by UP Staff

Folks in the restaurant industry know good food, so we want to know where they eat when they’re not cooking. In this series, we ask a local chef, bartender, restaurateur, or food artisan to share their favorite restaurants in town and what they order there.

This week, we share the favorites of Awo Amenumey, the chef/owner behind Eh’Vivi. Her pop-up concept has slowly introduced Charlotteans to the fare of her native Ghana with sit-down, coursed dinners. Known to many as “Chef Awo,” Amenumey is also an UPPY Award winner and reigning champion of the Charlotte StrEATs Festival Neighborhood Cookoff.

Here’s her list of top spots in the city.

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Yunta Nikkei, South End
Fusion concept combining Peruvian and Japanese cuisines
Awo’s order: Tallarin saltado (Peruvian lo mein), chicharrones
Awo’s take: “They are always booked so I go there for lunch on Saturdays, its easier to get in and you can still order from the full menu.”

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Indaco, South End
Italian concept, specializing in wood-fired pizzas, hand-crafted pasta, and house-made sausages
Awo’s order: Any type of seasonal burrata and dessert
Awo’s take: “It’s nice to go in a group and order a bunch of stuff to share.”

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Restaurant Constance, Wesley Heights
Fine dining restaurant with a constantly changing menu, focusing on locally sourced ingredients
Awo’s order: Pretty much everything on the menu.
Awo’s take: “Always make reservations weeks in advance, they stay booked.”

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Beyond Amazing Donuts (B.A.D), Montford
Specialty doughnut shop run by former Leah & Louise chef Jasmine Macon
Awo’s order: Sorghum caramel and the classic vanilla doughnuts.
Awo’s take: “Order at least a dozen assorted so you can try a good selection of her delicious creations.”

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Jimmy Pearls, Various
James Beard nominated fried fish & fixin’s dishes back to its original food truck concept
Awo’s order: “Bubba Chucks” corn fritters, “Bag of Dem Gizzards”
Awo’s take: “I’m not a big fish person, but those fritters and chicken gizzards are to die for!”

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Bonus Picks

Tacos El Nevado, LoSo/Windsor Park
Authentic Mexican tacos and other specialties
Awo’s order: Al pastor and tripa tacos

The Goodyear House, NoDa
American cuisine with a Southern flair
Awo’s order: Devlish toast and corn curls

Pizza Baby, Elizabeth/Wesley Heights
Named one of the top 50 pizzerias in the U.S; focus on farm-sourced ingredients, plus artisanal meats and cheeses
Awo’s order: Rosemary pizza with pistachio and hot honey

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See where other Charlotte chefs and industry pros eat