Charlotte｜Eating Well in a "Food Desert" 🏜️🍽️

Everyone says Charlotte is a food desert—true and not true. There are some hidden gems, but you really have to look for them. 🍖 MOA Korean BBQ 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Price: ~$100 per person The meat quality and flavor are decent for the price, mid-range. But the service attitude is… not it 🙃. Even after Valentine’s Day, they still only let us order the Valentine’s set menu? 👍: Beef tartare, Ribeye, Beef short rib, Grilled short rib 👎: Brisket, and the front desk never answers the phone 📞🚫 🥘 Lam's Kitchen 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Price: $40+ per person A no-brainer spot—every dish is delicious and affordable! 👍: Curry beef brisket pot, Scallion lamb, Couple’s beef slices , Rose soy sauce chicken 👎: Short-staffed during peak hours. Be prepared to wait… for your food and the bill 😅 🌶️ Lee Cafe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Price: $35+ per person A Sichuan spot recommended by local friends—tasty, affordable, and great service! Even if you can’t handle spice, there are mild options. 📍Actually located in South Carolina, about 20 mins from Charlotte 👍: Sichuan boiled beef, Twice-cooked pork, Salted egg soft-shell crab, also offers Cantonese seafood 👎: Nothing really… except it’s a bit far from downtown? 🚗 🥟 Open Rice Metropolitan 🌟🌟🌟 Price: $35+ per person Not my top choice for Cantonese dim sum—everything tasted like it came straight from the freezer ❄️ 👍: Roast duck was okay… 👎: Shrimp dumplings & BBQ pork—hard pass 👎 🍔 Optimist Hall 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Price: $30+ per person Like Pike Place Market (Seattle) or Ponce City Market (Atlanta), this food hall brings together global eats and cool little shops 🌍🛍️ 👍: undercurrent coffee, gelato 👎: None—it’s all about personal taste! 🍗 Malaya Kitchen Malaysian food—I’ve been craving Hainanese chicken rice! But they’re closed on Mondays, so I missed out 😭 #FoodDiary #CharlotteEats #CharlotteFood #FoodReview #HiddenGems #CLTdining #CharlotteNC #FoodieAdventure #EatLikeALocal #CharlotteRestaurants #KoreanBBQ #SichuanFood #DimSum #FoodHall