Food & Drink Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2024

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. 2024 saw more than 30,000 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: North Italia
Runner Up: Prime Fish Sushi Charlotte

BEST BELMONT 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

BEST NODA RESTAURANT

Winner: Ever Andalo
Runner Up: Haberdish

BEST NORTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: Curry Gate
Runner Up: Wentworth & Fenn

BEST NORTH MECKLENBURG RESTAURANT (HUNTERSVILLE, CORNELIUS, DAVIDSON)

Winner: Kindred
Runner Up: eeZ Fusion & Sushi

BEST PINEVILLE RESTAURANT

Winner: Waldhorn Restaurant
Runner Up: Alley 51

BEST PLAZA MIDWOOD RESTAURANT

Winner: Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
Runner Up: Midwood Smokehouse

BEST SOUTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: Yunta
Runner Up: El Puro Cuban Restaurant

BEST SOUTHPARK RESTAURANT

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

BEST STEELE CREEK RESTAURANT

Winner: A Piece of Havana
Runner Up: Jim ‘N Nick’s Community Bar-B-Q

BEST UNIVERSITY CITY RESTAURANT

Winner: Banh Mi Brothers
Runner Up: Le Kebab Grill

BEST UPTOWN RESTAURANT

Winner: Fin & Fino
Runner Up: Angeline’s

BEST WEST CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT

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

BY CONCEPT

BEST BAKERY

Winner: Suárez Bakery
Runner Up: The Batch House

BEST BARBEQUE

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

BEST COFFEE SHOP

Winner: The Giddy Goat Coffee Roasters
Runner Up: Bitty & Beau’s Coffee

BEST DELI

Winner: Rhino Market & Deli
Runner Up: Common Market

BEST FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT

Winner: Customshop
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST FARMERS MARKET

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

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Winner: Blasian Asian Way
Runner Up: Katsu Kart

BEST GOURMET/SPECIALTY FOOD STORE

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

BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE

Winner: Berrybrook Farm Natural Foods
Runner Up: Charlotte Supplements

BEST ICE CREAM SHOP

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

BEST INTERNATIONAL FOOD STORE

Winner: Super G Mart
Runner Up: Compare Foods

BEST JUICE BAR

Winner: Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co.
Runner Up: Clean Juice

BEST SEAFOOD

Winner: Supperland
Runner Up: Caroline’s Oyster Bar

BEST SOUL FOOD

Winner: Mert’s Heart And Soul
Runner Up: Dish

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: Sanctuary Bistro

BY DISH

BEST BAGELS

Winner: Poppy’s Bagels
Runner Up: Family Dough Bagels

BEST BREAKFAST

Winner: The Original Pancake House
Runner Up: Mattie’s Diner

BEST BRUNCH

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: El Puro Cuban Restaurant

BEST BURGER

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

BEST DESSERT

Winner: Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
Runner Up: Restaurant Constance

BEST DOUGHNUTS

Winner: Pepperbox Doughnuts & Coffee
Runner Up: OMG Donuts & Coffee

BEST FRIES

Winner: ACE No. 3
Runner Up: (TIED) What the Fries
Runner Up: (TIED) The Workman’s Friend

BEST FROZEN TREAT

Winner: Two Scoops Creamery
Runner Up: Seemingly Overzealous Ice Cream

BEST HANGOVER FIX

Winner: JackBeagle’s
Runner Up: Rhino Market & Deli Breakfast Burrito

BEST HOT DOG

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

BEST LUNCH

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: El Puro Cuban Restaurant

BEST PHO

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Phở Hoà

BEST PIZZA

Winner: Sal’s Pizza Factory
Runner Up: Bird Pizzeria

BEST RAMEN

Winner: Menya Daruma
Runner Up: JINYA Ramen Bar

BEST SANDWICH

Winner: (TIED) NoDa Bodega
Winner: (TIED) Rhino Market & Deli
Runner Up: Common Market

BEST SPECIALTY/SIGNATURE DISH

Winner: Ceviche at Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
Runner Up: Loaded Nachos at Soul Miner’s Garden

BEST SUSHI

Winner: New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: O-Ku Sushi

BEST WINGS

Winner: Moosehead Grill
Runner Up: Chex Grill & Wings

BEST TACOS

Winner: Tacos El Nevado
Runner Up: Cabo Fish Taco

BY CUISINE

BEST AFRICAN CUISINE

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

BEST CARIBBEAN CUISINE

Winner: El Puro Cuban Restaurant
Runner Up: Queen City Roti Shop

BEST CHINESE CUISINE

Winner: Lam’s Kitchen
Runner Up: Ho Ho Cherry House

BEST FRENCH CUISINE

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

BEST INDIAN CUISINE

Winner: Curry Gate
Runner Up: Maharani Indian Cuisine

BEST ITALIAN CUISINE

Winner: Mama Ricotta’s
Runner Up: Ever Andalo

BEST JAPANESE CUISINE

Winner: Menya Daruma
Runner Up: (TIED) New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: (TIED) O-Ku Sushi

