Charlotte Late-Night Food Round Up
After-hours eateries in the Queen City that are worth staying up for.
by Jamie Killian
After a night out in Charlotte, don’t settle for chips and small snacks after midnight. Check out what the Queen City has to offer late night, from giant slices of to-go pizza to sit-down meals.
Amelie’s French Bakery & Cafe
Neighborhood: NoDa
Charlotte’s whimsical French bakery keeps its flagship NoDa location open until midnight on Friday and Saturday, making it the perfect spot to satisfy a late-night sweet tooth. The salted caramel brownies and pecan sticky buns are among the crowd-pleasers made fresh daily.
Bar One Lounge
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Indulge in pizzas or small plates like the Bar One Tartare, featuring Wagyu tenderloin, quail egg, capers, cornichons, Calabrian chilies, shallots and extra virgin olive oil on freshly baked flatbread. Bar One Lounge serves these dishes and more from the late-night menu until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Benny’s
Benny Pennello’s in NoDa and Benny Ferrovia’s in South End are open until midnight Sunday through Wednesday, 2 a.m. on Thursday, and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Order one of Benny’s famous 14-inch slices in classic cheese or pepperoni, or grab a whole 28-inch pie to share.
Church & Union
Neighborhood: Uptown
Open until midnight on Friday and 2 a.m. on Saturday, Church & Union is a great spot for grabbing something a little more sophisticated after regular dinner hours. The late-night menu features hand cut fries, charcuterie and chicken karaage, a Japanese fried chicken.
Cru
Neighborhood: NoDa
Cocktails, hookah and small plates make this a trifecta of fun at midnight and later. Open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, Cru has garlic shrimp skewers, street corn, lamb lollipops, lobster mac and cheese, and more to satisfy your late-night cravings.
The Degenerate
Neighborhood: NoDa
Nothing bonds friends like a table full of good food. Take your crowd to The Degenerate for a late-night snack like perogies served with apple gastrique or fried banana peppers dipped in ranch. Wash it all down with one of the specialty cocktails, like The Fishbone made with house-made aquavit, cucumber syrup, lime, lavender bitters and soda.
Dish
Neighborhood: Plaza Midwood
Open until 1:30 a.m. nightly, Dish is the place for all things comfort food. The late-night snack menu features Southern treasures like pimento cheese two ways, a fried chicken biscuit, Szechuan chicken and dumplings, and crispy fries with a side of house dipping sauce.
Duckworth’s Grill & Taphouse
Neighborhood: Ballantyne, SouthPark, Uptown, Huntersville, Mooresville
No matter where your night takes you, you can find late-night food at Duckworth’s. With locations throughout the Queen City, and a menu available until midnight, you can pop in for classic bar bites like nachos, mozzarella sticks and wings.
El Thrifty
Neighborhood: Optimist Park
Satisfy your late-night craving with Mexican-inspired flavors, including Birria Tacos with Oaxaca cheese, onions, cilantro and spicy consommé or Chile Rellenos. El Thrifty is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights and offers a full menu all day, every day.
Fahrenheit
Neighborhood: Uptown
Open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, Fahrenheit is the perfect place to take in the city skyline at night. Located on the 21st floor, enjoy elevated eats, including shareable sides like Tokyo Street Corn or signature entrees like the Sunflower Basil Pesto Rigatoni.
Growler’s Pourhouse
Neighborhood: NoDa
Have another beer until midnight, or 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, at this NoDa staple. Growler’s serves a full menu, including braised carnitas nachos and short rib potato skins, until 11 p.m. and offers late-night chips and queso until closing time.
JackBeagles
Neighborhood: NoDa
Nothing tastes better at midnight than mac and cheese, and no one does it quite like JackBeagles. Open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday at the NoDa location, this neighborhood bar offers eight varieties of mac and cheese, including options topped with smoked hot dogs, creamy Thai curry or chili.
Lucky Lou’s Tavern
Neighborhood: Madison Park
This local watering hole, open until 2 a.m. daily, has lots of sandwiches and 15 varieties of wings to fuel you up just in time to perform late-night karaoke. Try The Godfather, a sub with roast beef, turkey, pepperoni, provolone cheese and Italian dressing.
Midnight Diner
Neighborhood: Uptown
This classic ‘50s diner is the perfect place to grab a bite late at night. Midnight Diner is open 24 hours a day and serves up staples like pancakes, hash browns and eggs. Need something extra indulgent? Try The Bubba, an open-faced biscuit sandwich with eggs, sausage gravy and your choice of breakfast meat.
Moosehead Grill
Neighborhood: Montford
Every night until 2 a.m., Moosehead Grill is serving up the perfect late-night combo: wings and beer. Choose from 13 wing sauces, like Jamaican Jerk and Wasabi Honey Mustard, and wash it all down with beer from a rotating draft list, including several varieties from local breweries.
The Public House
Neighborhood: Uptown
The Public House’s central location makes it a great place to wander over to after hitting the bars Uptown. Open until 2 a.m., order everything from cheese boards and wonton nachos to burgers, chicken parmesan and a warm brownie sundae for dessert.
RedEye Diner
Neighborhood: Uptown
Throw some money in the jukebox and end your night at this 24-hour spot. RedEye Diner has everything you could want from a diner experience: milkshakes and root beer floats served alongside classic fare like chicken and waffles, French toast, and biscuits and gravy.
Seoul Food Meat Company
Neighborhood: South End, Optimist Park
After an adventurous night, try a late-night bite with a twist. Seoul Food has an eclectic menu featuring fusion tacos with fillings from kimchi pork to brisket bulgogi. The South End location stays open until midnight each night, and both locations are open until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Tavern on the Tracks
Neighborhood: South End
This local staple features a late-night menu with buffalo wings, cheese curds and the Tavern Trash Bowl featuring macaroni and cheese topped with buffalo tenders, bacon, fried potatoes and scallions. Order this and more until midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
VINYL
Neighborhood: South End
VINYL is an unpretentious neighborhood bar in South End where good times are played at full volume. The music-inspired bar and kitchen celebrates nostalgic music hits, unique cocktails and elevated street food. Resident DJs play daily, and the bar is open until 2 a.m. with the kitchen serving a late-night menu until 1:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
