Ballantyne has over 200 dining options, and except you’re making a restaurant documentary, it’s impossible to try them all. We’ve reviewed and trimmed down the list to the top 15 best restaurants in Ballantyne.
Whether as a first-timer in Charlotte or a resident, here are the best dining options in the Ballantyne area.
Red Rocks offers one of the best guest experiences in town. Hosted by local chefs and owners, catered with American cuisine, and served by knowledgeable and friendly wait staff, Red Rocks is sure to please you.
Red Rocks Café is a locally owned and managed, unique American restaurant. Founded in 1992, Red Rocks Café has 3 locations across the Charlotte area, including Ballantyne.
Why we like it: One of the long-standing spots still offering the best in the area.
New South Kitchen & Bar is owned by a local chef, hand-crafted as a modern spot for Southern food. Their seasonal menu highlights some of the best ingredients Carolinas has to offer.
They are also known for supporting family-owned farms while embracing sustainable all-natural farming methods.
All of the pork, beef, and poultry served are raised with no artificial growth hormones or antibiotics. Also, all their seafood is sustainably farmed or fished in the Carolinas waters.
Why we like it: Great seafood, sourced freshly.
This is a casual American tavern and restaurant, the perfect gathering joint for folks to share smiles, laughter, and great conversations over awesome food. Their menu is classic and prepared in-house by the local chef.
Why we like it: Highly skilled bartenders and their cocktail is considered a unique craft.
Napa Valley offers a unique culinary personality and style. Their ingredients are also locally made with a scratch cooking policy, great wines at budget-friendly prices, and a vineyard aesthetic.
Its rustic natural surroundings influence the design of the restaurant. It is one of the best restaurants in Ballantyne for its stylish dinner.
Why we like it: The vibrant fort mill area as well the surrounding communities, makes a great place for hangouts with friends.
5. Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse – Charlotte
Whether you’re attending an event in their wine cellar, enjoying the view from the mezzanine, or dining in the vibrant main dining room, you’re certain to experience a remarkable evening.
Del Frisco’s is located in the Piedmont Town Center, about 10 minutes from Uptown Charlotte.
Why we like it: It is one thing to offer great food and another to offer a stunning view. Del Frisco’s offers both.
6. Mal Pan
Taqueria Mal Pan provides a modern Mexican experience in Ballantyne. Their chef-driven menu is a fantastic combination of both the classic and modern Mexican kitchen. You’ll get a menu that is inspired from Baja to Yucatan and every other place in between.
They also have a back bar curated with a list of artisan spirits from Mexico, the US, the Caribbean, and beyond.
Why we like it: All of their craft cocktails are made with freshly squeezed juices, homemade syrups, bitters, and picture-worthy garnishes.
7. McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood
McCormick & Schmick’s restaurant is perfectly designed to create an original, inviting, and relaxed atmosphere, providing guests an enjoyable and high-quality experience.
Their menu is printed twice daily, including their signature Fresh Fish made with an impressive number of fresh seafood varieties.
Why we like it: Their commitment to local freshness is one of the reasons they are the best restaurants in Ballantyne, and also why we like them.
Red Lobster is known for its unique way of welcoming guests by offering PRIORITY SEATING to reduce the time you have to wait in the restaurant. So, you can relax doing what you want, while waiting for your meal.
They also offer a drink and a tasting plate while you wait. Red Lobster is the world’s biggest and most popular seafood restaurant, offering freshly-made seafood sourced in a sustainable and traceable way.
Why we like them: Their customer reception is remarkable. That’s asides from their notoriously
tasty seafood.
They serve contemporary American fare at their best qualities. You can grab your healthy and tasty breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Gallery restaurant. They change their menu seasonally to offer fresh ingredients.
They also have an impressive wine collection, making a perfect location for a date. The gallery was honored with a Wine Spector Award of Excellence.
Why we like it: It’s an exclusive art display that gives an authentic feel.
10. Bulla Gastrobar – Charlotte
The restaurant owner has joined the Charlotte community in a contemporary spin on traditional Spanish Tapas, known as an imaginative cocktail program and an energetic atmosphere with extensive outdoor and indoor seating.
Why we like it: The owner is very international about maintaining standards. So, your second and third-time experiences are sure to be as great as the first.
This is one of the best restaurants in Ballantyne for a fresh and innovative dining experience. You can enjoy an assortment of Small Plates that provide a bold mixture of flavors to appeal to your appetite.
Their drink menu is also great when you navigate between locally brewed beer and finely handcrafted cocktails.
Why we like it: Their grilled takeout are great appetizers.
ROCKSALT Charlotte offers you a sustainable seafood experience in a rustic, intimate setting. Their oyster bar is placed in the front and center to showcase immaculate Rappahannock River Oysters and clams.
Their wood-fired grill offers savory depth to sea-based and land proteins. Their beer and wine selections are carefully curated.
Why we like it: Their cocktail list is always rotated as much as it evolves.
Napa gained popularity for its consistency in providing comfortable and approachable food and drink made from fresh ingredients and locally sourced ingredients. They also partner with area producers and craftsmen.
They cook everything from scratch, and their affordable prices and variety of choices encourage more patronage.
Why we like it: Napa on Providence is great for a business luncheon, friends gathering for cocktails, or family brunch.
Zio Casual Italian is the best neighborhood restaurant providing homemade pasta, legendary “hot pies” (pizza), salads made with house-grown greens as well as seasonal specials.
The chef and owner, Jim Consol, and his staff have built a reputation of friendly, efficient service coupled with consistently top-tier Italian dishes.
Why we like it: They are friendly and warm, which what makes them loved and one of the best restaurants in Ballantyne.
Leroy Fox is one of the best restaurants in Ballantyne, NC, that specializes in serving fried chicken. The place features a modern roadhouse appeal and provides a large outdoor patio area, and bold cocktails served in mason jars.
Why we like it: They offer a variety of menus, such as lunch and dinner menu, drink menu, brunch menu, dessert menu, to-go menu, catering menu, kid’s menu as well as late-night menu.
Conclusion
Charlotte is great, and the Ballantyne area is one of the reasons. You don’t have to worry about where to get great dishes as they are all around you. Ranging from Italian, Greek to contemporary American dishes, you’ll enjoy the best in Ballantyne.
With any of the best restaurants in Ballantyne on this list, be ready to get wowed!
