Updated Aug 7, 2025 - Food and Drink

Complete list and map of Charlotte's 30+ local breweries, plus the most popular beer at each

Laura Barrero

rooftop bar at Sycamore — Sycamore rooftop in South End. Photo: Andy Weber/Axios

Here's a guide to breweries in Charlotte and what to order at each.

Why it matters: Breweries are everywhere — our airport, the mall, inside food halls and in nearly every neighborhood. In short, you can't come to Charlotte without visiting one of our breweries.

What we're watching: Distro Beer Hub, a beer hall that'll house four North Carolina breweries, will open soon in South End.

Go deeper: 12 best breweries in Charlotte

Armored Cow Brewing Co.

Armored Cow's 3,500-square-foot taproom has 18 taps offering up a mix of both regular and gluten-free beer.

Stop by: University City at 8821 JW Clay Blvd.

Sip on this: Bang Bang, a hazy IPA made with El Dorado hops along with Mosaic and Citra hops (7.3% ABV).

Armored Cow Brewery Interior — Fun fact: Andrew Kalinoski, former head brewer at Sycamore Brewing, is the brains behind Armored Cow. Photo: Axios archives

Birdsong Brewing Company

Birdsong’s 30-barrel brewhouse and taproom opened in 2011 and has since become a go-to for unfiltered, American-style ale.

Stop by: Belmont neighborhood, 1016 N. Davidson St.

The vibe: Expect a laid-back neighborhood feel. They have a nice patio space for warm days.

Sip on this: Higher Ground IPA, a West Coast-inspired IPA made with grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors (7% ABV).

brewery patio with picnic tables and dogs — Photo: Courtesy of Birdsong

Brewers at 4001 Yancey

The 28,000-square-foot space houses four distinct brewing companies all under one roof. You’ll find Sixpoint, Victory Brewing Company, Southern Tier and Bold Rock Cider.

Stop by: 4001 Yancey Road in Lower South End (LoSo)

The vibe: Lively without feeling overwhelming.

Sip on this: Golden Monkey, a Belgian-style Tripel with banana and cloves by Victory Brewing (9.5% ABV).

Go deeper: 16 things to do in Lower South End

patio at Brewers at Yancey — Brewers at 4001 Yancey has a heated patio. Photo: Emma Way/Axios

Burial Beer Co.

The Asheville-based brewery is an established name in the beer community and is widely regarded as one of the top breweries in the country.

Stop by: 1214–1216 Thomas Ave. in Plaza Midwood

The vibe: The taproom and rooftop patio have a retro-yet-edgy feel with a display of old-school speakers lining the tap wall and a small selection of vinyl in the bottle shop.

Sip on this: The Heavenly Atmosphere of Unrelenting Nothingness, an imperial stout with flavors of hazelnut, cocoa nibs, toasted coconut, vanilla bean and sea salt (14% ABV).

Burial Beer Plaza Midwood — The bar at Burial Beer in Plaza Midwood. Photo: Axios archives

Divine Barrel Brewing

Owner Ben Dolphens describes Divine Barrel's beer as a "good mixture of different experiments" that take on classic styles.

Stop by: 3701 North Davidson St. in NoDa

The vibe: Rustic and industrial-style taproom.

Sip on this: Carolina Cobbler, a peach cobbler pastry sour (6% ABV).

outside of divine barrel brewing — Divine Barrel Brewing in NoDa. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Edge City Brewery

Choose from a rotating selection of New England IPAs, sours, pilsners, lagers, wheat beers and stouts.

Stop by: 6209 Old Post Road

The vibe: The taproom is mid-century modern with a touch of bohemian, and the patio is dog-friendly.

Sip on this: Foggy Bottom Boi, a "juicy" New England-style IPA (6.5% ABV).

Fonta Flora Brewery

Fonta Flora has three locations — the flagship brewery in Morganton, its production facility/taproom in Nebo and the taproom in Optimist Hall.

Stop by: 1115 North Brevard St., on the ground floor of Optimist Hall

The vibe: In addition to the 50 to 70 varieties of craft beer brewed each year, the Optimist Hall taproom has spiked seltzer, wine, hard cider and a few sodas for non-beer drinkers.

Sip on this: Triple Hop Beard, a West Coast-style IPA hopped with Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe (10% ABV).

Fonta Flora Optimist Hall — Fun fact: Fonta Flora gets its name from a small farming community in western North Carolina. Photo: Axios archives

Free Range Brewing

Find the cozy taproom across the parking lot from Amélie's in Villa Heights. There are regular music performances, an occasional market and a menu full of dynamic beers.

Stop by: 2320 N. Davidson St. in Villa Heights

The vibe: The taproom has a casual farmhouse aesthetic.

