We’ve come to the end of another year – a delicious food year!
As 2017 comes to a close, we’re reflecting on the best meals locals ate in Charlotte.Â
There’s no denying the fact that there are a number of fantastic dining options in the Queen City. “Where should I eat” is a popular question here at Scoop… so we’ve asked a few of our favorite locals about the best meal they ate this year.
Note: The information is listed in alphabetical order by individual’s first name, not in order of taste.
 Gallery Restaurant, photo by Jess Bentley
Andrew & Liz Porter
Owners of Charlotte-based distillery, Doc Porter’s
“We rarely get a night out without the kiddos, so we keep a list of places we’re dying to try. Haberdish was at the top of the list for a long time and when we finally made it, it did not disappoint”.
Their Pick:Â Haberdish
The Food: Haberdish is a great spot to visit with a large group of friends. On the evening of their visit, the Porters ended up ordering just about everything on the menu and shared. Their top favorites: Chicken Tenders, Kale Salad, Mac & Cheese, Bread Pudding, Deviled Eggs and Trout.
The Drinks: Great cocktail list and they feature Doc Porter’s, which is a bonus!
Favorite Part: “Ambiance at Haberdish is relaxed and friendly, which is very much our speed but I would say the food and cocktails definitely put the night over the top,” Liz said.
General Tidbits:Â “The servers at Haberdish are so cool and made great recommendations. Props to Colleen Hughes on curating an incredible, well-rounded cocktail list that includes locally made products,” expressed Liz.
Haberdish, photo by Jess Bentley
Haberdish, photo by Jess Bentley
Chris Bateman
Executive Chef at Aria Tuscan GrillÂ
“The place itself is very unassuming. Looks like just another ethnic spot in a strip mall, but I swear I left there determined to learn how to cook authentic Indian food”.
His Pick: Hyderbadi Biryani House
The Food: “They have a small buffet… and everything was jaw-dropping good. I believe they change up what goes out, but I remember having Tikka Masala, Butter Chicken, Chili Chicken, Tandori, about 3 different preparations of Jasmine rice, fresh Naan, Lentils, and about 2 or 3 vegetarian tofu options. One of the highlights for me was an okra side dish with spices and cilantro”, noted Bateman.
Favorite Part: “The best part about it all was after all the delicious Indian food my girlfriend and I could eat the bill was a total of $21”, said Bateman.
General Tidbits: Bateman visited this restaurant for their buffet lunch. This establishment also offer a full menu guests can choose from for lunch and dinner.
Photo via Hyderabadi Biryani House Facebook
Chris Coleman
Executive Chef at Stoke Charlotte
“I am in love every time I eat at Stagioni. Chef Andrew Dodd and his team turn out balanced, thoughtful, tasty, and soul-comforting plates every single time”.
His Pick: Stagioni
The Food:Â “Must haves are always the meatballs, octopus, and Brussels sprouts pizza. This particular trip they had an old-school Chicken Parm that tasted like my childhood,” expressed Coleman.
General Tidbits:Â Chris and his wife, Ashely, usually order 3 -4 rounds, enjoying 1 or 2 plates at a time. This creates an impromptu multi-coursed meal that’s casual and fun.
Photo via Stagioni Facebook
Frank Scibelli
Restaurateur and Owner of FS Food Group
“I am very fortunate to dine at a lot of amazing restaurants in the Charlotte community and beyond. I am always biased and proud of my teams at FSFG, beyond that it’s a toss up between Del Friscos and The Palm”.
His Pick: The Palm
The Food: Scibelli’s favorite is The Palm’s Veal Parmesan. He will often start with Gigi’s Salad and finish his meal with a piece of Carrot Cake.
General Tidbits: “I love to experience their warmth and hospitality,” expressed Scibelli.
Photo via The Palm Facebook
Jack Arnold
Backyard BBQ Specialist behind @jackarnold
“Our favorite part was without a doubt the amazing colors in front of us… this was yet more proof that we eat with our eyes first”.
His Pick: eeZ Fusion & Sushi
The Food: Jack recommends the Tropical Storm with additional ahi, salmon and hamachi sashimi. Note: make sure to check out our full Scoop Review of eeZ Fusion & Sushi from earlier this year! Disclaimer: do not read hungry.
General Tidbits:Â This eatery offers more plates than your average Sushi restaurant, specializing in Japanese and Asian inspired plates like Pork Belly and Kimchi Friend Rice, Ramen bowls and Shishito Peppers.
Photo via Jack Arnold
Matt Yarmey
Owner of Pure Intentions CoffeeÂ
“Our favorite part of the experience was the warmth and attentiveness of the service staff, their knowledge of and assistance with the menu, and the overall comfortable ambiance of the main dining room. This is a spot that just as easily could serve for an amazing date night as it did for our spontaneous Sunday afternoon getaway. The building is tucked off the main road, so you avoid the hustle-and-bustle of South Boulevard, but it is still convenient enough that it’s immediately jumped up my list of regular spots”.
His Pick: Dilworth Tasting RoomÂ
The Food: “Our meal began with a simple Market Salad made with perfectly seasoned and roasted root vegetables over a spring mix. We complimented this with a classic bruschetta that was nicely portioned – not too bready, well put together, very fresh and easy to share”, noted Yarmey. For their main course, they enjoyed the Espana Flatbread, which is composed of Spanish chorizo, manchego and arugula.
General Tidbits:Â “We ended the meal with an expertly prepared double espresso, a perfect way to finish a warm, light, soothing meal on a chilly afternoon”, expressed Yarmey. He also noted that he cannot wait to go back to try the Charcuterie and Cheese offerings.
