10 classic dishes that every Charlottean should try at least once

(1) Asian glazed pork belly tacos at Soul Gastrolounge

Details: The Asian pork belly tacos are served on flour tortillas with watermelon salsa ($12).

(2) Cheeseburger “all the way” at Brooks’ Sandwich House

Where: It’s the tiny red building in a gravel parking lot about 200 yards from Heist Brewery in NoDa.

Don’t forget: It’s cash only and they have no seats (standing tables out back). Oh, and don’t forget that they also serve breakfast.

First timers: Order it “all the way” which means your cheeseburger will have chili, mustard and onion on it ($4.25)

(3) Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Carpe Diem

Details: Served with Yukon gold mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach and shallot-black pepper gravy ($21).

Kind of a big deal: It’s got its own Facebook page.

Famous salad: Carpe Diem’s grilled grape salad is arguably the #1 salad in Charlotte.

(4) Cripsy Oysters at Kindred

Creators: Joe and Katy Kindred, a marvelous young couple with three children. Joe and Katy recently debuted their second restaurant, Hello, Sailor.

Details: Kindred’s crispy oysters are served with dill yogurt and Calabrian chile oil ($15)

(5) Salted Caramel Brownie at Amelie’s

Sales: Amélie’s has sold over 1.8 million salted caramel brownies in the past five years or so. They’ve also developed a gluten free “SCB” as insiders call it.

What to expect: Gooey on top, crunchy on the bottom.

(6) Fried Chicken at South End’s Shell Gas Station

Details: Yes, it’s from a gas station. When you walk in, you’ll spot the fried chicken in the glass case on the left. It’s packed during the lunch rush, for obvious reasons.

(7) Nachos at Sabor

Details: tortilla chips with refried or black beans, queso, lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole and your choice of protein ($7.95)

(8) Steamed Bun at Good Food

Inside the bun: Five Spice-rubbed pork belly, hoisin, and pickled vegetables ($10). You’ll get two per order.

Small plates: Go with an intimate group of friends (or a hot date) and share a ton of small plates. You’ll probably need two to four small plates per person. It ends up being an expensive dinner, but worth it.

(9) Elk Chop at Fig Tree

Details: Fig Tree’s famous grilled New Zealand Elk Chop is served over horseradish spaetzle with smoked bacon-braised purple cabbage and boursin-dijon sauce ($44)

(10) BBQ Chicken at Rooster’s

It’s the sauce stupid: You’ll want to lick the sauce off of your plate.