If you traveled to North Carolina for the ACC Championship, check out some of these local restaurants in various neighborhoods of Charlotte, all located within twenty minutes of the Bank of America stadium. These restaurants all feature delicious food and are great if you are looking for some unique North Carolina food.

Peculiar Rabbit – Plaza Midwood

Just a ten minute drive from the Bank of America stadium is the Peculiar Rabbit, a gastropub in Plaza Midwood that gets their ingredients from local suppliers. They specialize in English food with a Southern-American twist such as fish and chips with apple cider tartar sauce, short rib grilled cheese, Caroline poutine and chicken and waffles. On top of having delicious food, they have air hockey and pool, as well as a rooftop deck that offers an amazing view of the Charlotte skyline.

5Church – Uptown

If you’re looking for a more upscale, trendier place to dine, visit 5church, about a 15 minute walk from the stadium on North Tryon Street. For brunch, their menu features shrimp & grits, a brunch burger, crab cakes & poached eggs, and other yummy choices. 5church’s dinner menu has chilled Maine lobster, steaks, lamb burgers, gnocchi and various other meats and seafood. I’d recommend going for brunch and enjoying a mimosa for $2.50, which is definitely a nice change from Miami prices. Also be sure to check out the arched ceiling, cool art and creative lighting: this restaurant is actually a converted French Quarter church.

CowFish – South Park

Located in the SouthPark Mall in SouthPark, CowFish specializes in burgers, sushi and alcohol. To start your meal, try their crab Rangoon dip, blackened tuna nachos or spicy poke dip. On top of delicious ½ pound burgers and unique rolls, they have a special category titled “Burgushi”, an interesting fusion of burgers and sushi. Although it sounds kind of weird and maybe even gross, the food is actually really delicious here. If you’re looking for something on the barbecue side and not the sushi side, try the deliverance roll – pulled pork, caramelized onion and barbecue sauce, wrapped up on soy paper and potato strings before being flash fried. If you want sushi, they have a variety of fusion rolls such as the Angry Lobster – lobster and cucumber. Topped with salmon, fried, kimchi, green onion, and honey kimchee sauce- and you can also build your own sushi roll.

Mert’s Uptown – Uptown

If you’re Uptown and craving southern comfort food, head to Mert’s Uptown. It is a husband-and-wife owned restaurant and has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives with their Mert’s Famous Soul Rolls – egg roll wraps filed with black-eyed peas, rice, collard greens and chicken, served with a spicy honey mustard. Their lunch/dinner menu features Carolina Chopped BBQ, ribs, shrimp creole with rice, wings and more. As an added bonus, nearly every entrée comes with a side of cornbread. They also have local wines and beers, as well as $16 unlimited mimosas.

Amelie’s

With locations in NoDa (North Davidson St), South Charlotte, Uptown, Park Road and Uptown, Amelie’s is easy to find. It is a delicious French bakery and café. While you may come across a ginormous line upon entering, the food is definitely worth it and the service is fairly quick. They have a variety of flavored coffee, lattes, tea and more, as well as breakfast sandwiches. Their glorious dessert display case is filled with different types of desserts to fit every sweet tooth, all delicious and perfect. Tarts, macarons, cupcakes, eclairs and brownies are just a few amazing desserts that Amelie’s boasts. It’s easy to drop over twenty dollars on dessert here, but you’ll be heaven with each bite you take.

Diamond Restaurant – Plaza Midwood

A Charlotte staple, Diamond Restaurant has been around since 1945. Starters include hot pimento cheese dip, hush puppies, fried pickles and more. House specials like the pulled pork platter, North Carolina style crab cakes and barbecue dipped fried chicken, are all served with two sides and cornbread. Some of their “Neighborhood Classics” are an assortment of burgers and hot dogs (one of which is topped with chili and homemade pimento cheese – yum).

words_&_photos_kristin_zheng.