Charlotte is in the midst of a food revolution. Fueled in part by the infusion of talent that Johnson & Wales University’s culinary campus brought to the region a decade ago, Charlotte is emerging as a vibrant culinary destination. It’s a city that seems destined to becoming the shining gem of the new South, buoyed in part by its top-notch food culture.
Charlotte’s sandwich makers not only showcase the wide array of locally-sourced produce and meats available in the Carolinas, they also highlight the talent and imagination this new class of chefs has to offer. As the champion of American cuisine James Beard once said, “Too few people understand a really good sandwich.” A great sandwich can transform a person’s perspectives. At the very least, a good sandwich can make your day a little brighter. Here are five restaurants in Charlotte that are doing just that.
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Block & Grinder
Fans of the traditional Cubano, or midnight sandwich, tend to get defensive about non-Cubans making the well-known Miami mainstay. The combination of soft, sweet bread, salty ham, sour pickles, spicy ham, and bitter-sweet Dijon mustard—all smothered by melted Swiss cheese and pressed to crispy perfection—is hard to master, even for sandwich-making experts. Block & Grinder gets pretty darn close to the authentic experience, bringing the spirit of southern Florida north to Charlotte. With cured Carolina ham and house-made pickles, this Foxcroft farm-to-table restaurant has an in-house butcher counter where all of the restaurant’s meat are cut, brined and smoked on the premises. That makes all of their sandwiches, like the cheesesteak pictured above, worth writing home about.
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Queen City Q
No sandwich tour of the Carolinas would be compete without a generous helping of BBQ, and Queen City swoops in to offer just that. Their tender, piled-high pulled pork makes for a memorable experience that’s been called Best BBQ of the Year by Charlotte Magazine. It’s simple ‘que at its finest.
300 East
In this unassuming house-turned-restaurant, farm-to-table cooking is taken to new heights. Cultivating personal relationships with local farmers, this Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives-profiled restaurant is known for arranging the best in-season produce in creative and inviting ways. Take, for example, the Avocado BLT, which combines farm-fresh lettuce and tomatoes with in-house baked wheat bread, Heritage Farms bacon, Duke’s mayonnaise and creamy avocado. It’s a masterpiece in simplicity.
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Which Wich
Which Wich stands out as the only chain restaurant on this list, and for good reason: this well-reviewed operation has earned a reputation around Charlotte for producing crowd favorites. With a nearly endless selection of sandwich options, it’s tough to get bored in this customize-to-your-heart’s-content sandwich shop. Among the best sellers are the vegetarian options, like the Black Bean Patty or the Tomato & Avocado.
Le’s Sandwiches & Café
A fixture on almost every one of Charlotte’s “Best Of” lists, this charming banh mi shop is a challenge to get to. Situated in an out-of-the-way strip mall with arguably the worst parking lot in all of North Carolina, the cash-only spot produces a sandwich that makes all of the discomfort and hassle worth it. The #6—thinly-sliced roast pork with fresh pickled daikon, cucumbers, carrots, jalapeños, and cilantro on a French baguette—has people lined up out of the door for this masterful blend of acidic and sweet flavors.
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What’s your favorite sandwich in Charlotte? Let us know in the comments below.
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