Sip on this: Cream of the Crop, a Carolina cream ale (5% ABV).

Free Range Brewery interior — Fun fact: Free Range is owned by brothers Jeff and Jason Alexander, who were raised in eastern North Carolina. Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios

Gilde

It's one of Germany's oldest breweries.

Stop by: 3530 Dewitt Lane in Lower South End

The vibe: Stepping inside feels like you're inside an authentic German beer hall.

Sip on this: Gilde Pilsener, a traditional German lager, is the flagship beer (4.8% ABV).

Go deeper: Long-awaited German brewery Gilde opens in LoSo

Heist is one of the city's original breweries. Its NoDa taproom (2909 N. Davidson St.) is closed for repairs following a fire last summer but is expected to reopen this year. It'll also have a stall at the Distro Beer Hub.

Stop by: Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts is located near Camp North End at 1064 Woodward Ave.

The vibe: Heist Brewery & Barrel Arts is a 26,000-square-foot brewery and taproom that has a covered beer garden, bakeshop, two event spaces and a separate area for the barrel-aging program.

Sip on this: Citraquench’l, a hazy IPA that’s brewed and double dry-hopped with all Citra hops (7.1% ABV).

outside-heist-brewery-and-barrel-arts — Brewpub vibe: Think industrial meets old pub. Heist is no-frills, just good food and beer. Photo: Axios archives

Hi-Wire Brewing

The Asheville-based brewery has an 8,743-square-foot taproom with a large roll-up garage door for indoor-outdoor access.

Stop by: 330 W. Tremont Ave. in South End

The vibe: Fun and approachable— catch an aerial arts performance here by Cirque du Biere.

Sip on this: Mountain Water, one of the flagship ales that's bright and citrusy with flavors of lemon and lime (4.5% ABV).

Hi-wire brewing — The interior is covered in vibrant murals by local artist Ian The Painter. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Hopfly Brewing Co.

Hopfly occupies the former home of Unknown Brewing Co., which was acquired by the Rocky Mount-based brewery in 2021. After undergoing extensive renovations, Hopfly opened in February of 2022.

Stop by: 1327 S. Mint St. in South End

The vibe: Vibrant and modern, a go-to spot for Charlotte FC post- and pre-games.

Sip on this: Crunchtime, a light lager with crisp and clean tasting notes (4.5% ABV).

Hopfly Brewing — Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

LaBARatory

LaBARatory is a brewery and soju distillery by the same owners as Seoul Food Meat Co.

Stop by: 2315 N. Davidson St. inside the Urban District Market.

The vibe: Step inside the food hall, grab a drink from the bar and take it to nearby Seoul Food Meat Co.

Go deeper: Everything there is to eat, see and do at Urban District Market

Legion Brewing

Legion Brewing has established a network of breweries around the city with locations in Plaza Midwood, SouthPark and West Morehead.

Stop by: Plaza Midwood, 1906 Commonwealth Ave., SouthPark, 4350 Congress St., West Morehead, 2013 W. Morehead St.

The vibe: Legion’s OG location in Plaza has a cozy neighborhood vibe while its SouthPark and West Morehead spots are much more open.

Sip on this: Juicy Jay, an East Coast IPA brewed with Mosaic, El Dorado and Cascade hops for a tropical taste (6.3% ABV).

main-bar-legion-brewing-southpark-charlotte-nc — Legion Brewing SouthPark. Photo: Axios archives

Lenny Boy Brewing Co.

A one-stop shop for not just traditional ales and lagers but also organic kombucha, gluten-free wild ales, sours and more in a setting good for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

Stop by: 3000 South Tryon St. in South End

The vibe: On weekends, the outdoor space feels like a backyard cookout with live music and food trucks.

Sip on this: Citraphelia, an IPA made with Citra hops (6.4% ABV).

Lost Worlds Brewing

Similar to its original taproom at 19700-D One Norman Blvd. near Lake Norman, Lost Worlds Charlotte serves craft beer in an archaeology-inspired setting.

Stop by: Metropolitan, 1100 Metropolitan Ave.

The vibe: It has an exploration theme and overlooks Little Sugar Creek Greenway.

Sip on this: Euchre Golden Ale (3.8% ABV), which earned the brewery an award from the North Carolina Brewers Cup.

walking trail with signs that point toward brewery — Photo: Courtesy of Lost Worlds Brewery

Lower Left Brewing Co.

Lower Left has a seven-barrel, custom-made brewhouse and 900-square-foot taproom. The building has four garage doors, which open to an outdoor patio.

Stop by: 4528 Nations Crossing Road in LoSo.

