Food & Drink Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2023

Best in the Nest Readers’ Picks were chosen exclusively by readers through a one-month nomination process followed by a one-month voting process. The nominations were not tampered with by Queen City Nerve staff at all — save for removing ourselves from a few categories to proactively dispel any notions of favoritism. In other words, if you disagree with these ones, that’s on your fellow reader, not us. 2023 saw more than 25,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting.

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Winners: Download your award graphics here

BY NEIGHBORHOOD

BEST BALLANTYNE RESTAURANT

Winner: Midwood Smokehouse
Runner Up: Ma Ma Wok

BEST BELMONT/MT. HOLLY RESTAURANT

Winner: Nellie’s Southern Kitchen
Runner Up: The Bottle Tree

BEST EAST CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Customshop

BEST MATTHEWS/MINT HILL RESTAURANT

Winner: New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: Que Onda Tacos + Tequila Matthews

BEST NODA RESTAURANT

Winner: Haberdish
Runner Up: Salud Cerveceria

BEST NORTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: The Dumpling Lady
Runner Up: Leah & Louise

BEST NORTH MECKLENBURG RESTAURANT (HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON)

Winner: Kindred
Runner Up: 131 MAIN Restaurant

BEST PINEVILLE RESTAURANT

Winner: Nakato Japanese Steakhouse
Runner Up: Waldhorn Restaurant

BEST PLAZA MIDWOOD RESTAURANT

Winner: Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
Runner Up: Supperland

BEST SOUTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: Yunta
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST SOUTHPARK RESTAURANT

Winner: Little Mama’s Italian
Runner Up: Steak 48

BEST STEELE CREEK RESTAURANT

Winner: Midwood Smokehouse
Runner Up: Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q

BEST UNIVERSITY CITY RESTAURANT

Winner: Banh Mi Brothers
Runner Up: Thai House – University

BEST UPTOWN RESTAURANT

Winner: Fin & Fino
Runner Up: Mariposa

BEST WEST CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT

Winner: Pinky’s Westside Grill
Runner Up: Restaurant Constance

BY CONCEPT

BEST BAKERY

Winner: Suárez Bakery
Runner Up: Villani’s Bakery

BEST BARBEQUE

Winner: Midwood Smokehouse
Runner Up: Jon G’s Barbecue

BEST COFFEE SHOP

Winner: The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters
Runner Up: Summit Coffee Co.

BEST DELI

Winner: Common Market
Runner Up: Rhino Market & Deli

BEST FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: Restaurant Constance

BEST FARMERS MARKET

Winner: Charlotte Regional Farmers Market
Runner Up: Matthews Community Farmers’ Market

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Winner: Halal Food Cart
Runner Up: Katsu Kart

BEST GOURMET/SPECIALTY FOOD STORE

Winner: Pasta & Provisions
Runner Up: Reid’s Fine Foods

BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE

Winner: The Fresh Market
Runner Up: Berrybrook Farm Natural Foods

BEST ICE CREAM SHOP

Winner: Two Scoops Creamery
Runner Up: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

BEST INTERNATIONAL FOOD STORE

Winner: Super G Mart Charlotte
Runner Up: Asian Market

BEST JUICE BAR

Winner: Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co.
Runner Up: Smooth Monkey

BEST SEAFOOD

Winner: Sea Level NC
Runner Up: Fin & Fino

BEST SOUL FOOD

Winner: Leah & Louise
Runner Up: Mert’s Heart & Soul

BEST STEAKHOUSE

Winner: Beef ‘N Bottle Steakhouse
Runner Up: Steak 48

BEST TAPAS AND SHAREABLES

Winner: Barcelona Wine Bar
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST VEGAN FOOD

Winner: Oh My Soul
Runner Up: Fern, Flavors from the Garden

BY DISH

BEST BAGELS

Winner: Poppy’s Bagels & More
Runner Up: Good Wurst Company

BEST BREAKFAST

Winner: Snooze, an A.M. Eatery
Runner Up: Good Wurst Company

BEST BRUNCH

Winner: 300 East
Runner Up: Snooze, an A.M. Eatery

BEST BURGER

Winner: ACE No. 3
Runner Up: Pinky’s Westside Grill

BEST DESSERT

Winner: Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
Runner Up: The Batch House

BEST DOUGHNUTS

Winner: Pepperbox Doughnuts
Runner Up: Duck Donuts

BEST FRIES

Winner: What The Fries
Runner Up: ACE No. 3

BEST FROZEN TREAT

Winner: Two Scoops Creamery
Runner Up: Golden Cow Creamery

BEST HANGOVER FIX

Winner: JackBeagle’s
Runner Up: Moo & Brew’s Large Marge

BEST HOT DOG

Winner: JJ’s Red Hots
Runner Up: Good Wurst Company

BEST LUNCH

Winner: Rhino Market & Deli
Runner Up: Lupie’s Cafe

BEST PHO

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Phở Hoà

BEST PIZZA

Winner: Inizio Pizza Napoletana
Runner Up: Sal’s Pizza Factory

BEST RAMEN

Winner: Futo Buta
Runner Up: JINYA Ramen Bar

BEST SANDWICH

Winner: Common Market
Runner Up: NoDa Bodega

BEST SPECIALTY/SIGNATURE DISH

Winner: Alexander Michael’s – What It Is
Runner Up: Leah & Louise – Leah’s Cabbage

