This week, Charlotte welcomes the NBA for All Star Weekend. Half of Scallionpancake is a huge NBA Fan. The other half does crosswords at sporting events. We’ll let you guys figure out which is which. But I digress. In honor of the best in basketball coming to the Queen City, we wanted to give our city’s visitors a guide to the restaurant scene in and around Uptown – but with a twist. Here’s a list of some of some of our favorite places within a 10 minute Uber/Lyft drive of Spectrum Center that have vibes similar to our favorite NBA All Star Starters.
Lamb Neck from Bardo
Lebron James:
Bardo
AL BELLO/GETTY IMAGES
The best player in the NBA deserves the best restaurant in Charlotte, and that’s Bardo. Take a cab down Mint Street, just a few minutes from Uptown, and enjoy the best meal Charlotte has to offer right now. They are only open for dinner, and you’ll probably want to get a reservation.
Reservations or Call 980-585-2433
Address: 1508 Unit B, S Mint St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Brunch Spread at Haberdish
Kemba Walker:
Haberdish
Image Courtesy of Sports Illustrated
The hometown hero represents the quintessential Charlotte restaurant, Haberdish. They’re serving up down-home southern cooking like your mom wishes she could make. If you’re from out of town and looking for a Southern meal, this is the spot for you. They don’t take reservations, so get there early or be prepared to wait a bit.
Address: 3106 N Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28205
The pork belly tacos from Soul Gastrolounge
Joel Embiid:
Soul Gastrolounge
Image CSNPhilly.com
Joel Embiid is cool, hip, and wants to date Rihanna. There is no place cooler than Soul Gastrolounge. Rich Cho, the Hornets former GM, gave the the pork belly tacos at Soul a 5 out of 5, and we couldn’t agree more. Hang out under the peacock and try to find your own Rihanna. No reservations are available; however, they are on Yelp’s No Wait app.
Address: 1500 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Giannis Antetokounmpo: SIGGY’s Good Food
Photo: sportingnews.com
Giannis is from Greece, and Siggy’s serves the best Mediterranean style food around. Also we call Siggy the Jewish Greek Freak (okay that’s not exactly true). If you’re looking for a healthy breakfast or brunch after a night of partying in Uptown, take the short uber to Siggy’s and fuel yourself for the day ahead.
Address: 1001 Belmont Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Paul George:
Loft & Cellar
Photo: Sports Illustrated
Paul George needed a change of scenery from Indiana to OKC to regain in mojo. The same can be said for Loft & Cellar, who hired Scallionpancake heartthrob Greg Collier to reimagine the struggling restaurant’s menu. Not only did Collier turn the restaurant around, but he made it one of our favorite places Uptown. Go there for brunch or dinner, either way you won’t be disappointed. If you want something more casual, head over to 7th Street Market for Collier’s other restaurant, The Yolk.
Reservations or call 704-817-9057
Address: 305 W 4th St, Charlotte, NC 28202
Steph Curry:
The Stanley
Photo: USA Today
Rumor has it that I held Steph Curry to 30 points in one game at Dell Curry’s basketball camp at the Jewish Community Center in the summer of 1999. Whether those rumors are true or not, what’s 100% fact is that Steph is an original Charlottean. Paul Verica was the first in Charlotte to really focus on local, farm to table ingredients at his old restaurant, The Heritage. Now he’s moved his digs to Elizabeth and rebranded to The Stanley, where you can get the best local farm to table offerings in the city. The atmosphere is homey and welcoming, but it’s really small. You’re going to need to make reservations.
Reservations or call 980-299-2741
Address: 1961 E 7th St, Charlotte, NC28204
Lamb Lollipops: Image Courtesy of FunnyLove Blog
James Harden: DANDELION MARKET
Photo: Yahoo Sports
James Harden has been known to like his share of clubs, and there’s no better place to have a meal and party than Dandelion. Go have a nice meal on the first floor and then make your way up to the top floor for some dancing and good times. Our favorites are the cherry-glazed lamb lollipops and the sliders.
Address: 118 West 5th St,Charlotte, NC 28202
Homemade Energy Bar and Blue Cheese and Parmesan Truffles
Kyrie Irving: Lincoln’s Haberdashery
Photo: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports
Kyrie knows how to get buckets from every angle around the rim. Lincoln’s Haberdashery knows how serve great food of almost any variety – from breakfast, to amazing sandwiches, homemade ice creams, and all of their pastries. I could also see Kyrie hanging out in the upstairs room checking out Lincoln’s Mary Todd tattoos. Lincoln’s is a great lunch spot if you’re looking for a fresh sandwich or salad and you need a place to relax and have a quick All-Star regroup.
Address: 1300 South Blvd Suite S, Charlotte, NC 28203
Octopus, Scallops, and other magic from the Asbury
Kawhi Leonard:
The Asbury
Photo: Sporting News
Kawhi plays in Toronto, one of the best food cities in North America. He also has an aura of class and seems to like the finer things in life, as taught to him by his old coach in San Antonio, Gregg Popovich. The Asbury, located in the Dunhill Hotel, is serving up some of the best, most creative dishes in Charlotte. Also, their pastry Chef, Miranda Brown, makes some of the best desserts in town.
Reservations or call 704-342-1193
Address: 235 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202
The spread at Sweet Lew’s
Kevin Durant:
Sweet Lew’s BBQ
Photo: Sports Illustrated
Kevin Durant went to the University of Texas in Austin, where they have, in my opinion, the best BBQ brisket in the country. Sweet Lew’s is the closest thing Charlotte has to that beautiful Texas meat. They even slice it right in front of you, just like they do in Texas. Get the brisket or chopped pork, and then be prepared for a nice long nap.
Address: 923 Belmont Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205