Top Rated Restaurants & Cafes in Charlotte

What happens when you mix sushi and burgers? Cowfish Sushi Burger Bar serves this interesting combination of Japanese and American cuisines to its adventurous patrons. A good place to experiment with food, it allows diners to mix and match dishes calling it the 'Burgushi'. Try a Deliverance Roll which contains pork wrapped in seaweed and covered with barbecue sauce or sample a Bento Box with a burger-sushi combination. An open mind is all you need as you experience two diverse cultures come together in a memorable gustatory experience.

Lebowski's Neighborhood Grill sits just on the edge of the Dilworth district, offering fairly traditional American fare with a nod towards the Coen Brothers' classic "The Big Lebowski". The main area in which this theme comes through is the laid back, friendly atmosphere at Lebowski's, locals popping in regularly for the tasty food and diverse collection of craft brews. The menu goes through the general motions of casual American grill fare, featuring a scrumptious assortment of burgers, sandwiches and salads as well as comfort food platters. One distinguishing factor in these items is the weck roll, a variation on the salty Kaiser roll. Over 70 beers are available to pair with your food, many of the tap options sourced from North Carolina breweries. A relaxed place for an informal meal, Lebowski's is a great stop for something casual.

Japanese tradition meets American cool in Nikko, where the decor and atmosphere will leave you comfortable, relaxed and ready to enjoy your repast. The sushi is masterfully created, and unlike some places, you'll get enough to fill you up. Other traditional dinners you can order include Sukiyaki, which is thin slices of steak with vegetables cooked in a pot, and Ton Katsu, a crusted pork loin on baby greens. The restaurant can be crowded on the weekends, and it's not really dim enough to be romantic, but the food makes it well worth your while to visit.

Take some time out from your busy day and drop by for a magical cup of coffee at Not Just Coffee. True to its name, it offers 'not just coffee' but also a relaxed ambience to soothe your tired nerves and allow you to introspect and be at peace. Apart from the classic coffee combinations, it also has a variety of offbeat infusions like the Civet Coffee, a delicacy from Indonesia which is made from coffee beans selected by the Asian palm civet.

No, this place isn't connected to the hit Broadway Smokey Joe's Cafe revue, but it wouldn't be surprising if it was inspired by the pop culture behind it. While this bar and entertainment venue offers superb live music performances and cheap drinks, it does pose as more of a dive bar rather than a sophisticated watering hole. This however has not deterred its patrons from being loyal, and its first-timers from visiting again. Smokey Joe's Cafe usually features blues, Americana, indie, bluegrass, jazz, jam band, country, rock, jazz, folk, funk, and acoustic music performances. And there's also a pool table, an outdoor seating area with a swing, and other past times that make Smokey Joe's Cafe the ideal place to chill out with buddies, or unwind at after a hard day at work.

This trendy sushi bar is a favorite among Charlotte locals. Tucked in the Dilworth neighborhood, Pisces Sushi Bar & Lounge features the usual nigiri and sashimi, but the star of the menu is their wide selection of specialty rolls. Their "Panthers Roll" serves up a hefty portion of spicy tuna and avocado, while the "First Love Roll" features crab, fresh mango, shrimp and avocado. Not to be outdone, the drinks menu is just as impressive with offerings like a blueberry soju sake martini.