BEST SUSHI

Winner: New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: Ru San’s

BEST TACOS

Winner: Sabor Latin Street Grill
Runner Up: Tacos El Nevado

BEST WINGS

Winner: Moosehead Grill
Runner Up: Seoul Food Meat Company

BY CUISINE

BEST AFRICAN CUISINE

Winner: Enat Ethiopian Restaurant
Runner Up: Abugida Ethiopian Cafe & Restaurant

BEST CARIBBEAN CUISINE

Winner: Mama’s Caribbean Grill & Bar
Runner Up: Irie Nation Restaurant & Bar

BEST CHINESE CUISINE

Winner: Lam’s Kitchen
Runner Up: Ma Ma Wok

BEST FRENCH CUISINE

Winner: Café Monte French Bakery and Bistro
Runner Up: La Belle Helene

BEST INDIAN CUISINE

Winner: CURRY GATE
Runner Up: Copper Modern Indian Cuisine

BEST ITALIAN CUISINE

Winner: Mama Ricotta’s
Runner Up: Little Mama’s Italian

BEST JAPANESE CUISINE

Winner: O-Ku
Runner Up: Nakato Japanese Steakhouse

BEST KOREAN CUISINE

Winner: Let’s Meat KBBQ
Runner Up: MOA Korean BBQ

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE

Winner: Three Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina
Runner Up: La Autentica Mexican Restaurant

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

Winner: Yafo Kitchen
Runner Up: Halal Food Truck

BEST THAI CUISINE

Winner: Thai Taste
Runner Up: Thai House

BEST VIETNAMESE CUISINE

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Phở Hoà

MISCELLANEOUS ACCOLADES

BEST CHEF

Winner: Christa Csoka, The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: Sam Diminich, Restaurant Constance

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATERY

Winner: Midnight Diner
Runner Up: JackBeagle’s

BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT GROUP

Winner: Tonidandel-Brown
Runner Up: 1957 Hospitality Group

BEST PASTRY CHEF

Winner: Samantha Ward, Wentworth & Fenn
Runner Up: Ann Marie Stefaney, Restaurant Constance

BEST PATIO SPACE

Winner: NoDa Company Store
Runner Up: The Goodyear House

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: Que Onda Tacos + Tequila Uptown

BEST WAIT STAFF/SERVICE

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Supperland

FOR THE LOVE OF ALCOHOL

BEST BEER SELECTION (NON-BREWERY)

Winner: Salud Beer Shop
Runner Up: Common Market

BEST BLOODY MARY

Winner: Moo & Brew
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST BOTTLE SHOP

Winner: Salud Beer Shop
Runner Up: Common Market

BEST BREWERY

Winner: Resident Culture Brewing Company
Runner Up: Birdsong Brewing Company

BEST COCKTAILS

Winner: Idlewild
Runner Up: Dot Dot Dot

BEST DISTILLERY

Winner: Great Wagon Road Distilling
Runner Up: Muddy River Distillery

BEST MOCKTAILS

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: Supperland

BEST NEW BREWERY (LAST TWO YEARS)

Winner: Monday Night Brewing
Runner Up: HopFly Brewing Company

BEST NON-ALCOHOLIC MENU

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: Free Range Brewing

BEST WINE SELECTION

Winner: Foxcroft Wine Co
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BY THE BREW

BEST BLONDE ALE

Winner: Wooden Robot Good Morning Vietnam
Runner Up: Triple C Golden Boy

BEST BROWN ALE

Winner: Birdsong Brewing Lazy Bird Brown Ale
Runner Up: Armored Cow Brewing Co. Bitchin Betty Brown Ale

BEST CIDER

Winner: Red Clay Ciderworks Bramblin’ Blackberry
Runner Up: Botanist & Barrel

BEST GOSE

Winner: Free Range Brewing All You Knead Is Love
Runner Up: Pilot Brewing Raspberry Rose Gose

BEST HIGH-GRAVITY BEER

Winner: Triple C Baby Maker
Runner Up: NoDa Brewing Company NoDaRyeZ’d

BEST IPA

Winner: Legion Brewing Juicy Jay
Runner Up: Free Range Brewing Therapy Session

BEST KOLSCH

Winner: Devil’s Logic Brewing Kommunity Kolsch
Runner Up: Pilot Brewing Kölsch Me If You Can

BEST LAGER

Winner: Birdsong Brewing Rewind Lager
Runner Up: Heist Brewery Crispy Kitty

BEST MARZEN/OKTOBERFEST-STYLE BEER

Winner: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery Mecktoberfest
Runner Up: Gilde Oktoberfest

BEST PALE ALE

Winner: NoDa Brewing Company Jam Session
Runner Up: Vaulted Oak Brewing DeLorean Fuel

BEST PILSNER

Winner: Legion Brewing Penguin Pilsner
Runner Up: Free Range Brewing Barracuda Bill’s

BEST PORTER

Winner: NoDa Brewing Company Coco Loco
Runner Up: Sugar Creek Brewing Company Mocha Java Porter

BEST PUMPKIN BEER

Winner: NoDa Brewing Company Gordgeous
Runner Up: Southern Tier Brewing Company Pumking

BEST SAISON

Winner: Free Range Brewing Jenny Bought A Farm
Runner Up: Divine Barrel Brewing In Bloom

BEST SELTZER

Winner: Fonta Flora Brewery Topsy Boozy Seltzer
Runner Up: The Bevery Toast To Charlotte

BEST SOUR

Winner: Free Range Brewing All Your Knead Is Love

BEST SPECIALTY/ONE-OFF BEER

Winner: Noda Brewing Company Cheerwine Ale
Runner Up: Vaulted Oak Brewing Vanilla Coffee Blonde

BEST STOUT

Winner: Free Range Brewing Sea Of Companions
Runner Up: Fonta Flora Brewery Double Barrel-Aged Decoy