My niece treated me to Kindred for my birthday, and it felt like a true occasion from start to…read morefinish. Set right in downtown Davidson across from Davidson College, the atmosphere strikes that perfect balance--lively but still intimate. The menu evolves frequently, so what we saw differed from what's posted online--but that turned out to be part of the charm. Everything sounded appealing, and choosing wasn't difficult. Our server stood out immediately--deeply knowledgeable and able to walk through each dish with impressive detail, right down to preparation. It's easy to see why Kindred earned "Recommended" status in the inaugural Michelin Guide American South and continues to be recognized for top-tier hospitality and cuisine. We started with the Little Gem lettuce salad--fresh, bright, and elevated by the perfect crunch and subtle richness of pistachios. For my entrée, I had the rigatoni with guanciale, English peas, and pecorino sardo--rich, balanced, and full of flavor without being heavy. A memorable meal all around.

Went to Kindred for the first time today. Great service. From the hostess, to our server to the…read moremanager (Kenny...?) we had a quick chat before walking out. There were 7 of us in our party for a birthday. I will def be back for dinner! and even to just sit at the bar- drinks were great! I had the Oaxaca flocks- mezcal with pineapple concoction. My cousin had something with gin and sage and her husband had an herbaceous drink with bourbon. To eat, We had the pickles, fried oysters, duck fat fries, momo chicken salad and cinnamon rolls! omg so good! I had the shrimp roll- a lobster roll but made with shrimp. Flavorful, light and refreshing! Everyone was happy.

We had another conference in Charlotte this yeat and were excited at the chance to come back to…read morethis gem. They didn't disappoint!! Everything was stellar, from ambiance, to service, to the food. We had some favorites from our first visit and tried a couple of specials for the night and there wasn't a single miss. Porkbelly & Fried Oysters, Tuna Tartare Canolli, Foie Gras, and Lobster Cakes were all delicious, as was the special Civiche. I had a Red Snapper Special served over a delicios Seafood Risotto and we also had a perfect steak. So good. Banana Cream Cheesecake was awesome! Good cocktails, and an excellent wine menu rounded out the visit. While we haven't tried many places in Charlotte, I feel confident it saying this is the best restaurant in the city.

Disclaimer: i ate here for a work dinner and was upstairs in a private room, so I cannot attest to…read morethe ambience of the restaurant and I also don't feel I can fairly rate service either, thus I won't be including those aspects in my review. The food: we were served salads and focaccia to start. The side salad was nice, and I enjoyed the creamy vinaigrette and fresh vegetables. The focaccia was warm and beautifully salted. We were also given cheese platters, and I enjoyed the addition of honeycomb on the platter. I opted for the filet mignon, medium rare, with polenta and roasted carrots. The filet was served medium well, and even with the Stilton crust it was flavorless and desperately needed some salt. The thyme polenta was also missing the thyme, and even more desperately needed salt and just any sort of flavor. An unflavored polenta can taste like boiled water and I found that to be the case with theirs. The carrots tasted lovely with the Madeira Demi glace, but were unfortunately raw. I opted for the banana cheesecake for dessert, and while it wasn't my favorite, I think it was executed nicely. I also tried someone else's coffee ice cream which they pair with beignets, and thoroughly enjoyed that. All in all, a disappointing food experience. For a $62 steak, they missed the mark.

I normally don't leave reviews, but after what I witnessed tonight, I felt like I had to say…read moresomething. My husband and I were seated near a table that spent almost the entire evening talking down to one of the servers -- the taller guy with the tattoos down his left arm. From where we were sitting, he stayed calm, polite, and professional the whole time, even while being interrupted, snapped at, and spoken to disrespectfully over things that honestly weren't even his fault. At one point I genuinely felt embarrassed for the people at that table because of how rude and entitled they were acting in public. Meanwhile, this server kept handling everything with patience and a good attitude when most people probably would've walked away. I just wanted management to know that the server handled himself incredibly well last night, and as another customer in the room, I thought he deserved recognition instead of the treatment he got.

