#1: Hag save the Queen City
Charlotte food and drink hot takes from a hag who hates leaving the house
When we’re deep in the cold winter months, I’m at my haggiest self. You can often find me buried under blankets like a old, sickly victorian woman, stirring bubbling soups at my oven with a wooden spoon or just generally hobbling around.
This has not always been the case in my life.
I once walked to Sycamore Brewing during a blizzard. My power wasn’t even out. I just couldn’t pass up a night basking in the warm glow of Charlotte’s exciting craft beer scene and cackling with my besties. Judge me all you want—O.G. Sycamore was actually fun.
Now, nearly a decade since that snowy night, the original Sycamore rests in a tomb below a parking deck, along with my youth (RIP). The electric scooters and goldendoodles own South End now and, having reached “my mid-thirties”, I’m happy to give it up to them.
Even though I’ve welcomed my transition into Old Crone, I still like to go out for a meal or an adult beverage—I’m not dead after all. My standards and tastes have simply changed. If I’m going to venture out of my hag hole, I want it to be worth it.
I will not be fooled by a neon sign and plant wall. I will not clap like a seal at smoke wafting off of my old fashioned. I won’t shoulder shimmy at the sight of truffle mac and cheese on a menu. And, for the most part, if there’s a cornhole set in the vicinity, I’m leaving.
Charlotte food scene coverage tends to center around restaurant openings, which is fine. But I don’t super care about what’s opening or what the menu is or the concept behind it. I care about whether or not it’s FUCKING GOOD. I want to know what the vibes are and whether or not I should expect to be elbowing my way through a sea of Brads and Chads in moisture-wicking polos. I want to know if they make a decent dirty martini…like actually. I want to know which appetizers I’m overlooking. I want someone who I trust to tell me if it’s worth going and, if it’s not, where should I go instead?
Queen City Hag is a weekly (hopefully) newsletter but it’s essentially a food (and drink) diary of Charlotte (and other nearby cities) written by someone who cares about the entire experience of going out for a meal or a cocktail, who will be honest about the hits and misses.
The format is experimental—some weeks I may do a deep dive review of a new spot (Albertine, Spaghett and Chief’s are a few on my list to try), give an homage to an old faithful or roast a “popular” spot that didn’t live up to the hype. I’ll tell you where to get the best boozy slushies and I’ll tell you where to get the best slice of pizza the size of your head (believe it or not there are multiple options to consider here).
The takes will be hot and, if you don’t believe me, here are a few to wet (whet?) your whistle:
Calle Sol is…MID:( I’m sorry to say it because I know they are about to open their SouthPark location but I feel that truth deep in my old lady bones. I have TRIED. But I cannot get behind it. If I want good ceviche, I’m hitting up Noche Bruta or Yunta (I’ll scream over their DJ for that ceviche IDGAF). Also of note, Calle Sol replaced one of my favorite Charlotte restaurants NC Red and their lobster roll will haunt me until die.
Despite the earlier mention of Sycamore and this upcoming mention, breweries are not a topic high on my list to write about. It’s ballsy to pick a “best brewery” because the field is stacked higher than new apartment buildings. HOWEVER, Burial wins in this category for me hands down. I almost never see dryfit bros in there (the heavy metal scares them away), they offer a large drinks-other-than-beer selection (not just terrible cheap wine) and the rooftop is quite lovely. The Asheville taproom is also a favorite.
Kindred is overrated. Their milkbread is good but it’s not worth the price tag of the whole meal. If I’m spending my one wild and precious life on I-77 making the drive up to Davidson, I’m going to Hello Sailor to sit by the lake and eat hushpuppies with yuzu honey butter and sip on negroni slushies. There I said it.
Along with hot takes, you can expect sexy NSFW food pics, which will be exclusive to the newsletter.
If you’ve made it this far, I appreciate the commitment. Feel free to stick around and see what gets me out of my hag hole next week.
xoxo,
the hag herself
This is the attitude and content I need in my life
Love this and regrettably have to agree on Calle Sol - will never forgive them for taking NC Red’s spot 😢