October 13, 2026

Unpretentious Palate’s People of the Year 2026 Finalists

Meet the people making a difference in Charlotte’s food scene this year

The best part of Charlotte’s food scene is the people who keep giving us reasons to explore and celebrate it. This year’s UPPY finalists show how much talent, dedication, and generosity goes into making our city and its surrounding communities a rewarding place to eat and drink.

Even as corporate groups and private equity bring more restaurant concepts to Charlotte, helping to increase our city’s national footprint, our locally owned restaurants, farms, and other food businesses continue to build our city’s distinctive culinary identity. Their rich mix of cuisines, traditions, and approaches to hospitality offers an impressive range of thoughtful cooking and personal experiences. Despite the challenges of operating independently, they keep creating places that reflect the people who live here.

Our finalist selections are a collaborative effort between our staff and UP Members, who know the city’s food scene better than anyone. Some are returning honorees whose work keeps evolving; others are introducing us to something new. Together, these finalists show what happens when ambition is matched by care. Their work gives Charlotte’s dining scene its personality, strengthens its relationships, and gives us plenty to celebrate.

Winners will be announced live at The UPPY Awards on Monday, Nov. 9 at The Visulite Theatre in Elizabeth. Tickets are on sale now! (UP Members, check your inboxes for your exclusive discount code. Not yet a UP member? Join today!)

Congratulations to all of the finalists!

Farmer(s) of the Year

Katherine & Tim Belk
Wild Hope Farm
Katherine and Tim Belk demonstrate that sustaining local agriculture means caring for both the land and its people. Their certified organic farm in Chester, South Carolina grows more than 75 types of vegetables, fruits, and herbs sold via farmers markets and CSAs, as well as to select area restaurants and wholesale partnerships. A focus on cover crops, compost, pollinator habitat, and solar power reflects a commitment to agriculture’s future. Equally meaningful is their investment in farmworkers through paid time off, benefits, and retirement planning, alongside sharing practical resources with other growers. The Belks’ contribution to local agriculture is as much about strengthening local agriculture as feeding their community. The result is a farm whose value to our area extends well beyond what it brings to market.

Wisdom & Cherie Jzar
Deep Roots CPS Farm
Our 2023 Farmers of the Year continue to grow in both acreage and influence. Wisdom and Cherie Jzar’s Deep Roots CPS Farm now includes their seven-acre farmstead in northwest Charlotte, plus a 44-acre expansion in Union County. In addition to a wide range of seasonal produce, the couple also raises pastured poultry for meat and eggs. Their commitment to regenerative agriculture is matched by their work mentoring emerging farmers and helping communities establish gardens and urban farms. Tours, workshops, and farm dinners give visitors a closer connection to the food they eat. Their work is opening doors for the next generation of local growers.

Greg & Kelly Shell
8:28 Farms
Greg and Kelly Shell are our first-ever farmer finalists focused primarily on animal proteins. At 8:28 Farms in Conover, their Mangalitsa pigs, a Hungarian heritage breed prized for rich meat and luxurious fat, are a particular standout. They supply pork to Counter-, North Carolina’s only Michelin-starred restaurant; its sister concept Spaghett; and Hickory restaurant and jazz club The Downbeat, as well as direct to consumers at Charlotte’s Uptown Farmers Market and Five Points Farmers Market in Conover. The Shells also raise Berkshire pigs, sheep, and chickens, all of whom spend the majority of their time roaming the farm’s woods and pastures rooting and foraging, adding to the animals’ overall fitness as well as flavor. The farm has also expanded its produce offering and now boasts a bee apiary for honey.

Food Artisan(s) of the Year

Ann Marie & Jean Luc Barrucand
Chocolatier Barrucand
Ann Marie and Jean Luc Barrucand bring decades of pastry experience to their Union Street shop in downtown Concord. Since opening Chocolatier Barrucand in 2008, the couple has made handmade bonbons, truffles, buttery croissants, fruit tarts, and beautifully finished cakes part of the city’s culinary identity. Their changing selection draws on French pastry traditions while leaving room for their own creativity. A partnership that began in a country club kitchen has grown into a neighborhood mainstay, where skilled craftsmanship and familiar faces keep customers returning. Their staying power reflects the enduring appeal of artisans who know both their craft and their community.

