Haberdish in Charlotte, NC
No trip to Charlotte, North Carolina would be complete without a walk through NoDa, Charlotte’s historic arts and entertainment district. Named for the North Davidson Mill district of the late 1800s, today, Noda is home to the hippest bars, shops, and restaurants. Gift shops, tattoo parlors, microbreweries, and some of the South’s best eateries are all found within this one square mile of central Charlotte.
One such eatery, Haberdish, is worth the trip alone. Opened in 2016 by Jeff Tonidandel and his wife, Jamie Brown, Haberdish was voted by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the top 11 brunch places in Charlotte. Combining the names for haberdashery in honor of the textiles once milled in the area with the word dish, Haberdish tips its hat to Charlotte’s history and serves delicious, traditional Southern cuisine with a hip, updated twist. The boiled peanuts are smoked; the fried chicken has been brined; the collards are boiled in smoked vegetable broth, and the hush puppies come with a side of sweet tea butter. The bar is first class, too, with modernized classics like whiskey sours with lemonade and Maker’s Mark whiskey or bourbon, margaritas with strawberry hibiscus syrup, and sweet tea with vodka and thyme and earl gray syrup. Come for the smoky mac and cheese, but stay for the pineapple spiced rum punch.
Southern Cooking, Craft Cocktails
The interior décor references the past as well with exposed brick, bare wood tables, and metal chairs, and the bar is pure chic, all galvanized metal and Edison bulbs. The exposed beams will make you feel as though you’ve gone back in time, but the denim booths will make you feel right at home. With eclectic serving ware made cohesive with copper cutlery and pots, Haberdish is an experience as much as it is an eatery.
These days at Haberdish, they’ve tightened their health and safety protocols to include single-use menus, Plexiglas in the bar, and contact-free tableside payment options as well as reduced seating to accommodate social distancing guidelines. In addition, there are strict cleaning routines, including door handles and faucets. Haberdish serves to-go orders and even offers premixed cocktails, so you can try the whole menu with peace of mind, ordering and paying online. There’s no excuse not to try this gem in the heart of Charlotte. Give your whole family the biggest treat of the year.
