1. Mickey & Mooch
City: Arboretum, NC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (704) 752-8080
Address: 8128 Providence Rd.
Description: Both locations of Mickey & Mooch are considered among the top restaurants in Charlotte. They have been recognized by Zagat, Wine Spectator, and several local publications. Mickey, the owner, is an Italian from New Jersey who knows his cuts of beef. You can’t go wrong with the aged center-cut beef and chops. The rest of the menu is highly regarded, too, including pastas and risotto, fresh boiled and sautéed fish, baby-back ribs, lobster, crab cakes, and shrimp and grits. The décor is upscale, yet the dress code is fairly casual. Mickey & Mooch is a great place to take a date, with live music a couple nights a week. Outside dining is available seasonally. Dinner nightly; reservations recommended.
2. Cajun Yard Dog
City: Arboretum, NC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (704) 752-1750
Address: 8036 Providence Rd.
Description: This is a fun Cajun bar and grill with live entertainment on weekends. The menu covers the requisite entrees, from chicken jambalaya to crawfish creole to a variety of po’boys on crispy baguettes. An interesting selection on the appetizer menu is jalapeno deviled eggs, followed by this disclaimer: “not your grandma’s deviled eggs.” Open for lunch and dinner Mon through Sat and closed on Sun.
3. New South Kitchen & Bar
City: Arboretum, NC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (704) 541-9990
Address: 8140 Providence Rd.
Description: Chef/owner Chris Edwards, from Shelby, N.C., mixes old South heritage with a few modern twists at New South Kitchen & Bar, which opened in late 2007. The menu has such Dixie standbys as fried green tomatoes, fried chicken, fried okra, and Pabst Blue Ribbon beer. An interesting appetizer is the redneck cheese board, which is pimento cheese with flatbread. The “new” South can be found in dishes like pork ravioli, pesto chicken salad, and duck sausage with buttered cabbage. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.