Charlotte Restaurant Week

New city, same Arielle—you know I can’t pass up restaurant week.

Charlotte Restaurant Week (aka Queen’s Feast) differs from some of the others I experienced while living in Virginia. Instead of just one week, foodies have 10 days to indulge in the pre-fixe, multi-course menus offered. Also, Charlotte Restaurant Week spans beyond just the city limits. There are more than 90 restaurants participating throughout the greater Charlotte area, including Gaston County, Huntersville, Concord, Matthews, Fort Mill and more.

Charlotte Restaurant Week Tips

Here are a few tips to have a successful Charlotte Restaurant Week:

• Make your reservations early. Unlike other cities I’ve done restaurant week in, all restaurants participating in Charlotte Restaurant Week allow you to make a reservation. Definitely do this early, at least two weeks in advance if you want your pick of dates and times.

• Book weekend reservations even earlier. It should come as no surprise that weekend reservations book much faster than weekdays. I tried making my weekend reservations a week before and most restaurants were either completely booked or only had 4 and 9 p.m. dinner availability.

• Don’t hog the reservations. You may think it’s a hack to book as many reservation slots as possible, then decide where you want to eat. Don’t be this person. Be decisive and save some reservation times for the other eager diners.

• Check back frequently for openings. If you have a flexible schedule, check a restaurant’s reservations page frequently for openings. Things happen and people have to cancel, which leaves an opening for you to swoop in. Many restaurant sites even have an option that alerts you when an opening at your desired time becomes available.

• Try something new. While you might be tempted to visit your usual spot and eat your favorite dish, restaurant week is a great opportunity to try new restaurants, types of cuisines and different meals. Restaurant week is also an excellent time to try an eatery that’s been on your list for a while.

2023 marks the first of many Charlotte Restaurant Weeks I plan on participating in, so check back here each year for write ups on all the restaurants I try.