Walked into The Crunkleton after a musical event -- second visit -- and it once again delivered…read morethat elevated, grown‑luxury comfort vibe. Their burger isn't just a burger; it's a whole moment. Thoughtfully crafted, beautifully presented, and seasoned like someone in the kitchen has standards.It's unforgettable in that "I could absolutely make this a signature stop" kind of way. Warm atmosphere, polished service, and a plate that proves they know how to turn simple into exceptional.

Had a special occasion to celebrate so we made reservations here for a Sunday evening dinner at…read more6:30. Arriving earlier than expected, we walked upstairs and were warmly greeted and immediately sat at our table. Our server Krystal too great care of us the whole evening. We decided to split a bottle of wine and the hardest part about the menu was deciding. Krystal made some interjections and recommendations while we had decisions paralysis, but ended up going with the Shrimp St Thomas, arugula salad, veal melanese, house chop salad and Scottish Salmon. Everything was delicious! There was warm bread with beans while settling in and we decided on a lemocello martini as our dessert. Krystal did come out with a piece of lemon cake with a candle for the birthday celebration and perfect way to end the evening. Overall the restaurant seemed like we had the place to ourselves and the bar area was busy but all we could hear was indistinguishable chatter and laughs. I can see this place being crazy when it's peak, but I loved the fact that our quiet birthday celebration was nice and intimate.

This is a great spot for a special occasion; excellent service and high-quality food in a cozy…read moresetting.

Our second time at North Italia was also spectacular! We had a group of 8 in town and made a…read morereservation for 7pm on a Saturday evening. It was super busy, so I believe that a reservation is needed for the weekend, especially for larger groups. The vibe is a bit darker and moodier but with natural lighting- perfect for a date night but not limited to that. The espresso martinis, cocktails, beer, and mocktails were all delicious. They have amazing espresso martinis and aperol spritzes. The only dishes that I tried included the white truffle garlic bread, Sunday night lasagna, and the hot honey prosciutto pizza. Everything was delicious. A special shoutout to the Sunday night lasagna - WOW it was perfect. I'm usually not a huge lasagna person, but this changed that. I would 100% recommend this. Since we were celebrating my birthday with our parents, they were kind enough to give me a free dessert. I chose the salted caramel budino, and it was amazing. I would definitely recommend this as a dessert. Overall, we had a great experience! I would definitely come back.

Review for North Italia…read more has absolutely become one of my staples in Charlotte.** It's located in the heart of South End--a trendy, energetic neighborhood with beautiful outdoor dining--and one of the biggest perks here is easy parking, which, as any Charlotte diner knows, is always a win. Inside, the restaurant is gorgeous. Think large, comfortable booths, warm lighting, fresh flowers, and a lively but polished atmosphere. I always make a reservation through OpenTable--I'm too old to be waiting around to eat, and I might as well rack up some points and perks while I'm at it. One of the things I appreciate most about North Italia is their seasonal menu. It keeps the experience fresh and thoughtful, and you can tell the kitchen is paying attention to ingredients and timing. I usually start with a glass of wine-- a sparkling rosé or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc--something cold, clean, and refreshing. Bubbles are always a good option for me. They serve a delicious focaccia at the table, which I sometimes indulge in, but the dish that truly stands out--the one I still dream about--was a seasonal ravioli with butternut squash and crispy sage. It was beautifully balanced, comforting, and memorable in the best way. Other favorites: * The Caesar salad--perfectly dressed * The arancini and calamari--always solid starters * The pizzas, especially the cacio e pepe * And yes, the desserts are absolutely worth saving room for Brunch here is also a lovely experience. Sitting on the patio, eating alfresco on a sunny Sunday, reminds me so much of what I loved about California--being outdoors, enjoying great food, and taking your time. Thankfully, there's plenty of shade, so it's comfortable even on warm days. They do offer a happy hour. It's not the most extensive in town, but it's perfectly fine for drinks, a pizza, or a charcuterie board with friends after work. What keeps me coming back: * Consistently good service * Clean, beautiful space * Thoughtful seasonal dishes * Easy parking * Reliable quality Yes, it's a bit upscale--but it's approachable, welcoming, and dependable. And when a chef takes the time to create seasonal dishes that appeal to diners with curious palates, that deserves recognition. Bottom line: A polished, reliable favorite in South End that delivers great food, beautiful ambiance, and a consistently enjoyable dining experience.

