Sweet tea is the canonical Southern non-alcoholic table drink, brewed strong with black tea and sweetened hot with sugar, then chilled and served over ice.
Sweet tea entered Southern cooking in the late 19th century when refined sugar and refrigerated ice became affordable. By the 1920s it was the table drink across Carolina households, served at every meal except breakfast, and remains the unmarked default ordering 'tea' across Charlotte to this day.
3 editor picks for Sweet tea in Charlotte, ranked by editorial score. All Charlotte signature dishes · Sweet tea across every city.
Sweet Lew's BBQ ★ 4.5
belmont · 923 Belmont Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Lewis Donald's Sweet Lew's BBQ in Belmont is the counter-service barbecue room running wood-smoked pork shoulder, brisket and house sausages since 2018.
Mert's Heart and Soul ★ 4.3
uptown · 214 N College St, Charlotte, NC 28202
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.
300 East ★ 4.3
dilworth · 300 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC 28203
300 East on East Boulevard is the family-run Dilworth institution that has poured wine and run a comfort-food menu in Charlotte since 1986 reliably.