Last updated: September 27, 2022

In the Weeds

Mariposa is exactly the kind of restaurant you would want to see adjacent to a modern art museum. The interior design is bold and modern. The music is high energy without being overbearing. The patio offers great views of Uptown Charlotte.

Mariposa is Spanish for butterfly, an indication of the restaurant’s evolution. Originally Halcyon, Flavors from the Earth, the restaurant maintains its seasonal, locally sourced focus now transformed into a more cosmopolitan, multinational concept.

There’s an excitement to the restaurant which encourages table conversations and sharing good times. It’s a textbook place to have that pre-show meal. A stylish yet comfortable bar is inviting to those who are dining solo. In short, Mariposa is designed to be the quintessential center-city restaurant.

Executive Chef Jonathan Moore’s menu draws from cuisines around the world. A glance at the menu shows influences from Greece, Japan, Portugal, France, and India — as well as the American South. Normally, this is an invitation to be conflicting and confusing. However, Moore has synchronized these diverse cuisines to make harmonious offerings — truly a world view of food.

Mariposa offers an impressive and extensive wine list, by bottle and glass. However, better care should be taken to make sure some of the by-the-glass bottles haven’t been sitting out too long as one of our orders tasted stale.

We did enjoy some of the best classic cocktails we’ve enjoyed in Charlotte; both a Manhattan and Negroni were on point. The house craft cocktails were more jumbled. The Viracocha with pisco and passion fruit foam was enjoyable, but others we tried seemed muddled – a lot of ingredients fighting each other. At this point, we advise customers to stick to the tried and true.

The food, while well-conceived, also suffered from a few consistency issues. An order of corn fritters was near-ethereal on one visit – golden brown exterior with a perfectly cooked yet moist interior – had near-burnt exteriors and slightly undercooked interiors on a following visit. The tuna crudo was swimming in too much of its dressing one time, and was flawlessly executed on the next. We very much enjoyed the Gullah Paella with its well-seasoned Carolina Gold rice, chorizo, shrimp, oysters, and fish — it’s hearty enough to act as a full meal for two. Another don’t miss is the bulgogi lettuce wraps, with slabs of pork belly cooked to a crisp exterior with tender meat underneath.

Service staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about the menus. However, on each visit, we experienced some of the FOH staff walking past our table who apparently hit the cologne or perfume bottle a bit too hard; the fumes of which momentarily seeped into our palates while eating.

Overall, we love the concept of Mariposa. With its vibe and views, it’s a great place to enjoy city life and explore some creative takes on international cuisine. If they can correct the inconsistencies, this arty spot can be a true Charlotte destination restaurant.