 Photo via Dilworth Tasting Room
 Photo via Dilworth Tasting Room
Nikki Wolfe
Community Director, Yelp CharlotteÂ
“I think this experience really illustrates the power of a good meal… how sharing amazing food and drinks can bring people together”.
Her Pick: Kindred
The Food:Â During her visit, Nikki sampled a little bit of every item on Kindred’s exquisite menu. “You know it’s a damn good meal when you can’t even single out a certain dish as the best. It was all incredible”, shares Wolfe. Every table starts with a loaf of their signature Milk Bread and dishes are served tapas style, which are designed for sharing. Note: a few of my personal favorites are the duck fat potatoes, crispy oysters and finishing with the chocolate birthday cake.
General Tidbits: “We did the chef’s table downstairs next to the kitchen. If you’ve never done a chef’s table, it’s such a cool experience”, explained Wolfe. One of her favorite memories of the night was watching the action in the kitchen. They even ended up buying a bottle of prosecco for the kitchen as a thank you for the great experience.
Photo of Milkbread Cinnamon Roll via Nikki Wolfe
Rich Moyer
Co-owner of Two Scoops Creamery and Hoppin’
“It’s a perfect fit for the area and the burger was one of the best burgers I’ve ever had”.
His Pick: Foxcroft Wine Co.Â
The Food:Â Foxcroft’s Burger comes with grilled onion, tomato, pea shoots, aioli and your choice of cheddar or blue cheese. They also offer beef and lamb sliders, which are highly recommended.
General Tidbits: “The space is a cool spot with tons of wine all over… small bar area and minimal tables. Very good for a date night or a glass of wine with friends and good conversation. The bartender was very knowledgeable about wine and they even had a few beer options”, noted Moyer.
 Photo via Foxcroft Wine Co. Facebook
Stephen TothÂ
General Manager at Dot Dot DotÂ
“This was my old stomping ground however I must say… I was treated like a king. The service from Sal was wonderful as well”.
His Pick: The Gallery Restaurant at The Ballantyne Hotel & Lodge
The Food:Â Stephen had a full four-course feast designed by The Gallery’s culinary team. Here are the details.
1st Course – Hudson Valley Foie Gras featuring bruleed fig, woodford reserve sassafras bitters, baby pear, puffed sorghum, and brioche.
2nd Course – Scallop & Local Grits boosting a andouille sausage cream, basil oil, & crispy mangaliseta ham.
“The grits were incredible! Had a light smoked flavor to them most likely from the andouille”, notes Toth.
3rd Course – 32oz Tomahawk Steak with a cognac glace, jumbo asparagus with black truffle, and mac & cheese.
“The mac & cheese had braised short rib, smoked gouda, and a white cheddar mornay sauce”, Toth cheered.
4th Course – Apple Cider Donut Tart.
“This was amazing like an adult version of cinnamon toast crunch (my favorite cereal). It had vanilla sable, frangipane, apple compote, Valrhona Dulcey creme, sorghum chantilly granola, cider gel, and vanilla ice cream. A lot of hard to pronounce words but it was awesome. I hardly ever eat dessert and I was in love with it”, expressed Toth.
General Tidbits: I would personally have to agree with Stephen and note that The Gallery Restaurant was my own pick for my favorite meal of 2017. The service is top notch, and the food is absolutely breathtaking. If you haven’t visited this fine establishment yet, you’re truly missing out.
 Photo from Jess Bentley’s visit to Gallery Restaurant
 Photo from Jess Bentley’s visit to Gallery Restaurant
Troy Gagliardo
TV Personality, Cookbook Author & Executive Chef at Wu’s Cajun Sea Food
” The bustling dining room, close friends, cold drinks and sharing a table full of food… food is so social and what is more social than breaking bread together with friends”.
His Pick: Wu’s Cajun Sea FoodÂ
The Food: A few of chef’s favorites include his kale salad, cajun fried crab roll, bbq shrimp, kung pao cauliflower, sushi rice tuna poke, crawfish boil, boudin gator balls, kimchi lemon butter fried calamari.
Chef’s Notes: “It is rare to step out of the kitchen and eat at your own place. I try and make it a point to occasionally take an evening off and be a “regular” guest in our dining room. I mean really get the experience. Drive to the location, park, walk-in the front door, be greeted by the hostess, have a cocktail while waiting for a table, sitting down, be greeted by the service team, get a menu presentation, ask for recommendations and order off the menu. It is the different way to gauge what is really going on. It is one thing to prepare plates for guests in the heat of the battle, but to sit down and get the end result, in real time with the real vibe and atmosphere… is priceless”, explained Gagliardo.
Photo via Jess Bentley
Wes Tolentino
Fashion & content creator behind @wescalifa and www.dadandaflower.com
“Pho Nam is a small Vietnamese spot in Cornelius… nothing fancy just genuine great Vietnameae food! It’s truly a hidden gem”.
His Pick: Pho Nam
The Food: “The best meal in 2017 would have to be Pho Nam’s Spicy Satay Noodle soup. This soup is super rich, it touches my soul. I crave it at least once a week”, noted Tolentino.
General Tidbits: Pho used to be Tolentino’s favorite, until he tried this hearty soup. Its spicy, but not overpowering, and comes with cool sliced cucumbers. Tolentino recommends  ordering it “dac  biet”, which means “special” and comes with every meat on the menu.
 Photo by Wes Tolentino
 Photo by Wes Tolentino
