Q: Football season is just around the corner. Where are your favorite places to watch a game?

Tom: Well, you could get NFL Sunday Ticket and set up multiple screens in your living room and order from DoorDash, but if you are looking for a sports bar/restaurant to communally share in the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, my go-tos would be Blinder’s in South End — a fantastic video wall with a great cocktail menu, good beers, and satisfying bar nibbles, Ten58 in Uptown — just a stone’s throw from BOA Stadium and owned by former Panthers great Thomas Davis and his wife Kelly, really tight bar menu (check out the braised short ribs in taco or Sloppy Joe versions); Big Ben British Pub & Restaurant in Elizabeth — if you want a fully immersive football day, get there Sunday mornings for some English Premier League euro-football and stay for the NFL games where you can pound a few pints and enjoy the pub fare (rideshare highly recommended); Caswell Station, also in Elizabeth — located in a historic home, they get a lively crowd and offer everything you want in a sports bar, and a few things more; and then there’s Dilworth Neighborhood Grille on Morehead — known for often biting street signs and a extensive bar menu which includes the expected wings, burgers, pizzas, and flatbreads plus a few rarities (fried ribs), and a surpisingly large (for a sports bar) gluten-free menu.

Q:  Do any Charlotte restaurants really have a shot at a Michelin star? I mean, really?

Tom: I think it’s a lock that a few Charlotte restaurants will receive some form of recognition when the accolades are announced this November in Greenville, S.C. (we plan on being there). However, Michelin recognition can be designations other than stars. Stars (1-3), of course, represent the highest level of accreditation, but there is also the Bib Gourmand which recognizes good food at a good price and Recommended, an “entry level” designation which recognizes quality cooking, but not yet deserving of higher Michelin praise. There’s also the Michelin Green Star, which is given to restaurants with exceptional environmental and sustainability practices. We’ll all find out who gets what in just a few months.

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