12 best new restaurants of 2025 in Charlotte
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La Lima is our #1 pick for this year's best new restaurant. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios
2025 was the year of comebacks and craftsmanship for Charlotte's culinary scene. Our roundup of the year's best restaurants reflects that.
Why it matters: If 2024 was about momentum, 2025 was about mastery — a year when beloved institutions returned and standout newcomers refined the fundamentals.
The big picture: 2025 was also the year Charlotte's restaurants got national attention — not all of it great.
- We started the year strong with three James Beard semifinalists. But, ultimately, no winners.
- In May, a podcast clip calling the city "vanilla" and "diet Atlanta" went viral.
- Months later, "Top Chef" judges touted some of Charlotte's best restaurants.
- And then Michelin weighed in — giving Counter- a star, honoring Lang Van with a Bib Gourmand, and recommending around a dozen Charlotte restaurants.
Yes, but: Closures stretched across the city as small businesses struggled under soaring rents, rising costs and shifting customer habits.
What we're watching: We're tracking about two dozen highly anticipated restaurants and bars set to open next year.
- "Top Chef" season 23, filmed in Charlotte and Greenville, S.C., will premiere in the spring.
Our methodology: For our latest best new restaurants list, we dined at every spot more than once, and we always paid our way. All of these restaurants deliver what they say they will — in quality of food, service and vibe, with quality of food being the most important barometer.
Here are our picks for the 12 best new restaurants that opened in Charlotte in 2025, ranked:
No. 1: La Lima Sangucheria
A fast-casual Peruvian sandwich restaurant by the owners of Yunta Nikkei and Viva Chicken.
Our thought bubble: An overwhelming consensus from our team — if you're going to pick one new restaurant to try in Charlotte this year, it should be La Lima.
Dig in: Peruvian "sánguches" are typical street food fare and popular in the South American country for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We recommend the "Chicharron" sandwich or bowl.
Stop by: 131 E. Park Ave. in South End.
No. 2: Soul Gastrolounge
The beloved locally owned restaurant closed its prominent Plaza Midwood spot in August 2022 and reopened in a new location near NoDa this year.
Our thought bubble: Thank goodness you're back. We missed you.
Dig in: Most of the original restaurant's popular dishes, including the lamb lolly skewers and pork belly tacos, are back.
Stop by: 4100 Raleigh St., north of NoDa.
No. 3: ESO Artisanal Pasta
A new food stall inside Optimist Hall that serves freshly made pasta with ingredients imported from Italy.
Our thought bubble: Here, you'll find some of the best pasta in Charlotte. Run, don't walk — think of it as balancing out the carbs.
Dig in: Pastas come in two sizes: small ($9) and large ($15). Their menu changes regularly, but we recommend penne alla vodka and the cacio e pepe.
Stop by: Optimist Hall is at 1115 N. Brevard St.
No. 4: Rada
This Myers Park restaurant opened this year with little fanfare and has now garnered a nod from The New York Times and a recommendation from Michelin.
Our thought bubble: Inside Rada, the 46-seat restaurant feels more New York than North Carolina — dim light, low hum, and the clink of martinis that come with sidecars.
Dig in: Its menu is mostly seasonal, except for a few selections in the "snack" section and a cabbage entrée that regulars won't let them retire.
Stop by: 2820 Selwyn Ave. in Myers Park.
No. 5: SORA
A French–Asian fusion tasting menu restaurant in Myers Park.
Our thought bubble: It's funky, as a tasting menu should be, but most of the dishes are approachable enough for even a picky eater.
Dig in: Choose from the "signature" tasting menu, an 8–10 course experience at $225 per person, and the "short season" menu, which offers 4–5 courses at a quicker pace for $125 per person.
Stop by: Reservations are required at 2907 Selwyn Ave.
No. 6: Leluia Hall
A surf-and-turf restaurant in a refurbished church by local restaurateurs Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown, the team behind Supperland, Haberdish, Growler's Pourhouse and Ever Andalo.