You need to rename the pretzel the Bigfoot pretzel!!! That and the onion rings were the only items…read moreordered by drone due to the weight limit although the drone never showed up and ruined a really exciting fun moment during a party event yesterday the ginormous pretzel with tasty dipping sauces, and huge, homemade heavenly onion rings that was delivered by a Dasher ended up being incredibly delicious. Thank you. It turned a very disappointing situation bearable to say the least.. will definitely order again !!

Brought my staff here for lunch. Staff were friendly and accommodating. Food came out in a timely…read moremanner. Note: 3 ppl order Truffle fries and they could not finish them due to being too salty. No one said anything to not to complain and no servers asked if everything is ok either. But it seems Truffle salt is being used. Tweaking that can be awesome. My only feedback is that the drink menu makes it seem like you only have a few drinks, even though you have a full bar. It may be helpful to place a variety of cocktails on the menu besides tequila and vodka.

I highly recommend!!…read more They were welcoming when I walked in and attentive. I only ordered a slice of cheese from them because this was my first time at this pizzeria. The setting and ambience is very intimate and perfect for a family dinner, date night or a solo meal! After I look forward to returning and trying some more items on the menu, I definitely enjoy that slice of cheese pizza!! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

We had high expectations for this place but sadly it didn't deliver. It's a small restaurant tucked…read morein the corner of a strip of stores. We were seated right away, for a late lunch on a Sunday, which was great. We ordered the caprese salad. I was highly disappointed with it. The tomatoes were hard and tasteless and it barely had any balsamic dressing on it. Our entrees were a meat pizza and chicken alfredo. The pizza which just ok. It had very little sauce with that had no flavor. The chicken Alfredo was pretty good. Our salad came quickly but the food took awhile.

This was our second time having lunch here. Overall, and extremely enjoyable experience. Prada was…read moreour waitress and she was very friendly and knowledgeable regarding the menu. We ordered onion rings, strawberry and goat cheese salad, parmesan, garlic wings, and Fish Tacos. All delicious; however, my husband had the Fish Tacos and he said next time he'll order the chicken sandwich only because the tacos probably wasn't as filling as he wanted it to be, but the taste was fine. He also ordered the chocolate chip dessert and one side seem to be cooked harder than the other. He's not a complainer and he did ask if that was normal. Prada said she'll be glad to talk to the chef about it. My husband ate the whole thing anyway. He ordered that in our first visit. It was baked evenly then and so good he ordered it again this time. Prada addressed our concerns and resolved to our satisfaction. Customer Service so far has been top-notch here. My husband also got one of the beers. Honestly, I can't remember which one it was but he said it was very good. I'm unsure how parking would be if we tried to come directly here. I was able to use my membership parking privileges at the Ymca after a workout and the walk was super close and easy..

What's not to love about the recently re-opened Heist Brewery in NODA? The beer is delightful,…read moreclean, and crisp. The food is expertly prepared and compliments the beer perfectly. The service (shoutout to our waiter/bartender peanut) was friendly, conversational, and well executed. The Parmesan garlic fries were fried well and had good flavor, but could've use a little more flavor from oil or seasoning. The onion rings were nearly perfect and my friend said they were the best she's ever had. The buffalo chicken wrap was spicy, sweet, and tangy from sauces, giving it a wonderful complex collection of flavors. The Greek flatbread was good but could've use have done with more meat and less feta and tzatziki. The balance was off, but I think they could perfect it if they gave it a try.