Sip on this: Expect four to six core beers available year-round including at least one New England IPA, tropical IPA, American pale ale, blonde ale, amber ale, and a porter or stout.

outside of Lower Left Brewing Co. — Photo: Axios archives

Middle James Brewing

Middle James Brewing's two-story space, which used to be a golf clubhouse, is behind The Golf Village and features 24 taps, a food menu and a shaded deck overlooking the putting green.

Location: 400 North Polk St. in Pineville

Sip on this: Hour Mark, the flagship IPA that's brewed with El Dorado, Comet and Azacca hops (7% ABV).

Middle James Brewing lager — Fun fact: Middle James is Pineville's first brewery. Photo: Axios archives

Monday Night Brewing

Housed in a converted auto garage on the corner of Rampart Street, the Atlanta-based, 8,000-square-foot brewery and distillery is known for its expansive beer menu, cocktails and Neapolitan pizzas.

Stop by: 2217 S. Tryon St. in South End

Sip on this: Blind Pirate, a blood orange IPA the brewery describes as a “juicy hop bomb” (7.4% ABV).

Go deeper: See inside Monday Night Brewing

NoDa Brewing Company

The brewery is known for its year-round staples like Jam Session and seasonal batches like Gordgeous.

Stop by: NoDa, 2921 N. Tryon St. and Villa Heights

Its Villa Heights taproom at 2229 N. Davidson St. is exclusively an event venue.

The vibe: It's a go-to for weekend activities — keep up with events here.

Stop by: Hop Drop 'n Roll, a 2014 World Beer Cup Gold Award Winner made with English, American, Vienna and wheat malts (7.2% ABV).

mural on og noda brewing charlotte — In addition to beer, they also have craft spiked seltzer on tap. Photo: Axios archives

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

This quintessential Charlotte brewery is home to a massive biergarten that welcomes children and dogs. Olde Meck follows the German "Reinheitsgebot" (aka the oldest beer purity law in the world) when brewing its award-winning beer.

Stop by: 4150 Yancey Road in Lower South End and 15025 Bowl St. in Ballantyne.

The vibe: The inside of the OG spot feels like a tavern-y, old German brewhaus, and outside is an expansive, airy biergarten.

In Ballantyne, you'll get the same expansive biergarten and family-friendly vibe, just in a more modern-feeling spot.

Sip on this: Copper, a Düsseldorf-style Altbier known as the brewery’s flagship (4.9% ABV).

Olde Mecklenburg Brewery — Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios

Petty Thieves Brewing Co.

Petty Thieves is known for its experimentation and the smaller brewhouse that allows for a rotation of new brews.

Stop by: 413 Dalton Ave.

The vibe: Designed like an old cigar lounge, the space is filled with well-worn leather couches and thrifted finds.

Sip on this: Mirrorform, an American pale ale with medium body (5.3% ABV).

Petty Thieves Brewing — Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios

Pilot Brewing Co.

It calls itself a nano-brewery due to its focus on small-batch and experimental beers.

Stop by: 1331 Central Ave. in Plaza Midwood

The vibe: Casual and cozy.

Sip on this: The Island Hopper, a rotating showcase IPA.

beers-at-pilot-brewing-in-charlotte-plaza-midwood — Photo: Axios archives

Protagonist

Expect a wide beer selection and large pizza slices.

Stop by: 227 Southside Drive in LoSo

The vibe: Enjoy a beer while people-watching on its street-facing outdoor patio.

Sip on this: Dolly, Protagonist’s original blond ale (5.2% ABV).

inside protagonist tap room — Photo: Emma Way/Axios

Resident Culture Brewing Company

This popular brewery specializes in hop-forward IPAs and pale ales, lagers, barrel-aged beers and fermented ales.

Stop by: 2101 Central Ave. in Plaza Midwood and 224 E. Seventh St. inside The Market on Seventh Street.

The vibe: A dog-friendly neighborhood hang-out spot in Plaza Midwood and a small stall inside The Market on Seventh Street in Uptown.

Sip on this: Lightning Drops, one of their flagship hazy IPAs made with tropical fruits (6.5% ABV).

Interior of a brewery with wooden picnic tables, string lights, metal bar stools, brewing tanks, and a colorful mural of a blue bear wearing a red cowboy hat. — Since there's no kitchen, you can bring your dogs inside. Photo: Axios archives

Salud Cerveceria

This James Beard-nominated spot has a beer and bottle shop downstairs and a taproom upstairs.

Stop by: 3306 N. Davidson St. in NoDa

The vibe: Eclectic and artsy. They serve food and coffee, so you could spend all day here. Once a month, they host Latin nights with free salsa lessons.

