Food & Drink Readers’ Pick Winners: Best in the Nest 2025

***Best in the Nest Readers’ Picks are 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. In other words, if you disagree with these ones, that’s on your fellow reader, not us. 2025 saw more than 42,000 ballots cast between the nomination and final rounds of voting in August and September.***

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BY NEIGHBORHOOD

BEST BALLANTYNE RESTAURANT

Winner: Miró Spanish Grille
Runner Up: Napa Bistro & Wine Bar – Stonecrest

BEST BELMONT RESTAURANT

Winner: Nellie’s Southern Kitchen
Runner Up: The String Bean

BEST EAST CHARLOTTE RESTAURANT

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: New Zealand Cafe

BEST MATTHEWS/MINT HILL RESTAURANT

Winner: New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: Santé

BEST NODA RESTAURANT

Winner: Ever Andalo
Runner Up: Soul Gastrolounge

BEST NORTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: Curry Gate
Runner Up: Mr. Charles Chicken & Waffles

BEST NORTH MECKLENBURG RESTAURANT

Winner: Kindred
Runner Up: eeZ Fusion & Sushi

BEST PINEVILLE RESTAURANT

Winner: El Puro Cuban Restaurant
Runner Up: Super G Mart

BEST PLAZA MIDWOOD RESTAURANT

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

BEST SOUTH END RESTAURANT

Winner: Yunta
Runner Up: El Puro Cuban Restaurant

BEST SOUTHPARK RESTAURANT

Winner: Little Mama’s
Runner Up: Steak 48

BEST STEELE CREEK RESTAURANT

Winner: A Piece of Havana
Runner Up: Mac’s Speed Shop

BEST UNIVERSITY CITY RESTAURANT

Winner: Banh Mi Brothers
Runner Up: Que Onda Tacos + Tequila

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: Enderly Coffee Co.

BEST DELI

Winner: Rhino Market & Deli
Runner Up: Common Market

BEST FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT

Winner: Customshop
Runner Up: Restaurant Constance

BEST FARMERS MARKET

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

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Winner: Blasian Asian Way
Runner Up: El Veneno

BEST GOURMET/SPECIALTY FOOD STORE

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

BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE

Winner: Berrybrook Farms
Runner Up: Juiiced Up Reesy

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: Asian Market

BEST JUICE BAR

Winner: Green Brothers Juice & Smoothie Co
Runner Up: The Jugo Bar Tasting Room

BEST SEAFOOD

Winner: Fin & Fino
Runner Up: Caroline’s Oyster Bar

BEST SOUL FOOD

Winner: Mert’s Heart And Soul
Runner Up: Taste of Soul

BEST STEAKHOUSE

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

BEST TAPAS AND SHAREABLES

Winner: Soul Gastrolounge
Runner Up: Barcelona Wine Bar

BEST VEGAN FOOD

Winner: Oh My Soul
Runner Up: Bean Vegan Cuisine

BY DISH

BEST BAGELS

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

BEST BREAKFAST

Winner: Original Pancake House
Runner Up: Snooze A.M. Eatery

BEST BRUNCH

Winner: Cafe Monte French Bakery and Bistro
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST BURGER

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

BEST DESSERT

Winner: Amélie’s French Bakery & Café
Runner Up: Villani’s Bakery

BEST DOUGHNUTS

Winner: Your Mom’s Donuts
Runner Up: Beyond Amazing Donuts

BEST FRIES

Winner: Ace No. 3
Runner Up: Growlers Pourhouse

BEST FROZEN TREAT

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

BEST HANGOVER FIX

Winner: JackBeagle’s NoDa
Runner Up: Ace No. 3

BEST HOT DOG

Winner: Pinky’s Westside Grill
Runner Up: Clark’s Snack Bar

BEST LUNCH

Winner: Calle Sol Latin Café & Cevicheria
Runner Up: The Artisan’s Palate

BEST PHO

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Phở Hoà

BEST PIZZA

Winner: Bird Pizzeria
Runner Up: Inizio Pizza Napoletana

BEST RAMEN

Winner: Menya Daruma
Runner Up: JINYA Ramen Bar

BEST SANDWICH

Winner: Rhino Market & Deli
Runner Up: La Lima Sangucheria

BEST SPECIALTY/SIGNATURE DISH

Winner: Ropa Vieja at El Puro Cuban Restaurant
Runner Up: Flan at Customshop

BEST SUSHI

Winner: New Zealand Cafe
Runner Up: O-Ku

BEST WINGS

Winner: Moosehead Grill
Runner Up: Chex Grill & Wings

BEST TACOS

Winner: Tacos El Nevado
Runner Up: Paco’s Tacos & Tequila

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: Mama’s Caribbean Grill

BEST CHINESE CUISINE

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

BEST FRENCH CUISINE

Winner: Cafe 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 (Tie): Ever Andalo
Runner Up (Tie): Little Mama’s

