Looking to indulge in modern American cuisine?
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the best high-end New American restaurants around Charlotte, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of where to meet your needs.
1. The Fig Tree Restaurant
Topping the list is The Fig Tree Restaurant. Located at 1601 E. Seventh St. in Elizabeth, this is the highest-rated upscale New American restaurant in Charlotte, boasting 4.5 stars out of 361 reviews on Yelp.
Located in the historic Lucas House, the spot's offerings include pappardelle pasta with Gorgonzola cream sauce, shiitake mushrooms, roma tomatoes and broccoli rabe; sea scallops over artichokes and saffron couscous with prosciutto, asparagus and ramp pesto beurre blanc; and veal carpaccio with avocado, radish, arugula, Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon vinaigrette. (See the full dinner menu here.)
2. Carpe Diem Restaurant & Caterers
Next up is Elizabeth's Carpe Diem Restaurant & Caterers, situated at 1535 Elizabeth Ave.. With 4.5 stars out of 181 reviews on Yelp, the modern American lounge has proven to be a local favorite for those looking to indulge.
Menu items include asparagus salad, made with roasted tender asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, crispy fried leek threads, pickled carrots, black garlic ginger goat cheese and gochujang vinaigrette. For your entree, try the filet of beef, served with cider-braised collard greens, smoked carrot puree and Korean chile paste compound butter. (Find the full summer menu here.)
3. Heirloom Restaurant
Heirloom Restaurant, located at 8470 Bellhaven Blvd. in north Charlotte, is another top choice, with Yelpers giving the fancy modern American spot four stars out of 234 reviews. The restaurant, helmed by chef-owner Clark Barlowe, showcases globally inspired fare made with locally sourced ingredients native to North Carolina.
There is a six-course tasting menu with offerings that include a stone fruit and butter lettuce salad and ricotta ravioli with egg yolk pasta tossed with country ham, caramelized onion-pine broth and century garlic. Vegetarians, check out the fried "hen": hen-of-the-wood mushrooms served with garlic-crushed potatoes, braised greens and gravy.
4. Customshop Handcrafted Food
Customshop Handcrafted Food is another pricey go-to, with four stars out of 185 Yelp reviews. Diners can expect menus that rotate weekly, made up of handcrafted dishes sustainably prepared by owner and executive chef Trey Wilson.
The spot also features over 100 wines by the bottle as well as a selection of six-ounce glass pours designed to be paired with each course. Head over to 1601 Elizabeth Ave. to see for yourself.
5. Fin & Fino
Over in downtown Charlotte, check out Fin & Fino, which has earned 4.5 stars out of 47 reviews on Yelp. Lunch menu entrees include poke bowls, smoked salmon flatbread, rice bowls and chicken pasta. The dinner menu features even more options, including grilled shrimp, calamari, lobster and truffles, as well as barbecue quail. Treat yourself by heading over to 135 Levine Avenue of the Arts, Suite 100.
