Charlotte's banking-tower downtown, home to The Market at 7th Street, La Belle Helene, Mert's Heart and Soul and Fin and Fino.
Top-rated food tour in Charlotte
The Original Charlotte Brewery Tour - Craft Beer Experience
Order The steak frites and a chilled glass of Sancerre. The seafood tower is the showpiece for groups.
La Belle Helene is the refined French brasserie at 300 S Tryon in uptown Charlotte, with a raw bar, banquettes and a dedicated cocktail program.
Order The fresh pasta and a glass off the Italian-leaning wine wall.
Aria Tuscan Grill at 100 N Tryon is uptown Charlotte's long-running Tuscan kitchen, with a glass-walled wine display and the city's only chef's table.
Order The oysters and the whole roasted fish for the table.
Fin and Fino at Levine Avenue of the Arts is uptown Charlotte's seafood room, with a raw bar and a tasting menu set across from the Mint Museum.
On this list, shown aboveFin and Fino
Order Fried chicken, collards and the mac and cheese; the canonical Mert's plate.
Mert's Heart and Soul on N College Street is uptown Charlotte's longest-running soul food room, with a fried-chicken-and-collards plate that draws a crowd.
Order The breakfast plate and a strong espresso.
Stoke at the Charlotte Marriott City Center on West Trade is the uptown breakfast and morning-coffee room, with wood-fired plates and a chef-driven approach.
Order An almond croissant and a coffee from the espresso bar.
Amelie's at 380 S College is the uptown Charlotte branch of the long-running French-style bakery chain, with almond croissants and the salted brownie.
Order A sandwich at Orrman's Cheese Shop and a smoothie from Hip-Hop Smoothies.
The Market at 7th Street in uptown Charlotte is the non-profit food hall and public market open since 2011, with vendors selling cheese, BBQ, pizza.
Taste Carolina's Charlotte Uptown Tasting Tour is the 2.5 to 3 hour walking food tour of uptown Charlotte's chef-driven restaurants and food shops.
Secret Food Tours Charlotte is the international operator's three-hour walking tasting tour of Charlotte food and wine stops, with a secret-dish reveal.
Taste of Charlotte is the three-day uptown Charlotte food festival on Tryon Street, with samples from dozens of restaurants and live music every first.
Johnson and Wales Charlotte's Kitchen Academy on West Trade is the chef-led recreational cooking school, with hands-on classes from knife skills to world.
Chef's Choice at Johnson and Wales Charlotte is the standalone recreational cooking series, with classes from knife skills to baking and saucemaking.
Charlotte Cooks is the Central Piedmont Community College continuing-ed cooking programme, with hands-on classes for beginners to intermediate cooks.
On this list, shown aboveMert's Heart and Soul
Order Fried chicken, collards and a peach cobbler.
Mert's Heart and Soul on N College Street runs a Sunday gospel brunch in uptown Charlotte, with the soul-food classics plus live gospel music through.
