Specialty roaster Hex Coffee moved into a 2,700-square-foot space at Camp North End and now offers plenty of cafe seating, coffee drinks, natural wines, mocktails, and Japanese-inspired fare like karaage with white miso waffles.

The latest food hall to join the Charlotte scene, Urban District Market opened with several meaty stalls and a craft beer/soju bar. Restaurants joining the group include katsu spot Crispy Patty, Hand Chop Burger Company, the Rare Butcher, and more.

Andrew Schools and Larry Suggs have infused their veteran bartending expertise into a new moody bar in Villa Heights. With a steady following born out of Humbug’s pop-up at the Refuge Hotel, the new brick and mortar Humbug is shaking, stirring, and serving an impressive range of $14 cocktails, from a fernet espresso martini with salted cold foam to a crisp fennel-infused Aviation. And somehow, the eight shooters on the menu transform shots into expertly crafted, socially acceptable, even classy drinks at this intimate bar. It’s a walk-in only spot with a limit of six people per party — a choice that reflects a dedication to focused table service and a come-as-you-are neighborhood feel. Enjoy the tucked-away pool table that lives in the back, maybe on Amaro Mondays.

Located in the Wesley Heights neighborhood, Pizza Baby, like its name, is youthful and playful, with spritzy aperitivos and sprightly menu fonts and doodles. Order takeout, or dine in for an energetic, multisensory experience — scents of fermented sweet-salty-soft dough, sounds of staff serving, and sights of the cool, airy Los Angeles-meets-Rome aesthetic. Save room for chef Trey Wilson’s Brussels sprouts and sesame seed-crusted pizza, inspired by travels to New York, and the plentiful portion of soft serve (add amaro). Don’t be shy about blanketing everything — the remnants of crispy crust or the lush burrata — in that bonafide Sicilian olive oil or the dipping trio, featuring a crushable Calabrian chili red sauce. While Pizza Baby is in its infant stage, finding its footing with busy nights and new employees, it has promising potential as a fun adult pizza party.

Chefs Oscar Johnson and Daryl Cooper opened Jimmy Pearls in 2020 but went on to pursue the food truck life in 2021. Now they are back at food hall Market at 7th Street to bring their famous Uncle Gene’s fish sandwich, shrimp rolls, and other Virginia tidewater cuisine to the masses. Get the Bubba Chunks — basically a warm corn fritter/hush puppy with sorghum butter — a non-serious name, for a seriously good dish.

Coquette, a French buvette by the team behind neighboring Mariposa, is a quiet patisserie by day and a buzzy dinner service/wine bar by night. It’s convenient (minus Uptown parking) in its walkability to popular uptown Charlotte event spaces and offices, and in its open-all-day hours, with caneles and tea at the ready. The white negroni with Lillet Blanc or a classic French 75 sips well with the minerally Prince Edward Island oysters, and balances the richness of the duck fat fried chicken and coq au vin. Inside, it feels dressed up in blue, gold, and pink, fairytale-esque, and ornamented with marble tabletops. And don’t worry, the employees do say “bonjour!” when you walk in.

Chef Hector Gonzalez-Mora, now better known for his Mexican restaurant El Toro Bruto inside Resident Culture in South End, has returned to Resident Culture on Central Avenue, where he first started as the pop-up Chilito. This time, he’ll have El Toro Bruto as a food truck. The menu is more limited than the full-service version in South End, but will still feature his popular “dilla” tacos, Mexicali bowl, nachos, and breakfast tacos. A bit of trivia: The actual truck had been used by the Dumpling Lady — owners Zhan Qian and John Nisbet are focusing on brick-and-mortar locations, including in South End. Look for the El Toro Bruto truck from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. The breakfast tacos will be served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays only.

Menya Daruma seeks to master the art of broth and noodles. The menu is stacked with ramen choices, soba selections, and a few katsu sandwiches. Customers can also start their meal with bao buns or gyoza.

Charlotte brewery crawls always started or ended at Sycamore Brewing, a mainstay for nearly ten years to, quite simply, drink beer and make friends. However, new life has been breathed into it with a vast two-story expansion, a food truck airstream, and a second-floor beer garden that transforms into a lively dance vibe at night. With a debut coffee and food menu alongside beer classics Mountain Candy IPA and Southern Girl blond ale, it’s buzzing with Southend locals, tourists, and soon-to-be Charlotteans.

Monday Night Brewing, a redesigned Southend warehouse with an unmissable mint green exterior, appeals to the varied tastes of Charlotte with a one(big)-size-fits-all aesthetic — a pool parlor, an expansive and firepit-friendly outdoor space, a moody lounge, and weeknight events galore. With chefs slinging Neapolitan-style pizza in the wood-burning ovens and cocktails by renowned Atlanta mixologist Tiffanie Barriere, Monday Night Brewing stays busy even, yes, on Mondays.

Popular Indian and Nepali restaurant Curry Gate recently expanded to South Boulevard with all the same menu favorites and more space for customers to dine in the restaurant. Expect chicken tikka masala, aloo gobi, saag paneer, samosas, and all the other classics that made the original location a hit since 2020.