and popular selections of wines are stored in a good temperature and humidity controlled environment. The Bubble Bar is open nightly to fix your craving for exciting combination of both signature and innovative cocktails and refreshingly sparkling and other popular wines by the glass. The Blue Taj is also a lunch destination in a very popular location. The ample selections of lunch offerings are sure to please business and mainstream diners alike. The Blue Taj is also available for private events and parties of various sizes.

Top review

JackVIP

Dined 6 days ago

We had a delicious dinner at Blue Taj. We enjoyed the chaat and the samosas for appetizers. The samosas are large and the tasty chaat is a generous sharing portion. For our dinner we had the tandoori chicken tikka, lamb in cream sauce and vegetable coconut curry. All of the flavors were delicious. We ordered a level three for spice and we thought it was on the mild side for the average medium spicy. The garlic nan was really good. Again the portions were very generous. We had lots of delicious leftovers for the next day. The service was adequate but not intuitive. (Although we had reservations and the restaurant was not full, we were seated so close to the door that every time it opened we got a blast of cold air. Of course that wouldn’t matter unless it was a chilly evening.)

The 220 Café

4.7

4.7 (434)

$30 and under

American

Statesville

About the restaurant

The 220 Café is a Contemporary American Cuisine restaurant, located in the historic district of downtown Statesville, NC.

The 220 Café provides a fine dining experience and atmosphere for all of our guests. With a combination of class and elegance, the 220 Café also exudes a “stop by anytime” welcome to the restaurant.

Top review

jacqueline

Dined on Dec 10, 2024

It was a lovely evening with great service and excellent food. We will return!

Tap & Vine - Quail Corners

4.6

4.6 (61)

$30 and under

American

South Charlotte

About the restaurant

If you’re in the Quail Hollow area and looking for something a bit outside the ordinary, we invite you to discover what makes Tap & Vine a favorite among locals for Tapas, Salads, Entrées, Appetizers and everything in-between. See our full menu, make a reservation, or get complete information on letting us host your upcoming celebration.

Top review

NancyVIP

Dined on Dec 22, 2024

Food and service were excellent. Everything that everyone ordered came out hot and was delicious!

Pizza Baby East

4.6

4.6 (31)

$30 and under

Pizza Bar

Elizabeth

About the restaurant

We're proud to be an award-winning establishment, having received the Top 50 Pizza for 2024 in US.

Pizza Baby East is the full-service Roman Café and Wine Bar, offering a selection of locally sourced mozzarella, antipasto, a rotating special, and our signature 12" Americana-style pizza inspired by the Eternal City. Everything is baked in-house, meticulously sourced, and clean label!

Located in the Elizabeth neighborhood, we serve pizza by the slice in a rectangular hand-held fashion, using our signature housemade focaccia. If you haven't been to Rome, our pizzas are reminiscent of street-style pizza al taglio.

Top review

Stephen

Dined 7 days ago

Oscar and the team insured our visit to Pizza Baby East was outstanding! Fresh ingredients and well blended tastes made our night out great! First bite will prove to you why they made the top50 list

Reid's Fine Foods

4.5

4.5 (931)

$30 and under

American

SouthPark

About the restaurant

Founded in 1928, Reid's is North Carolina's neighborhood specialty food store offering superior meats, wines, locally grown produce, seasonal fresh meals to a very loyal customer base. The South Park restaurant accommodates Deli Style service for lunch Monday-Saturday and Restaurant Menu service Tuesday-Friday night and all day Saturday and Sunday.
Join us for:
"Almost" 1/2 off steak burgers on Tuesday!
1/2 off wine by the glass on Wednesday!
$10 charcuterie boards on Thursday!
"Special Sips" on Friday - A special wine selected from our wine departments reserved list, changes each week, offered one day only!
1/2 priced restaurant wine bottles (in-house only) on Saturday's!
Sunday Brunch Features 10AM-4PM!
Live Music 6PM-9PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday's!

Top review

LeslieVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Good food. Pleasant waitstaff. Informal, family friendly ambiance. Hard surfaces and amplified live music in small area makes it loud in winter. Ok during nice weather when patio open. Service is slow.

Bakersfield - Charlotte

4.5

4.5 (395)

$30 and under

Mexican

Charlotte

About the restaurant

Tacos. Tequila. Whiskey. Serving up authentic, Mexican street fare, and a selection of over 100 tequilas and American whiskeys. Bakersfield is a spot where the food is simple, the service is warm and the atmosphere is alive.

Top review

Heather

Dined on Dec 8, 2024

Best tacos and margaritas! Highly recommend the brisket queso too! Great service 👏

Explore Diners' Choice best of Charlotte

Explore more Diners' Choice lists