Visiting uptown or just looking to better appreciate what it has to offer? Get to know the area near First Ward Park by browsing its most popular local businesses, from a coffee spot to a pizza place.
Hoodline crunched the numbers to find the top places to visit in this Charlotte neighborhood, using both Yelp data and our own secret sauce to produce a ranked list of local businesses. Read on for the results.
1. Not Just Coffee
Topping the list is Not Just Coffee at the 7th Street Public Market. The shop was established in 2011 by Miracle and James Yoder, who partnered with Homeland Creamery and Counter Culture Coffee "to craft flavorful brews, each made with decided precision and care," per its website. Located at 224 E. Seventh St., this is the highest-rated business in the neighborhood, boasting 4.5 stars out of 448 reviews on Yelp.
The business, which has five locations, offers the batch brew, a high-quality drip coffee; cold-brewed coffee, which has lower acidity and higher caffeine; and nitro cold, a smooth, clean drink. Other offerings include matcha green tea, mocha latte, vanilla sugar latte, Moroccan mint tea and hot chocolate.
2. Luce Restaurant & Bar
Next up is Italian spot Luce Restaurant & Bar, situated at 214 N. Tryon St., Suite J. With 4.5 stars out of 176 reviews on Yelp, the high-end restaurant has proven to be a local favorite. On the menu, you'll see options like the lasagna (beef bolognese, bechamel sauce and Parmesan au gratin), the gnocchi with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil, and the buttera with Italian sausage, peas and tomato cream sauce.
3. Rooster's Uptown
New American spot Rooster's Uptown is another top choice. Look for the pizza and pasta menu, which includes mushroom pizzetta, roast chicken pizzetta, mozzarella pizzetta, spaghetti with tomato sauce and mac and cheese. Feeling carnivorous? Check out the grilled meatloaf with sweet potato puree, spinach, fried onions and barbecue sauce; spit-roasted Joyce farm chicken; or the bayou shrimp and Anson Mills stone-ground grits. Yelpers give the restaurant, located at 150 N. College St., four stars out of 430 reviews.
4. Pure Pizza
Pure Pizza is another neighborhood go-to, with four stars out of 256 Yelp reviews. Menu items include roasted cremini mushrooms with goat cheese, herbs and garlic; roasted Brussels sprouts served with Parmesan cheese; and Mediterranean pizza topped with mozzarella, spinach, olives, tomato, pickled onion and feta. Head over to the Public Market at 224 E. Seventh St. to try it for yourself.
5. Local Loaf
Also at the Public Market, there's Local Loaf, which has earned four stars out of 248 reviews on Yelp. You can find the bakery and breakfast and brunch spot, which offers sandwiches and more, at 224 E. Seventh St. The spot is most well-known for its Chicken and The Egg breakfast sandwich, made with lightly breaded chicken tenders, a poached egg and homemade Cheerwine chipotle sauce.
