I’m eating my way through Charlotte’s Brussels sprout hotspots. Here are my early rankings.

Specifically, I had try its warm Brussels sprouts Caesar salad.

Essex Bar and Bistro

So I went, and I did, and it was delicious.

I texted Sarah a picture of my the Caesar salad. (Don’t all friends text each other pictures of salads?)

She started rhapsodizing about the beauty of Brussels sprouts.

Turns out, Essex has the third best Brussels sprouts dish in Charlotte.

Neighborhood: Uptown
Preparation: Warm Brussels Caesar
Ranking: #3
Neighborhood Honorable Mentions: Capital Grille, Stoke

And so a night dedicated to Brussels sprouts was born.

We would go to the other five best locations (Essex having been already sampled), and bask in the glory of Brussels sprouts.

I live a very exciting life.

Futo Buta

I love Futo Buta, and our Brussels sprouts experience did not disappoint. It was crispy and delicious and it moved on its own accord. (I have video. It’s a thing.) We paired it with a sake flight. Yum!

Neighborhood: South End
Preparation: Fried Brussels sprouts with sweet soy, bonito and salt
Ranking: #6
Neighborhood Honorable Mentions: Luciano’s, Sullivans

Fern

Oh Fern, you are so pretty on a spring night, and your Brussels sprouts are my personal favorite. That’s right: This was my winner. Our friend, David, described the dish as “The Reese’s Pieces of Brussels sprouts,” which was both wildly inaccurate and totally correct.

Neighborhood: Dilworth
Preparation: Roasted Brussels sprouts tossed in peanut sauce with lime salt and cilantro
Ranking: #5
Neighborhood Honorable Mention: Kid Cashew

Bistro La Bon

Next up was Bistro La Bon. We drank prosecco! We saw the mayor there! We ate French Brussels sprouts! I lounged on the couch and felt fancy!

Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Preparation: Pan Fried with Corn Veloute
Ranking: #4
Neighborhood Honorable Mention: Soul Gastrolounge

Vivace

At Vivace, I took a few bites of Brussels sprouts and then felt compelled to take a startlingly large number of pictures including but not limited to selfies.

Did I Instagram? I did.

Neighborhood: Midtown/Metropolitan
Restaurant: Vivace
Preparation: Brussels sprouts with shaved granny smith apple, smoked pancetta, apple infused butter and brown butter chili pecans
Ranking: #2
Neighborhood Honorable Mention: Pisces

Foxcroft Wine Co. 

And then it was time for Foxcroft Wine. According to Sarah these are the best Brussels sprouts in Charlotte. Number one on her list. The tip of the top. Gold-star and blue-ribbon winning. (You get what I’m saying here. She really likes these Brussels sprouts.)

And since I had killed my dish at Fern and was totally full, I was like, “How many Brussels sprouts are too many brussels sprouts? Oh man, I’m not sure I can do this.” But I am a champion. A Brussels sprouts warrior. And so I could, and I did. (And it was really good.)

Neighborhood: Dilworth
Preparation: Caramelized Brussels sprouts with squash, chili and peanuts
Ranking: #1