Lauren & Ben Kallenbach
Virtuoso Breadworks
Lauren and Ben Kallenbach combine exacting baking skills with a playful appetite for flavor. Drawing on pastry careers in the Middle East and Cayman Islands, they work with local ingredients and flour milled in-house at their Waxhaw shop to create distinctive breads and pastries. Their range includes signature sourdough, Irish cheddar loaves, twice-baked almond croissants, and rum-soaked cinnamon raisin bread. Seasonal creations have included poutine danishes and cheese rangoon focaccia, bringing unexpected ideas to familiar forms. More than purely retail, the couple’s mentorship of fellow pastry chefs extends their influence beyond their own ovens.

Rachel Klebaur & Jose Espinosa
Orrman’s Cheese Shop
Rachel Klebaur and Jose Espinosa bring artistry to selecting, caring for, and presenting exceptional cheeses. Their curated case at Orrman’s Cheese Shop spans local farmstead favorites, standout American selections, and international classics. Daily attention to ripeness, thoughtful pairings, and cheeses cut to order honor the work of the makers they champion. This year’s move to Myers Park builds on thirteen years at The Market at 7th Street, with more room for specialty cheeses, pantry goods, and wine. Through carefully composed boards, tastings, and knowledgeable guidance, the couple turns curiosity into appreciation, giving artisan cheesemakers a stronger presence at Charlotte’s tables.

Food Truck of the Year

Dulce Dreams Café
UPPY 2024 Food Artisan of the Year finalist Norma Zuniga has taken Dulce Dreams Café from farmers market tables and pop-ups to her charming van, La Conchis. The move has expanded her offerings to specialty coffee and matcha drinks, including horchata cold brew and cajeta matcha. Her signature conchas, soft Mexican sweet breads, range from vanilla and cajeta to guava-filled and cookies and cream versions. Ube tres leches cake and brown butter piloncillo chocolate chip cookies add to a menu both rooted in heritage and open to experimentation. Her growing business brings Mexican sweets and café culture to Charlotte’s mobile dining scene.

Rollo’s Wings
Travel on Sugar Creek farther than you ever thought the road extended and you’ll find Rollo’s Wings. This truck and trailer setup puts whole wings, a crisp fry, and signature seasoning at the center of its take on comfort food. Its house Rollo Dust gives the menu a recognizable stamp, while Wassaname Original and Wassaname Hot offer two expressions of its signature flavor. Fish, shrimp, and salmon bites join the wings in hearty combination platters — all achieving the deep fry goal of being crunchy-crispy on the outside, while being fully cooked, yet still juicy on the inside. The truck’s appeal rests in the attention paid to familiar favorites, from seasoning to texture. Rollo’s earns recognition for giving a plate of wings the flavor and personality to make it worth tracking down.

El Veneno
Last year’s UPPY Food Truck of the Year, El Veneno continues to reflect chef-owner Kimmy Bazan’s clear culinary vision. Drawing on her family’s Mexico City roots and the cooking of her father and grandmother, she brings personal depth to tacos, tortas, mulitas, and vampiros. Her smoky black al pastor remains a signature, while regional specials reveal the breadth of Mexican cooking. Pop-ups and collaboration dinners give her further room to explore, carrying the same sense of identity beyond the truck. Bazan’s respect for tradition and confidence in her own interpretation keep El Veneno a compelling presence in Charlotte’s food scene.

Non-restaurant Chef of the Year

James Barker
Vivienne
James Barker brings a distinctive Nordic perspective to Charlotte through the family business he runs with his wife Cameron. From backyard dinners and wine bar pop-ups to a new home at Free Range Brewing, he has built menus that balance street-food comfort with fine-dining detail. His repertoire includes custom-sausage hot dogs and carefully sourced Scandinavian seafood, including scallops with horseradish cream, trout roe, and red currant granita. A former menswear professional, Barker brings curiosity, resourcefulness, and close attention to ingredients to his adopted craft. His cooking makes unfamiliar culinary traditions approachable and gives Charlotte diners a delicious reason to explore.

