The Best of North Carolina, South Carolina and Beyond.

Anderson's 1617 Elizabeth Avenue. Tel: 704-333-3491. One of Charlotte's most beloved hangouts serves breakfast and lunch to a who's who of Charlotte insiders. A dozen daily specials, vegetable plates and the proudly claimed "Best Pecan Pie" prepared in traditional "old Southern" manner make up just part of the extensive, and inexpensive, menu. Located in the Historic Elizabeth neighborhood, just across from Presbyterian Hospital. $ Aquavina Ratcliffe On The Green, 435 South Tryon Street. Tel: 704-377-9911. Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday 11am-11pm, Saturday 5pm-11pm. www.aquavina.com Trendy seafood bistro enjoys a balcony location on The Green just across from the Charlotte Convention Center entrance. Save room for their signature dessert: the Aquavina Banana Split with scoops of peach and dark chocolate icecream topped with mango and Grand Marnier sauces. Sister restaurant La Torres, nearby on W. 5th Street, serves creative dishes inspired by Latin cuisines, with a side dish of Salsa at the dance club next door. $$ Blue Restaurant & Bar Hearst Tower, 214 North College Street, Suite 100. Tel: 704-927-2583. Monday-Friday 11am-10pm. Saturday 4-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm (Brunch until 3pm). Stylish jazz bar serves a wild mix of Mediterranean cuisines and live music (Thursday-Sunday). $$ Bistro 100 Bank of America Corporate Center - Founders Hall, 100 North Tryon Street. Tel: 704-344-0515. Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11:30am-11pm, Sunday 11am-9pm. www.levyrestaurants.com Location inside Founders Hall makes this a popular stop before and after shows at Blumenthal Performing Arts Center just across the atrium. Beautiful décor complements a French bistro menu based around delicasies roasted in the wood-fired oven including fabulous chicken and fish, whole garlic cloves, and artichokes stuffed with Brie. $$ Bonterra Dining & Wine Room 1829 Cleveland Avenue. Tel: 704-333-9463. Monday-Thursday 5:30-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5:30-11pm. www.bonterradining.com A wine bar replaces the altar in this former church tucked away in the historic Dilworth neighborhood. Specialties include Fried Lobster Tail and house-smoked salmon. $$$ Cosmos Cafe 300 North College Street. Tel: 704-372-3553. Monday-Friday 11am-2am, Saturday 5pm-2am. www.cosmoscafe.com This arty eatery serves a little bit of everything from tapas and mezes to pizza and sushi, along with huge martinis from the Thirsty Camel Lounge upstairs. $

Ethan's of Elizabeth American Bistro 366 North Caswell Road. Tel: 704-375-3007. Monday-Saturday 11am-2pm, Monday-Thursday 5-10pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11pm. Chef Mark Martin prepares inventive American cuisinie in a lovely old house in the eclectic Elizabeth neighborhood. $$ Mimosa Grill Wachovia Plaza, 327 South Tryon Street. Tel: 704-343-0700. Monday-Thursday 11:30am-10pm, Friday 11:30am-11pm, Saturday-Sunday 5-11pm. www.mimosagrill.com Ever-inventive Executive Chef Tom Condron seamlessly combines Southern ingredients into a genuine New South cuisine. Specialties change with the season but include Smoked Trout & Crab Cakes, Pecan-crusted Rack of Lamb, and Chicken with White Truffle Dumplings. $$ Mert's Heart & Soul International Trade Center, 214 North College Street. Tel: 704-342-4222. Monday-Wednesday 10am-3pm, Friday-Saturday 5-11pm, Sunday 5-9pm. www.mertsheartandsoul.com Real Southern country cooking makes this colorful spot a favorite with the bankers in the uptown towers. Salmon cakes, chopped collard greens and shrimp and grits are all famous. $ The Penguin 1921 Commonwealth Avenue. Tel: 704-375-6959. Monday-Saturday 11am-midnight, Sunday 5pm-midnight. Bar open daily until 2am. Begin a night at the hip clubs in historic Plaza-Midwood with a burger and sweet potato fries at this local favorite that started life as an unpretentious snack bar serving the coldest beer in town. Now it's the center of a cool scene with a great jukebox. $ Presto Grill 445 West Trade Street. Tel: 704-334-5338. Monday-Thursday 7am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 7am-11pm. www.prestobarandgrill.com Serving Charlotte breakfast, lunch and dinner for over 50 years, the Presto now has a new menu and snazy new building to match. Located in the Center City's west side near the Johnson & Wales campus. Rooftop patio with a fab view of the skyline is a popular place for Happy Hour. $ Southend Brewery and Smokehouse 2100 South Boulevard. Tel: 704-358-4677. Located at the Atherton Mill Trolley Stop in historic South End, this immense microbrewery packs 'em in for fresh brews and regional American cuisine. Live music in the huge bar and some serious celebrity watching (the family of NFL Panthers owner Mark Richardson are part of the management team) attract locals, sports fans, and pub-hopping trolley riders. $