A recent foie gras dish, with peaches, from The Stanley in Elizabeth. Kristen Wile/UP

Q: I have some foodie friends coming into town from Miami. They love good food and tend to follow specific chefs for dining experiences. Where should I take them? Thanks!

UP: Sounds like a night for The Stanley to me! Chef Paul Verica seems to be on the James Beard Award committee watch list now, and for good reason. His food is familiar yet far out (see, for example, the dish in our tomato round-up). You can also make a night out of it by popping over to The Crunkleton for a drink after dinner. If they’re fans of Top Chef, you might want to consider 5Church, as Jamie Lynch competed on the show. He no longer runs the kitchen day-to-day, but Whitney Thomas, who took over as executive chef, is really impressive, too. Joe Kindred of Kindred Restaurant and Hello, Sailor is another chef they might recognize by name. Also, don’t forget to use our filter to find restaurants fit for foodies on our restaurant finder!

Q: What’s your favorite place for açai bowls in CLT?

UP: Rico’s. And with so many locations now, it’s easy to find a good bowl on the go. Part of this is that I prefer to support local. While there are plenty of other great options — Nekter, I Love Juice Bar, and Frutta Bowls, for example — few of them are Charlotte’s own. Rush Bowls recently opened near Idlewild in NoDa, but again, that’s not a local spot. Coming soon to Optimist Hall is Village Juice Company, which is Winston-Salem based, though it won’t be among the vendors opening on August 1.

Q: What are some great places to celebrate an anniversary? Ideally something that isn’t too stuffy, but still feels special. 

UP: Happy anniversary! I wish I could send you to all of the places! There’s something romantic about Italian food, so my top pick is Aqua e Vino. It’s a tiny dining room, making your meal feel intimate, and the lighting is low. Fin & Fino would be another top contender, if you enjoy seafood. You’ll also be in Uptown, so you can take a romantic stroll after dinner. I’ve found that sitting at the bar at restaurants some might call stuffy brings you a completely different experience. If you wanted to go for a place like Barrington’s or The Fig Tree, classic celebration spots, try dinner at the bar with your significant other instead. I’m also a fan of Carpe Diem in Elizabeth, a place that doesn’t get much press but always delivers with a good meal and stellar service.