Our thought bubble: Leluia Hall carries the same magic that made Supperland a hit — the dramatic setting, the meticulous hospitality and the menu built on playful, thoughtful riffs on surf and turf.
Dig in: Start with your choice of seafood from the raw bar and order the Picanha as your choice of steak.
Stop by: 1829 Cleveland Ave. in Dilworth.
What we're watching: Brown and Tonidandel saved the historic Leeper-Wyatt building last year and moved it next to Leluia Hall. Plans are still in the works for the 1903 building, but Brown tells Axios the four-story restaurant will have a solarium on the top floor.
No. 7: Panko Peruvian
This new NoDa spot offers a unique blend of traditional Peruvian dishes, Latin American flavors and Japanese cooking techniques.
Our thought bubble: "A go-to for a flavor-packed date night, with enough options to ease you into the cuisine—even if you're new to it or dining with a picky eater," Axios' Alexis Clinton writes.
Dig in: Expect ceviches and other seafood dishes like pescado en luto, Peruvian dishes like chaufa rice, plus sushi and nigiri rolls. We recommend the Panko Causa appetizer and the Niko Roll.
Stop by: 730 E. 36th St. in NoDa.
No. 8: Surefire Market
Surefire Neighborhood Market was a Rock Hill favorite until a fire destroyed it last July. The owners launched a food truck, won over Charlotte, and now have a permanent home at Camp North End.
Our thought bubble: "Aguably one of the best fried chicken sandwiches in the city and the tiny menu means you never have to overthink your order," Axios' Alexis Clinton writes.
Dig in: Get their smash burger or fried chicken sandwich.
Stop by: 301 Camp Road, in Camp North End.
Go deeper: Everything there is to see, eat and do in Camp North End
No. 9: Spaghett
A cozy Italian restaurant and cocktail house in Uptown from Sam Hart, the chef behind Counter-.
Our thought bubble: Spaghett feels like a splurge but isn't priced like one. It's an easy yes for date night, especially if you start with a drink at the bar before settling in.
Dig in: Specializing in classic Italian dishes and handmade pastas, you can't go wrong with its mainstays, cacio e pepe and tiramisu. However, we recommend you go with whichever dish highlights seasonal produce.
Stop by: 224 West 10th St., in Uptown's Fourth Ward.
No. 10: Henrietta's
A few steps from the Rally Pickleball courts sits Henrietta's, an unassuming gem from the same owners.
Our thought bubble: "Its shareable, seasonal menu strikes a sweet spot between comforting and elevated, making it an easy yes for a date night, girls' night, or special family dinner," Axios' McKenzie Rankin writes.
Dig in: Start with the focaccia and burrata. The menu changes often, but if you spot the scallops with risotto, get that.
Stop by: 117 Southside Dr. in Lower South End.
No. 11: Ms. Didi's Caribbean Kitchen
This popular Haitian food truck opened its first brick-and-mortar in Windsor Park, drawing lines around the building in its opening weekend.
Our thought bubble: "This spot is an easy introduction to Haitian food and culture," Axios' Alexis Clinton writes.
Dig in: Expect the traditional Haitian food, like legume, island mac and cheese, chicken in sauce, djon djon (black mushroom rice) and griot (fried pork).
Stop by: 2120 Kilborne Dr. in east Charlotte.
No. 12: Dogwood: A Southern Table
Dogwood closed in August 2023 after nearly 10 years in SouthPark and reopened in Uptown inside The Westin as part of the hotel's major renovation.
Our thought bubble: "Dogwood brings Southern charm to its dishes and its new Uptown space. The vibe is both timeless and welcoming," Axios' Ashley Mahoney writes.
Dig in: Definitely order the duck and dumplings.
Stop by: 601 S. College St. in Uptown.
Go deeper: Check out our past best new restaurant lists here: 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016.