Ammalu Saleh
Serengeti Kitchen
A repeat UPPY Finalist, Ammalu Saleh offers a personal introduction to Tanzanian cooking through Serengeti Kitchen at The Market at 7th Street. Drawing on techniques learned in her mother’s kitchen, she brings depth to dishes such as Swahili biryani, braised lamb, and sekela chicken wrapped in chapati. Her plantain crab cakes, paired with mango habanero and yogurt garlic sauces, build new ideas on coastal East African flavors. Through shared feast platters and her Eat Like a Tanzanian dinners, Saleh guides guests through the traditions behind their meals. She gives diners both memorable food and a meaningful connection to the culture behind it.

Cristian Villalvazo
Carnal
Cristian Villalvazo brings a deeply personal Mexican-American perspective to Carnal, drawing on family recipes and the creativity of contemporary Mexican chefs. Working alongside his partner and fellow chef Jennifer “Jeni” Hollomon, he develops seasonal menus with tortillas made from scratch and thoughtful takes on quesadillas, flautas, and other traditional dishes. His tuna tostada, layered with herb crema, pickled onions, and fresh herbs, captures his gift for pairing familiar forms with refined detail. Experience in top Charlotte kitchens, including Customshop, informs the care behind each pop-up. Villalvazo honors the traditions that shaped him while giving diners a broader view of Mexican cuisine.

Nonprofit of the Year

Carolina Farms Fund
The Carolina Farms Fund addresses one of the greatest threats to local food: lack of access to affordable farmland. Guided by program manager Eva Caison and Farms Fund director Krisztian Varsa, The Conservation Fund initiative acquires land threatened by development and helps farmers work toward ownership. It pairs farmland conservation with business assistance and connections to local buyers. Its projects include 44 acres for Deep Roots CPS Farm and 96 acres for Boy & Girl Farm. By keeping productive land within reach of working farmers, the program protects the foundation beneath Charlotte’s farmers markets, restaurant kitchens, and local food community.

Chefs Against Cancer
Founded by chef Mark Allison in memory of his wife Alison, Chefs Against Cancer turns the generosity of Charlotte’s culinary community into support for families affected by cancer. Allison and vice president Jaclyn Beith help rally chefs and donors around fundraising dinners benefiting smaller local charities, including Xander’s Acts of Kindness and The Meggs Foundation. Its reported fundraising totals exceed $500,000 for 2022 through 2026. The events honor survivors and loved ones lost while directing resources toward local organizations serving their neighbors. Chefs Against Cancer shows how the hospitality industry’s talent and compassion can extend well beyond the dining room.

Community Culinary School of Charlotte
Led by executive director Ron Ahlert and culinary director Alvin Howard, Community Culinary School of Charlotte gives adults facing barriers to employment a practical route into hospitality careers. Founded in 1997, it combines culinary instruction, coaching, and job placement assistance with experience through its café and catering operations. Students rebuilding after unemployment, addiction, or justice-system involvement develop skills and confidence alongside a path toward financial stability. Alumni such as Anthony Watkins, who progressed from prep cook to executive chef before returning to teach, demonstrate its lasting impact. Its graduates strengthen restaurant teams and the families those paychecks support.

Sommelier of the Year

Presented by 3 Keys

Alex Bridges
Emmy Lou’s
In a very short time, Alex Bridges has built Emmy Lou’s wine program around good farming, interesting producers, and generous hospitality. His selections favor organic and biodynamic growers, with more than twenty wines by the glass encouraging exploration of styles such as Sicilian Grillo, Lambrusco, and Austrian skin-contact wines. Bridges takes time to understand guests’ tastes and budgets, helping them find bottles that fit both. Free themed tastings and a monthly wine club extend that guidance into ongoing discovery. His work helps guests appreciate the growers behind their favorite bottles while becoming more confident in their own preferences.

Terrell Johnson
Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
Terrell Johnson brings expertise in both fine wines and sake to the Michelin-recommended Omakase Experience by Prime Fish. His background at La Belle Hélène, McNinch House, and other Charlotte fine-dining restaurants informs his work alongside chef Robin Anthony. Johnson generally builds pairings around the food, responding to the subtle flavors and textures of a seasonal omakase menu. Occasionally, the collaboration works in reverse, with a compelling wine or sake inspiring the chef to create a new dish. His enthusiasm and informative explanations turn each pour into an opportunity to learn. Johnson makes refined beverage service an essential part of the omakase experience, adding depth and discovery to the progression of courses.

