Manolo's Latin Bakery is a restaurant in East Charlotte, Charlotte.
Manolo's Latin Bakery on east Central Avenue is the Charlotte Latin bakery and counter, with empanadas, Cuban sandwiches and a pastries case turning out.
Why locals love it: A small Latin bakery on Central Avenue's east stretch, with a steady regular base but easy to overlook driving Central.
Tip: Mornings are freshest. Spanish is the working language.
Address: 4405 Central Ave Ste D, Charlotte, NC 28205
Sweet Lew's BBQ in Belmont is Lewis Donald's wood-smoked Carolina BBQ counter, smoking whole pork shoulders, brisket and house sausages on a quiet street.
Why locals love it: A counter-service BBQ room on a quiet Belmont street, easy to drive past unless you're looking for it.
Tip: Get there before noon. The meats sell through by mid-afternoon.
Dot Dot Dot at Park Road Shopping Center is the members-only Charlotte speakeasy behind a brown door, with classic cocktails done correctly.
Why locals love it: A speakeasy behind a brown door at Park Road Shopping Center; you have to know the triple-dot sign to find it.
Tip: Members-only with an affordable annual fee. Two-hour reservation slots; arrive on time.
Bossy Beulah's Freedom Drive is the original Charlotte chicken-sandwich counter, opened in west Charlotte before the brand spread to Ballantyne, Brandywine.
Why locals love it: The original Freedom Drive flagship is in a corner strip mall in west Charlotte, easy to overlook past the more famous Ballantyne branch.
Tip: Counter-order. The classic chicken sandwich with fries is the canonical visit.
Haberdish on N Davidson is the Tonidandel and Brown NoDa Southern kitchen and craft-cocktail bar, with the back bar worth a seat as its own destination.
Why locals love it: Visible on N Davidson but the kitchen's mill-town cocktail bar at the back is a Charlotte hidden gem, separately worth a seat.
Tip: Sit at the back bar to land the cocktail-led seat. Walk-ins easier than the dining room.
Lupie's Cafe on Monroe Road is the Plaza Midwood diner that has poured comfort food into Charlotte's working-lunch crowd since 1987, with daily specials.
Why locals love it: A blue-painted diner that looks like it's been there forever, easy to drive past but a Charlotte fixture since 1987.
Tip: Get there before 2pm on a weekday for the daily specials before they sell through.
The Open Kitchen on West Morehead is the family-run Italian-American room that has fed Charlotte since 1952, with red-sauce pasta plates and a regular base.
Why locals love it: A neon-signed Italian-American room on West Morehead that has fed Charlotte since 1952, easy to drive past on the way uptown.
Tip: The lasagna recipe goes back to 1952. Cash and card.
