Charlotte may not have a coast, but North Carolina does, and that makes seafood a big deal around here. Fin, tucked in beside the uptown Mint Museum, does it right. The $65 Treatment, a tasting tour of whatever is fresh, might be tough to handle on your own. But the list of pokes, oysters, and grilled seafood leaves plenty to choose. The wine list includes three- and six-ounce pours; there are no specific non-alcohol specials, but lead bartender Brittany Kellum has a following for her imaginative ideas. She’ll come up with something exciting. 

Just opened in the soaring space beside the Mint Museum, the feel of this space is luxe, with deep chairs at the bar and dramatic black-and-white decor right down to the plates. The menu is Spanish/Mediterranean (focaccia, mezzes, and kabobs), but it’s not too stuffy, with playful touches like elote-inspired street corn fritters and the Fish Camp (a fried-fish nod to Southern fish camps). Burnt Basque cheesecake with passionfruit curd is indulgent, but for an eye-popping dessert, go for the Mysterious Mushroom, a bright red fairy-tale creation crafted from fruit gels, mousse, and pistachio cake. 

This bistro has been flying so far below the radar, even a lot of locals haven’t heard of it yet. But Amanda Britton’s cocktails always attract attention (she developed a passionate following at Bardo and the late Orto). Don’t miss her house shrubs and natural sodas. The food is contemporary Southern, with touches like pimento cheese with bacon jam, North Carolina-caught ceviche and deviled eggs, and there’s a creative brunch on weekends. Insider tip: Classic cocktails are $8 all day on Wednesday, and the hunky District Burger is only $9 Tuesday through Thursday. Play your cards right and you can get a dinner deal even your accountant will love. 

Executive chef Alex Verica cut his teeth working with his father, renowned Charlotte chef Paul Verica, and now he’s steering this new Asian-influenced hot spot in South End. A young crowd packs in for dishes like Verica’s popular deviled eggs (the filling here is shrimp with miso), short rib dumplings, and takes on sashimi. Don’t miss the lobster shooter, a small but tasty bowl of bisque — the low price ($6) includes $1 for @Its4TheKids, a foundation that provides school supplies. There are zero-alcohol cocktails (but sadly, no sakes or sojus yet). For dessert, shaved-ice kakigori, especially one topped with Fernet Branca and cold brew, are fluffy, not stuffy. 

Sit outside on the comfortable patio or grab a small table. But the bar is the best perch to watch the action at Trey Wilson’s live-fire/Italian-inspired spot. Any of the house-made pastas are filling, but you could also make a meal out of starters, like buffalo-milk burrata with pistachio pesto and charred bread, or fluffy-crisp chorizo croquettes with peppercorn aioli. The wine list has Italian choices, and there are two zero-proof glasses ready to go, a simple lavender and honey concoction, or the Thorny For You (grapefruit, rose water, and peach puree).