BEST NEW RESTAURANT (OPENED IN LAST 12 MONTHS)
Blue Restaurant & Bar
Blue, Corner of College and Fifth Street. 704-927-2583.
BEST SPECIAL OCCASION RESTAURANT
The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot, 901 S. Kings Drive. 704-334-4400.
BEST LATE-NIGHT EATS
Athens
Athens, 101 E. Independence Boulevard. 704-375-3597.
BEST RESTAURANT WINE LIST
Bonterra Restaurant & Wine Room
Bonterra, 1829 Cleveland Avenue. 704-372-9463.
BEST PLACE TO BUY A BOTTLE OF WINE
Total Wine
Total Wine, 1600 East Woodlawn Road. 704-295-9290.
BEST SOUTHERN COUNTRY COOKING
Dish
Dish, 1220 Thomas Avenue. 704-344-0343.
BEST GOURMET/SPECIALTY FOOD STORE
Dean & Deluca
Dean & Deluca, various locations.
BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE
Talley’s Green Grocery
Talley’s, 1408 East Boulevard, Suite C. 704-334-9200.
BEST “ATKINS DIET”-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Subway
Subway, various locations.
BEST BARBECUE
Bill Spoon’s Barbecue
Bill Spoon’s Barbecue, 5524 South Boulevard. 704-525-8865.
BEST COFFEEHOUSE
Caribou Coffee, East Boulevard
Caribou, 1531 East Boulevard. 704-334-3570.
BEST TAKEOUT OR SIDEWALK STAND
Price’s Chicken Coop
Price’s Chicken Coop, 1614 Camden Road. 704-333-9866.
BEST PIZZA
Fuel Pizza
Fuel Pizza, various locations.
BEST DELI
Jason’s Deli
Jason’s Deli, various locations.
BEST DINER
The Penguin
The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Avenue. 704-375-6959.
BEST CHINESE
PF Chang’s
PF Chang’s, 6809F Phillips Place Court. 704-552-6644.
BEST ASIAN (OTHER THAN CHINESE)
Lang Van Vietnamese
Lang Van, 3019 Shamrock Drive. 704-531-9525.
BEST FRENCH
Patou French Bistro
Patou, 2400 Park Road. 704-376-2233.
BEST GREEK
Showmars
Showmars, various locations.
BEST INDIAN
Maharani Indian Cuisine
Maharani, 901 S. Kings Drive. 704-370-2455.
BEST ISLAND FOOD
Anntony’s
Anntony’s, 2001 E. 7th Street. 704-342-0749.
BEST ITALIAN
Portofino’s
Portofino’s, 5126 Park Road. 704-527-0702; 3124 Eastway Drive. 704-568-7933.
BEST MEXICAN
La Paz Restaurante
La Paz, 1910 South Boulevard. 704-372-4168.
BEST LATINO (OTHER THAN MEXICAN)
Latorre’s Restaurant
Latorre’s, 118 W. 5th Street. 704-377-4448.
BEST MIDDLE EASTERN
Middle East Deli
Middle East Deli, 4508 E. Independence Boulevard. 704-536-9847.
BEST STEAK HOUSE
Sullivan’s
Sullivan’s, 1928 South Boulevard. 704-335-8228.
BEST SUSHI
Ru San’s
Ru San’s, 2440 Park Road. 704-374-0008.
BEST DESSERTS
The Cheesecake Factory
Cheesecake Factory, 4400 Sharon Road. 704-770-0076.
BEST FRENCH FRIES
McDonald’s
McDonald’s, various locations.
BEST FRIED CHICKEN
Price’s Chicken Coop
Price’s Chicken Coop, 1614 Camden Road. 704-333-9866.
BEST HAMBURGER
The Penguin
The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Avenue. 704-375-6959.
BEST HOT DOG
Green’s Lunch
Green’s Lunch, 309 W. 4th Street. 704-332-1786.
BEST ICE CREAM
Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s, various locations.
BEST ONION RINGS
The Penguin
The Penguin, 1921 Commonwealth Avenue. 704-375-6959.
BEST WINGS
Wing Stop
Wing Stop, 7627 Pineville-Matthews Road. 704-540-8311; 8112 Idlewild Road. 704-531-6535.
This article appears in Aug 4-10, 2004.