Sip on this: Salud x Around the Horn Going Back To Cali, a West Coast IPA with Incognito Mosaic, HBC 586 and Mosaic (7% ABV).

salud cerveceria coffee noda charlotte — Go deeper: Hispanic heritage is celebrated every day at Salud, a Dominican-owned brewery in NoDa. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios

Seaboard Brewing

Seaboard LoSo doesn't produce beer like its original location in Matthews.

Stop by: 3232 South Blvd.

The vibe: It feels like a taproom, but they don't brew beer there. It does have a full-service bar and food menu.

Sip on this: Seaboard brews nearly every style of beer, from Mexican lagers to sours to German-style beers.

Go deeper: Matthews brewery Seaboard Brewing expanding to South End

inside brewery — Seaboard's main taproom area. Photo: McKenzie Rankin/Axios

Southern Strain Brewing

The Concord-based brewery keeps a rotating selection of beers on tap.

Stop by: Plaza Midwood, 1800 Central Ave., and Concord, 165 Brumley Ave. NE.

The vibe: Casual and approachable. The brewery has indoor and outdoor seating and fits about 85 people.

Grab a pint of: Zuper Saazer, a Czech Pilsner that has classic herbal and floral spicy aromas (5.6% ABV)

Suffolk Punch Brewing

Suffolk Punch has become a rail trail destination in South End, with a popular taproom and an expansive beer menu.

Stop by: South End, 2911 Griffith St., and SouthPark, 4400 Sharon Road

The vibe: Its South End location is a little more elevated than your typical brewery. The patio is usually packed on nice days.

Its SouthPark location caters more to the family crowd with a play area for kids, a dog-friendly patio and a larger food selection.

Sip on this: A Patchwork Orange, an IPA made with orange peel, grapefruit and papaya (5.7% ABV).

seating-for-brunch-at-suffolk-punch — Suffolk Punch South End. Photo: Axios archives

Sugar Creek Brewing Company

Known for its Belgian-inspired beer, Sugar Creek uses multiple types of hops and combines them with award-winning malt varieties to create modern takes on classic tastes.

Stop by: 215 Southside Drive in LoSo

The vibe: It's a smaller space with a casual feel.

Sip on this: Sugar Creek Pale Ale, with notes of fruit, citrus, pine, and grapefruit combined with caramel (5.2% ABV).

Sugar Creek Brewing — Photo: Symphony Webber/Axios

Sycamore Brewing

Situated on the rail trail inside a new 16-story development called The Line, Sycamore is one of South End's most popular hangouts.

Stop by: 2151 Hawkins St. in South End

The vibe: Friendly and energetic. Expect lots of people and dogs.

Sip on this: Mountain Candy IPA, a double dry-hopped IPA with flavor notes of stone fruit and rainbow candies (7.2% ABV).

inside sycamore taproom — Go deeper: See inside Sycamore Brewing's new two-story South End location. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios

Town Brewing Co.

Town Brewing has everything on tap from IPAs and kettle sours to English and Belgian styles. There’s a rotating selection of other crafts, plus ciders, kombuchas, housemade sodas and other nonalcoholic options.

Stop by: 800 Grandin Road in Wesley Heights

The vibe: The 24-tap taproom feels casual, like a living room with an old-school warehouse aesthetic.

Sip on this: Broken Tared, a raspberry hibiscus sour (4.7% ABV).

bar-at-town-brewing-brewery-charlotte — Photo: Axios archives

Triple C Brewing

Even if you haven't ventured into the taproom of one of South End's first breweries, Triple C is home to beers you likely know, including Baby Maker and Golden Boy.

Stop by: 2900 Griffith St. in South End

The vibe: Approachable, chill atmosphere. Listen to live music or play a board game.

Sip on this: 3C, a West Coast IPA made with citrus, grapefruit and passionfruit flavors (6.2% ABV).

inside Triple C taproom — Photo: Danny Charland

Trolley Barn Fermentory & Food Hall

A two-story experimental brewery and food hall from the Legion Brewing team.

Location: 2104 South Blvd. in South End

The vibe: Elevated and modern with a touch of rustic. It’s not your typical brewery experience, given that it has a more upscale bar on the second floor.

Sip on this: Welcome to Trolley, a Gose with pineapple and sweet cherry puree (4% ABV).

trolley barn atherton seating — Fun fact: Trolley Barn was once a storage barn for trolley cars — the original tracks were even maintained to prove it. Photo: Axios archives

Vaulted Oak Brewing

This bank-turned-brewery focuses on small-batch beers in various styles — like session-able blondes, lagers, West Coast IPAs, sours, saisons and porters.

Stop by: 3726 Monroe Road in East Charlotte

The vibe: Casual and family/neighborhood-friendly.

Sip on this: C-Note$ IPA (6.6% ABV).