BEST JAPANESE CUISINE

Winner: O-Ku
Runner Up: DŌZO Japanese American Kitchen

BEST KOREAN CUISINE

Winner: Seoul Food Meat Company
Runner Up: Let’s Meat Kbbq

BEST MEXICAN CUISINE

Winner: Three Amigos Mexican Kitchen and Cantina
Runner Up: Tacos El Nevado

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN CUISINE

Winner: YAFO Kitchen
Runner Up: Halal Street Food

BEST VIETNAMESE CUISINE

Winner: Lang Van
Runner Up: Banh Mi Brothers

BEST THAI CUISINE

Winner: Thai Taste
Runner Up: Thai House

MISCELLANEOUS ACCOLADES

BEST CHEF

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

BEST LATE-NIGHT EATERY

Winner: Midnight Diner
Runner Up: Zämbies Pizza

BEST LOCAL RESTAURANT GROUP

Winner: Tonidandel-Brown
Runner Up: Napa Restaurant Group

BEST LOCALLY FRANCHISED RESTAURANT

Winner: YAFO Kitchen
Runner Up: Viva Chicken

BEST PASTRY CHEF

Winner: Savannah Foltz – Supperland
Runner Up: Matt Cabana – The Accidental Baker

BEST PATIO SPACE

Winner: The Artisans Palate
Runner Up: El Puro Cuban Restaurant

BEST PLACE FOR A BUSINESS LUNCH

Winner: Dean’s Italian Steakhouse
Runner Up: Haberdish

BEST WAIT STAFF/SERVICE

Winner: Supperland
Runner Up: Ever Andalo

FOR THE LOVE OF ALCOHOL

BEST BLOODY MARY

Winner: Moo & Brew
Runner Up: Humbug

BEST BOTTLE SHOP

Winner: Salud Beer Shop
Runner Up: Tip Top Daily Market

BEST BREWERY

Winner: Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Resident Culture

BEST COCKTAIL

Winner: The Artisan’s Palate
Runner Up: Aura Rooftop

BEST DISTILLERY

Winner: Oaklore Distilling Co.
Runner Up: Great Wagon Road Distilling Company

BEST DOG-FRIENDLY BREWERY

Winner: Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Triple C Brewing Company

BEST MOCKTAIL

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: Bar Moxy

BEST NON-ALCOHOLIC MENU

Winner: Restaurant Constance
Runner Up: The Artisans Palate

BEST WINE SELECTION

Winner: Dean’s Italian Steakhouse
Runner Up: Substrate

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 – Birdsong Brewing Co.
Runner Up: Roasty Toasty – Neoteric Brewing Company

BEST GOSE

Winner: Flamingo Skies – Petty Thieves Brewing Company
Runner Up: Margarita Gose – Vaulted Oak Brewing

BEST HIGH-GRAVITY BEER

Winner: All We Know Is That It’s All Unknown – Burial Beer Co.
Runner Up: Belgian Quad – Sugar Creek Brewing Company

BEST IPA

Winner: Juicy Jay – Legion Brewing Company
Runner Up: Higher Ground IPA – Birdsong Brewing Co

BEST KOLSCH

Winner: The Spirit of Radio – Birdsong Brewing Co
Runner Up: Key Lime Kolsch – Pilot Brewing

BEST LAGER

Winner: Rewind – Birdsong Brewing Co
Runner Up: Got Your Six – Neoteric Brewing Company

BEST MARZEN/OKTOBERFEST-STYLE BEER

Winner: Mecktoberfest – The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Runner Up: False Fall Festbier – Vaulted Oak Brewing

BEST PALE ALE

Winner: Jam Session – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: Jalapeño Pale Ale – Birdsong Brewing Co

BEST PILSNER

Winner: Penguin Pilsner – Legion Brewing Company
Runner Up: Pitchside Pils – NoDa Brewing Company

BEST PUMPKIN BEER

Winner: Gordgeous – NoDa Brewing Company
Runner Up: Jacked-O-Lantern PSL Coffee Blonde – Vaulted Oak Brewing

BEST SAISON

Winner: All is not Lost – Petty Thieves Brewing Company
Runner Up: Summer Funds – Vaulted Oak Brewing

BEST SELTZER

Winner: Cümulo Mango Lime – Resident Culture Brewing
Runner Up: Unusually Bubbly – Big Wave – Divine Barrel Brewing

BEST SOUR

Winner: Broken Tarted – Town Brewing Company
Runner Up: Lunchbox Confidential – Divine Barrel Brewing

BEST STOUT

Winner: Cafe Latte Stout – Pilot Brewing
Runner Up: Split Wrench Rye Stout – Vaulted Oak Brewing

BEST SPECIALTY/ONE-OFF BEER

Winner: Apple Crumble Cake Coffee Blonde – Vaulted Oak Brewing
Runner Up: Cümulo Mango Lime – Resident Culture Brewing

BEST PORTER

Winner: The Winston – Neoteric Brewing Company