Michael Klinger
Supperland
At Michelin-recommended Supperland, Michael Klinger curates a wine program as varied as the restaurant’s Southern steakhouse menu. An Advanced Sommelier with more than twenty years in the industry, he brings particular depth to Italian wines, earning recognition as a United States ambassador for Chianti Classico and a Sicilian Wine Maestro. Guided tastings explore subjects ranging from Tuscany’s winemaking traditions to Pinot Noir’s regional differences. Klinger also oversees the wine programs at Ever Andalo and Leluia Hall. His thoughtful selections and engaging guidance give diners the confidence to explore unfamiliar wines, making discovery a rewarding part of the meal.

Mixologist(s) of the Year

Mike Guzmán
Blue Door
Mike Guzmán brings a storyteller’s imagination and exacting technique to Blue Door. His menus have explored an American road trip and the Carolinas’ pirate history, incorporating unexpected ingredients and seasonal products from regional farms. Behind that creativity are rigorous standards: staff have been required to master every ingredient, proportion, glass, and garnish before serving his cocktails. Chef collaborations and guest cocktail classes invite further exploration, while Guzmán asks visiting bartenders to lead educational seminars before their shifts. His commitment to sharing expertise helps other bartenders develop their craft while giving Charlotte drinkers more opportunities to appreciate what goes into their glasses.

Roger Kongkham & Daniel Villa
R+D Bar
It’s only fitting these longtime Charlotte bartenders share this finalist status. The duo works together on nearly every cocktail at R+D Bar, some of which took more than two years to develop before the concept inside Thai Taste launched in April. They primarily draw on Southeast Asian, Chinese, and Japanese flavors to create innovative, well-balanced cocktails. This includes nontraditional cocktail ingredients like fish sauce to balance coconut, banana, and pandan, or tare syrup and fat-washing to evoke yakitori in a Japanese whisky Old Fashioned. Paired with a willingness to share recipes and welcome collaborators, that patient, collective approach gives Charlotte a bar program with a distinctive voice and a generous spirit.

Ashley Sarkis
Yunta Nikkei
Newly named NCRLA Mixologist of the Year, Ashley Sarkis brings equal imagination to alcoholic and nonalcoholic cocktails. At Yunta Nikkei, Sarkis develops cocktails to complement the restaurant’s interplay of Japanese and Peruvian cuisines, balancing the demands of raw seafood, bright citrus, chile heat, and richer grilled dishes. Drinks such as Pisco & Shiso bring Peru’s grape brandy together with shiso and blackberry-rocoto syrup, reflecting the kitchen’s blending of traditions. Her commitment to nonalcoholic cocktails carries that creativity across the menu, giving guests who skip alcohol the same attention to flavor, balance, and thoughtful hospitality and creating new opportunities for people to socialize around a thoughtfully made drink.

General Manager of the Year

Connor Berryhill
Yafo / Plaza Midwood
Exceptional restaurant leadership matters as much at a fast-casual counter as in a fine-dining room; some may argue more so. Connor Berryhill brings order and structure to Yafo’s high-volume Plaza Midwood location, where speed, accuracy, and hospitality need to work together. Coordinating the kitchen, service line, and flow of dine-in and takeout orders requires constant attention to details that shape every guest’s experience. His role also extends to innovation: Berryhill worked with chef Shai Fargian to develop Yafo’s pita smashburger. He helps make the concept’s commitment to freshly prepared food and approachable prices a dependable daily experience for the neighborhood.

Elyse Stefaney
Albertine
Elyse Stefaney leads the 2025 UPPY Restaurant of the Year’s opulent dining room, where attentive service leaves guests room to enjoy themselves. Her team offers informed recommendations and brings a polished confidence to the floor, with even younger servers displaying the poise of seasoned professionals. Her prior experience in beverage leadership at Kindred and sommelier work at Counter- gives Stefaney a broad understanding of how food, wine, and service shape an evening. She helps sustain the hospitality behind the accolades, ensuring that an ambitious menu and elegant setting are matched by a warm, consistently well-executed experience.

