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Lang Van, 3019 Shamrock Dr., 704-553-3864. Oldest Vietnamese restaurant in the city and has become one of the most popular ethnic restaurants, famous for their yellow pancakes. Delicious Vietnamese cuisine with lots of fresh herbs in creative combinations. L, D $$
Linares Mexican Restaurant, 4918 Central Ave., 704-535-6716. Small, comfortable family place offering northern Mexican comfort food, specializing in chicken and seafood, offered in hearty portions. Helpful, but not necessary, to be conversant in Spanish. $$
Mariscos La Mexicana, Mexican Seafood, 4400 Central Ave., 704-531-4500. Mexican coastal cuisine, primarily seafood, served in huge portions at reasonable prices. Bilingual menu and staff. L, D $$
Namaste India Bar & Restaurant, 4508 East Independence Blvd., 704-568-7979. This welcoming space offers a delightful riff on traditional northern Indian cuisine. Buffet offered at lunch. $$
Pho An Hoa, 4832 A-B Central Ave., 704-537-2595. Very tasty Vietnamese soup shop. B, L, D $
Portofino Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria, 3124 Eastway Dr., 704-568-7933. Wonderful rustic Neapolitan dishes at incredibly low prices. New York Style Pizza (large is 16 inch). Take out, too. $$
Pupusa Heat: Restaurante Salvadoreno, 4808 (G-H) Central Ave., 704-537-8475. A barebones spot offering Salvadorian comfort food includingpupusas revueltas, plantains, rice and beans, and quezadilla (cheesecake).Cash only. Knowledge of Spanish helpful. $
Saigon Bistro: Fine Vietnamese Cuisine, 3145 N. Sharon Amity, 704-536-5888. The Nyugen family offers a customer friendly, comfortableatmosphere in which to enjoy subdued, yet creative Vietnamese cuisine. $$
South 21 Drive In, 3101 E. Independence Blvd., 704-377-4509. Charlotte landmark since 1955, serves great burgers, fries, onion rings, etc., and still wins awards every year from our readers. Drive in or take out. L, D $
Taste of Havana Cuban Restaurant, 5534 Albemarle Rd., 704-535-0223. Owner Carol Torrez offers hearty black bean soup and other homespun Cuban dishes at reasonable prices. Flamingo guitar on Saturday nights. $
Woodlands Pure Vegetarian South Indian Cuisine, 7128-A Albemarle Rd., 704-569-9193. Featuring excellent vegetarian idlis, vadas, sambars, and rasams of Udipi, south India, served up with a flair. $$$
Myers Park
Fenwicks, 511 Providence Rd., 704-333-2750. Smaller than some bathrooms, but cozier, and a fun place. The menu runs to standards like steak and pasta, with fresh vegetables daily. $$$
The Meeting House, 801 Providence Rd., 704-334-6338. Located in a charming house in the center of Myers Park, this is a meeting place for the neighborhood crowd. Talented chef and owner Chris Zion was trained at Le Cordon Bleu, yet the dishes are American bistro. D $$$
Providence Cafe, 110 Perrin Place, 704-376-2008. Gorgeous dining room and comfortable New American cuisine offers a neighborhood spot and place to linger in Charlotte's ultimate zip code. $$$
Volare Ristorante Italiano, 545-B Providence Rd., 704-370-0208. A small neighborhood spot in Charlotte's ultimate zip code with fabulous service and fine dishes which achieve Italian cuisine's reassuring freshness, along with an exquisite layering of flavors. $$$$
South Charlotte
Bangkok Ocha, 7629-B Pineville-Matthews Rd., 704-544-7770. Thai dishes of complex intensity and flavor set in a small, but polished restaurant. L, D $$$
Beef n' Bottle, 4538 South Blvd., 704-523-9977. A homegrown spot, beloved by many, with a traditional menu featuring aged Black Angus beef, oysters Rockefeller, and seafood, including frogs' legs. Dark, dated interior. D $$$
Bella Trio, A California Fresco Kitchen, 7731 Colony Rd., 704-341-4100. Family run neighborhood restaurant offering California-styled breakfast eggs all day. Menu offers soups, salads, pastas, and sandwiches. Dinner served Thursday through Saturday only. Closed Monday. $$
Bill Spoon's Barbecue, 5524 South Blvd., 704-525-8865. For nearly 40 years, this 65-seat pork parlor has been packed at lunch. The place to go for die hard Eastern barbecue aficionados. $
The Cupboard, 3005 South Blvd., 704-523-9934. One of the busiest of Charlotte's many home cooking restaurants. Great daily specials (don't miss the chicken pan pie) and legendary coconut pie. B, L, D $
Don Quijote, Restaurante Espanol, 4640 South Blvd., 704-529-5959. Exceptional Northern and Southern Spanish cuisine. One could readily make a meal by choosing a variety of the 15 tantalizing Tapas items. And there's more: paellas, fabulous fish dishes, Spanish wines, and a large deck. L, D $$$
Dragonfly, 5110-1G Park Rd., 704-527-3868. A cozy neighborhood Chinese spot featuring Sichuan, Hunan, and Cantonese dishes which are well crafted and entertainingly presented. $$
Harrigan's Gourmet Deli, 5033-K South Blvd., 704-522-3550. Traditional cold cut sandwiches on round bread, specialty "Dilbert" sandwiches, homemade salads and daily specials. B, L $
Ilios Noche, 11508 Providence Rd., 704-814-9882. Small, but exceptional Greek Italian contemporary bistro owned by Culinary Institute of America-trained Chefs Stratos Lambos and Angelo Kaltsounis. Exceptional appetizers, wood-grilled entrees, pizzas, and house-made pastries. Opens at 9am. $$
