If you’re like us, lunch time is the shining beacon of light in your work day, the mid-day relief you’re counting down to from the moment you fire up your laptop in the morning.
Those of you who work uptown have undoubtedly walked by the inviting patio of Angeline’s restaurant, located in the new Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel, while on the hunt for lunch. Didn’t you wish you could pull up a chair, nosh on some of Angeline’s tasty pizzas and do a little people watching during your cherished hour-long reprieve?
Well, now you can. You’ve seen the drool-worthy Instagram posts of Angeline’s dinner and breakfast offerings and now you can have their pastas, pizzas, and main dishes for lunch too. Not only are they are serving some of your dinner menu favorites, but they’ve also added some new sandwiches and lunch-sized plates that are offered exclusively on weekdays between 11:30 am and 2:00 pm.
We had the opportunity to experience Angeline’s for lunch and we’re sharing our experience and some of the tasty lunch dishes we tried.
The Digs:
First of all, the new hotel lobby is gorgeous. You can stroll through the beautiful lobby (which we recommend) or enter Angeline’s directly from the 3rd Street, ground-level entrance. The day we visited it was a little too cold for the patio, so we ate inside (but we are counting down to warmer temps and a chance to return so we can nibble on a Queen’s Chop Salad, sip some iced tea and watch the world go by).
As we made our way to our table, we were in awe of the chandeliers in the dining room. The modern decor is classy but very on-trend. As a sidenote, Angeline’s has a room off of the main dining room available for private dining and it is adorable. This is the perfect space for a rehearsal dinner or business meeting.
The Appetizers:
Once we sat down, we started with two appetizers, the Whipped Ricotta, and Prosciutto and Melon.
The sweet and savory combination of prosciutto and melon is a classic one, but Angeline’s takes it one delectable step further with compressed melon. If you’re wondering what compressed fruit is, read about it here.
Angeline’s Whipped Ricotta appetizer is a favorite on from their dinner menu, so we were excited to see that they are also offering this light, fluffy cheesy goodness on their weekday lunch menu.
The Pasta
Next we tried some of Angeline’s handmade pasta. Made in-house, these perfect papperdelle noodles were covered with delicious bolognese, and crispy guanciale. This was probably our favorite course, and perfect for these lingering chilly days that call for something warm and comforting.
The Sandwiches
Not into pasta as a lunch dish? We think the portion of the pappardelle was perfect for lunch, but Angeline’s also offers a variety of sandwiches. Options range from the light Vegetarian Wrap (with Roasted Cauliflower, Olive Tapenade, and Broccolini on Flour Tortilla) to the hearty Angeline’s Burger (with Calabrian Chile Aioli, Fig Jam, Arugula, and Fontina). We chose the Italian Grinder with a side Ceasar Salad.
The Next Time
Sometimes, in food blogging, you make some bad choices. Our bad choice on this day was to pass on Angeline’s amazing dessert offerings. We were so full from our multi-course lunch that day, but we are still kicking ourselves for not making a little more room for a treat. Next time, we will definitely be trying Angeline’s Zeppoles with Buttermilk Ice Cream,and Cinnamon Sugar or Chocolate Cake with Smoked Sea Salt Ganache, and Fernet Cherry.
We just suppose that means we’ll have to go back very soon (and get the pizza next time too!). Perhaps, next time we will make it a late lunch and then make our way to the hotel’s rooftop bar, Merchant & Trade. Merchant & Trade opens at 4:30pm and offers an amazing view and extensive selection of much-needed cocktails, beer and wine to end your workday.
Haley and Carly are sisters, friends, working moms, 30-somethings, and Charlotte natives. We blog about all things Charlotte, from food to family-friendly events. After years of moving around, Haley has settled in South End, and Carly in Davidson.
Blog: cltbests.com Instagram: @cltbests