Winter Voss
Seaboy
There must be something about great bartenders that makes them great general managers. One learns to read guests, anticipate needs, and keep several moving parts in balance. Winter Voss brings those instincts to her role as Seaboy’s general manager. Her experience at Dogwood, Supperland, and Rosemont informs her leadership at Jonny Cox’s intimate Cornelius restaurant, where attentive service is essential to its dinner-party atmosphere. Her previous beverage expertise connects the kitchen and bar, while the precision she developed behind the stick supports the broader demands of running a dining room. Voss helps make Seaboy’s ambitious cooking feel approachable, delivering the personal attention that turns a neighborhood restaurant into a familiar gathering place.

Chef to Watch

Tucker Bell
Victuals Supper Club
Tucker Bell brings the hospitality of his great-grandmother’s kitchen to Victuals Supper Club in Gastonia’s Esquire Hotel. Mamaw Shirley’s handwritten recipes, including hoecakes and hot-water cornbread, inspire six- to eight-course dinners shaped by local farms and the kitchen’s preserves. Experience at Counter- and Toronto’s Canoe informs an approach that prizes simple preparation and each ingredient’s character. UP editor Kristen Wile called a recent meal her best dining experience of the year so far. Bell’s ability to connect family foodways with the possibilities of a grand tasting menu gives his cooking a distinctive identity and considerable promise.

Adriana Cavazos
Emmy Lou’s / Customshop
Adriana Cavazos brings the focus needed to move between two demanding disciplines: savory cooking and pastry. As chef de cuisine at Emmy Lou’s and pastry chef at Customshop, she pairs kitchen leadership with a broad creative range. Her work spans scallop crudo with blackberry leche de tigre and a carrot-and-maple pie with gingersnap crust that earned a place on Customshop’s menu. Self-taught and mentored by Andres Kaifer, Cavazos continues to develop her technique and confidence as a leader. Her ability to make an impression across an entire meal gives her a strong foundation for what lies ahead.

Christian English
Rada
Christian English sets a straightforward goal for his cooking: “Just make tasty food.” Rada’s sous chef brings an exploratory spirit to that ambition, with a personal portfolio ranging from steak tacos to citrus-cured salmon with melon, roe, chile oil, and Brazilian limeade sorbet. Those combinations suggest an interest in how temperature, texture, acidity, and sweetness work together. Alongside chef Callan Buckles at the Michelin-recommended Myers Park restaurant, he contributes to a kitchen known for its changing Mediterranean menu. His willingness to experiment while keeping enjoyment central gives us reason to watch his culinary voice develop.

Michael G. Bowling UPlifting Industry Member of the Year

Presented by NiceDay

This year, the Charlotte culinary community lost one of its most locally-minded and inspiring citizens when chef Michael Bowling passed away. In his honor and lasting memory, we are naming this award for him in celebration of his life, his work, and the countless people he enriched with his friendship.

Brittany Cochran
Cookies, Cocktails & Canapés / Cookies For Kids’ Cancer
At Stagioni and throughout Charlotte’s chef community, Brittany Cochran brings warmth, encouragement, and a readiness to pitch in. Her longstanding work with Cookies For Kids’ Cancer gained new momentum after Top Chef: Carolinas, when she recruited castmates and local colleagues for Cookies, Cocktails & Canapés. She also volunteers with Meals on Wheels. Her generosity extends to her enthusiasm for fellow chefs, celebrating their differences and wanting each to succeed. Cochran makes people want to show up for a cause and for one another, helping a demanding industry feel like a community people are glad to belong to.

Matt Martin
Freshlist
Matt Martin brings people together with the same enthusiasm he brings to local food. As Freshlist’s director of operations and a former executive chef, he serves as a bridge between farmers, restaurant kitchens, and consumers. Events such as Chef’s Harvest at Daniel Stowe Conservancy help diners discover local chefs and the seasonal ingredients that inspire them. Our 2024 winner remains a continual source of encouragement, quick to celebrate a colleague’s success or offer a pep talk during a difficult stretch. Martin helps people feel seen and supported in an industry that asks a great deal of them.