BEST KOREAN CUISINE

Winner: Seoul Food Meat Company
Runner Up: Pepero Korean Restaurant

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE

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

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

Winner: Halal Street Food
Runner Up: Yafo Kitchen

BEST VIETNAMESE CUISINE

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Vietnam Grille

BEST THAI CUISINE

Winner: Thai Taste
Runner Up: Thai House

MISCELLANEOUS ACCOLADES

BEST CHEF

Winner: Andres Kaifer – Customshop
Runner Up: Sam Diminich – Restaurant Constance

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATERY

Winner: Midnight Diner
Runner Up: Benny Pennello’s

BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT GROUP

Winner: Tonidandel-Brown
Runner Up: Marcus Hall – The Cowfish-eeZ Group

BEST LOCALLY FRANCHISED RESTAURANT

Winner: Yafo Kitchen
Runner Up: Viva Chicken

BEST PASTRY CHEF

Winner: Savannah Foltz – Supperland
Runner Up: Ann Marie Stefaney – Restaurant Constance

BEST PATIO SPACE

Winner: NoDa Company Store
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Winner: Dean’s Italian Steakhouse
Runner Up: French Quarter Restaurant

BEST WAITSTAFF/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: Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST BOTTLE SHOP

Winner: Salud Beer Shop
Runner Up: Brawley’s Beverage

BEST BREWERY

Winner: Wooden Robot Brewery
Runner Up: Resident Culture Brewing

BEST COCKTAIL

Winner: Idlewild
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST DISTILLERY

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

BEST DOG-FRIENDLY BREWERY

Winner: Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Petty Thieves Brewing Co.

BEST MOCKTAILS

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: (TIED) Billy Sunday
Runner Up: (TIED) Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST NEW BREWERY (LAST TWO YEARS)

Winner: Hi-Wire Brewing Charlotte
Runner Up: Seaboard Brewing, Taproom & Winebar

BEST WINE SELECTION

Winner: Foxcroft Wine Co.
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BEST NON-ALCOHOLIC MENU

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: Dilworth Tasting Room

BY THE BREW

BEST BLONDE ALE

Winner: Good Morning Vietnam – Wooden Robot Brewery
Runner Up: Golden Boy – Triple C Brewing Company

BEST BROWN ALE

Winner: Lazy Bird Brown – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Call Me Bob – Free Range Brewing

BEST GOSE

Winner: Results May Berry – Divine Barrel Brewing
Runner Up: All You Knead Is Love – Free Range Brewing

BEST HIGH-GRAVITY BEER

Winner: Honey Pie – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Madness of the Light – Petty Thieves Brewing Company

BEST IPA

Winner: Lightning Drops – Resident Culture
Runner Up: What He’s Having – Wooden Robot Brewery

BEST KOLSCH

Winner: Spirit of Radio – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Haymaker – Petty Thieves Brewing Company

BEST LAGER

Winner: Rewind – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Skyline – Petty Thieves Brewing Company

BEST MARZEN/OKTOBERFEST-STYLE BEER

Winner: Mecktoberfest – The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery & Biergarten
Runner Up: Oktoberfest – Triple C Brewing Company

BEST PALE ALE

Winner: Jam Session – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: Renew Brew – Town Brewing Company

BEST PILSNER

Winner: Penguin Pilsner – Legion Brewing Company
Runner Up: Skyline – Petty Thieves Brewing Company

BEST PORTER

Winner: Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: Captain Peanut Butter’s Tropical Excursion – NoDa Brewing Company

BEST PUMPKIN BEER

Winner: Gordgeous – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: Pumpkin Latte Blonde – Sycamore Brewing

BEST SELTZER

Winner: Big Wave – Divine Barrel Brewing
Runner Up: Drift – Petty Thieves Brewing Company

BEST SOUR

Winner: Fragile Masculinity – Resident Culture
Runner Up: Broken Tarted – Town Brewing Company

BEST STOUT

Winner: Mexicali Stout – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Mama Said Knock You Stout – Town Brewing Company

BEST SPECIALTY/ONE-OFF BEER

Winner: Cheerwine Ale – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: The Diabolical Misunderstanding That Was Neverthere – Burial Beer Co.