6 of the best bites our team had in July

Here are 6 of the best dishes we ate this month, listed in no particular order.

The soft-serve swirl from Two Scoops

“Two Scoops recently started serving soft-serve at their Plaza Midwood location. I sat at the counter with my chocolate and vanilla swirl in a cake cone covered in rainbow sprinkles overwhelmed with nostalgia. Mom and I would always get soft-serve ice cream from our local creamery in upstate New York. Go have ice cream with a loved one this weekend.” — Ashley Mahoney, reporter

Go deeper: 25 best ice cream spots in Charlotte

BYO bowl from Yafo Kitchen 

“After a long day of moving, I wanted a dinner that would be both filling and comforting — and this build-your-own Yafo bowl truly delivered. Here’s my exact order to copy (I have faith it won’t disappoint). Cauliflower rice base with shawarma chicken, topped with hummus, tzatziki, cucumber tomato salad, dolmas, sumac onions, kalamata olives, feta cheese, plus harissa yogurt and lemon tahini for the sauces. Don’t forget the side of Brussels sprouts, either.” — McKenzie Rankin, reporter

Queens Feast spread at Moon Thai & Japanese

“I went to Moon Thai & Japanese in SouthPark during Queen’s Feast, where you could have four courses for $45. I’m glad I tried it when they offered a smaller selection of items from their menu because their primary Thai and sushi menus have a wide range of options. I ordered the Pad Ke Mow (drunken noodle) with beef for my entree (typically $20).” — Alexis Clinton, reporter

Turkey & cheese wrap from Sandwich Max

“My go-to recently has been the turkey & cheese from Sandwich Max at South End Eats ($7.95), where you can place your order ahead of time and grab it from a secure locker when it’s ready. I get mine with provolone in a spinach wrap with honey mustard and served “all the way” AKA with lettuce, tomato, salt, pepper, oregano, oil and vinegar. It’s a filling but relatively light lunch option.” — Katie Peralta Soloff, editor

Go deeper: Beloved family restaurant Sandwich Max to close in South End

The backyard burger from Link & Pin

“Link & Pin added more options to its happy hour menu this week. The dishes are available at the bar in the South End location only and are $5 each. Both the house burger and backyard burger (pictured here) are served with fries; for $5 that’s a steal.”  — Laura Barrero, editor

Of note: Link & Pin South End is located at 155 New Bern St. Its food happy hour is available Monday-Thursday 4-6pm.

See the full menu

Super Grain & Avocado Salad from Kid Cashew

“I was on the hunt for a big salad, and this one from Kid Cashew in Dilworth hit the spot. A bowl loaded with greens coated in a lemony vinaigrette, topped with tri-color quinoa, crunchy pistachios, an avocado with chipotle sauce, and tangy oranges. I added wild-caught salmon for extra protein. ($17.90)” — Alex Sands, reporter