Jay Ziobrowski
ACF Charlotte / Chefs Against Cancer
Jay Ziobrowski brings an educator’s generosity and an emcee’s energy to Charlotte’s culinary community. As chairman of ACF Chefs of Charlotte, he helps colleagues share knowledge and build relationships. His “5 a Day the Color Way” program has introduced children to healthier eating since 2012. He has also prepared breakfasts for wounded veterans and put fellow chefs in the spotlight as emcee of the fundraiser now known as Chefs Against Cancer. Known as “Chef Jay Z,” he makes learning engaging and service inviting. His enthusiasm gives people a reason to get involved and the encouragement to keep showing up.

Pastry Chef of the Year

Faith Morley
Counter-
Faith Morley’s desserts give Counter-‘s immersive storytelling a distinctive voice. Our 2023 UPPY Pastry Chef of the Year brings imagination and technical precision to Sam Hart’s West Charlotte restaurant, now honored with one Michelin star. Drawing on memories, travel, and the tasting menu’s changing themes, she builds compositions around texture, temperature, and contrast. Herbs, spices, salt, and acidity temper sweetness, allowing familiar flavors to take unexpected forms. Her work explores the boundaries of creativity and invites diners to experience emotion as much as flavor, with each dessert contributing to the evening’s larger narrative. Morley creates finales that reward close attention and leave a lasting impression.

Ann Marie Stefaney
Restaurant Constance / Grey’s Diner
Ann Marie Stefaney brings her pastry expertise to seasonal fine dining restaurant desserts and the daily comforts of a diner. At Restaurant Constance, our 2024 Pastry Chef of the Year creates imaginative yet comforting dishes, including a chocolate miso tart with black sesame shortbread and red miso caramel. With Grey’s Diner, her expanded bread, biscuit, and dessert duties bring that craftsmanship to breakfast and nostalgic sweets, from layer cakes to seasonal pies. The range requires creative flexibility and the consistency that keeps guests returning for familiar favorites. Stefaney’s thoughtful approach makes her work a reason to visit at either end of the day.

Samantha Ward
L’Ostrica
Samantha Ward brings a sense of wonder to L’Ostrica’s final courses. Our 2022 Pastry Chef of the Year matches the creativity of the savory kitchen with desserts that unite precise technique, thoughtful flavor combinations, and an artist’s eye for presentation. Her pumpkin and sorghum cake with sage, walnut crumb, and rye caramel illustrates her ability to give familiar comforts unexpected depth. Ward is also quick to volunteer her talents for events including Chefs Against Cancer; Cookies, Cocktails & Canapés; Giving Kitchen, and a host of other fundraisers. Her generosity extends her craft beyond the dining room, supporting neighbors and colleagues with the same care she brings to guests.

New Restaurant of the Year
(restaurants open less than 18 months)

Grey’s Diner
Grey’s Diner brings chef Sam Diminich’s commitment to local sourcing into a welcoming neighborhood landmark. With the Your Farms Your Table team, he has revived the former Mattie’s Diner in Plaza Shamrock, serving familiar favorites such as Harmony Ridge Farm eggs, Salisbury steak, and family-recipe lasagna. Pastry chef Ann Marie Stefaney contributes biscuits, seasonal pies, and layer cakes, while vegan options broaden the menu’s appeal. Thoughtful cooking and attentive hospitality give the diner a renewed sense of purpose. Grey’s offers an approachable way to enjoy the work of Carolina farmers, with food and a setting that encourage people to return.

The Story of Mi Cariño
B-Side Group partners Kamal Patel, Ankoor Patel, and Richard Williams have given South End a restaurant with a clear culinary point of view. Executive chef Hector González-Mora, supported by culinary director Vince Giancarlo, explores Mexican traditions through a California-influenced lens, with handmade tortillas, housemade Oaxaca cheese, and seasonal dishes. Beverage director Henry Schmulling’s extensive agave collection and inventive cocktails invite further discovery, while co-general manager Mark Gonzales brings wine and mezcal expertise to the dining room. The Story of Mi Cariño earns recognition through the alignment of kitchen, bar, ambiance, and hospitality, creating an evening with both personality and substance.

PostScript
Chef Dean Orr and co-owner Amber Donoghue have made PostScript feel deeply connected to Plaza Shamrock from its first months. Their menu draws on French, Italian, and American comforts, with seasonal local ingredients shaping dishes such as chicken scarpariello and mushroom stroganoff cavatelli. Orr’s handmade plateware adds another personal touch, while the Letty’s Old Fashioned, developed by Erica Bodiker, honors the space’s previous occupant. Donoghue’s emphasis on making guests feel looked after gives the restaurant its warm and welcoming character. PostScript brings skilled cooking and personal hospitality to a familiar neighborhood address, creating the kind of place people readily make their own.

