A classic burger from Harriet’s in Optimist Hall. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: What are your favorite spots in Optimist Hall?
Kristen: It depends on what I’m craving! With J.J. in tow, it’s usually Harriet’s Hamburgers — the fries with garlic aioli dipping sauce are something I crave frequently. If I’m not feeling well, Bao + Broth’s ramen is the winner. I think their ramen has steadily improved since opening. I also love that both are Charlotte-based concepts, as there are a lot of out-of-towners in the food stalls. Billy Sunday’s vintage amaro program is impressive for after dinner, and for dessert, I’ll grab a dessert donut at Suarez. Botiwalla is another go-to, one I lean on often for takeout.

Q: Do you think Charlotte would ever pass something like NYC and require vaccines for indoor dining?
Kristen: No, I don’t. The arguments around vaccines have become political, and as such, I don’t think local officials want to weigh into it any more than they have to — we saw that this week with the mayor declining to implement a mask mandate without the directive from someone else. Given how diverse the Charlotte metro region is politically, a vaccine requirement would stir some serious hoopla, and the people left dealing with resulting anger would be the restaurant workers. Though many restaurant owners may want to implement one on their own to keep their workers safe, I don’t think restaurants want to take on the burden of enforcing it.

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