Chef of the Year

Presented by International Gourmet Foods

Robin Anthony
Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
Robin Anthony’s ambition comes with an exacting attention to detail. At Michelin-recommended Omakase Experience by Prime Fish, the self-taught chef pairs Edomae sushi technique with seafood from Tokyo’s Toyosu Market, freshly grated wasabi, and prized Yubari King muskmelon. His restaurant is the only one in the Carolinas registered to serve authentic and certified Kobe beef, offering A5 cuts with the same care he gives to rice, temperature, and seasoning. Luxurious ingredients find purpose in a carefully paced progression, with precise knife work and restrained preparations revealing their character. Anthony rewards the trust at the heart of omakase, continuing to broaden what Charlotte diners can experience.

Sam Diminich
Restaurant Constance / Grey’s Diner
Sam Diminich gives Charlotte’s cooking a clear sense of place while drawing freely from the world. At Michelin-recommended Restaurant Constance, dishes such as hamachi sashimi with Jimmy Nardello aguachile connect global flavors with Carolina harvests. Precise technique and thoughtful composition keep those ingredients central. This year’s Grey’s Diner opening extends his sourcing philosophy to familiar breakfasts and family recipes, demonstrating his range and commitment to accessibility. His support of hospitality workers through Ben’s Friends adds another dimension to his leadership. Diminich is helping define a local culinary identity through the food he serves and the relationships he sustains.

Juan Romero
Catalú
Juan Romero brings a broad culinary foundation to Catalú’s exploration of Spanish food. A graduate of the Art Institute of Washington, D.C., he’s led kitchens at Richard Sandoval Hospitality’s El Centro as well as Charlotte’s Qué Onda and Qué Fresa. At Catalú, his beet salad with pistachio butter and whipped goat cheese shows an eye for texture and balance, while tender braised oxtail and paella Valenciana with crisp rice demonstrate his command of comforting classics. Special wine dinners give him room to develop new dishes around Spanish bottles. Romero’s range and thoughtful execution make Spain’s regional flavors an inviting part of Charlotte’s dining scene.

Restaurant of the Year

Presented by Open Table

Dōzo
Chefs Perry Saito and John Gamble have quickly grown Dōzo into a Dilworth gathering place with a distinct Japanese-American identity after moving from West Charlotte. Their cooking pairs comforting dishes such as karaage and katsu-don with playful touches like yuzu Caesar dressing. A sake-by-the-glass program and inventive cocktails encourage discovery, while a mural by artist Quynh Vu, custom woodwork, and an open kitchen give the room personality. The team’s emphasis on hospitality preserves the personal connection that drew diners to its original counter. Dōzo brings food, drink, and atmosphere together, creating a restaurant where trying something unfamiliar feels as comfortable as returning for a favorite.

Omakase Experience by Prime Fish
Indulging Charlotte diners with ingredients rarely found on local or even national menus, Michelin-recommended Omakase Experience by Prime Fish focuses on earning guests’ trust in a way that shapes the entire evening. Chef Robin Anthony’s precise sushi and ambitious tasting menus are matched by the service team’s precision hospitality, while sommelier Terrell Johnson’s wine and sake pairings deepen each course. The intimate counter gives diners an up-close view of Anthony’s work. The result is a trifecta of refinement, wonder, and connection, creating an evening where rare discoveries, informed guidance, and personal attention make every part of the experience memorable.

Seaboy
Chef Jonny Cox, bar director Dana Jordan, general manager Winter Voss, and a well-trained staff make Seaboy’s ambitious dining feel personal. The Cornelius restaurant’s historic house creates the intimacy of a dinner party, while Cox’s seasonal menu brings precision and global influences to coastal seafood and Carolina produce. Yellowfin crudo with benne seeds and North Carolina beets with preserved lemon show that breadth. Attentive hospitality and a relaxed coastal setting complete the experience, giving diners a place to explore new flavors, savor familiar ones, and settle comfortably into an evening with friends.