Breakfast Spots in Charlotte (2025)
James Beard–nominated chef Greg Collier’s South End stunner centers breakfast with contemporary Southern flavors. Sweet potato waffles, mojo hash, and Tennessee fries draw steady praise from Axios Charlotte and QCity Metro, with recent Observer recognition cementing its status.
Part of Charlotte Rescue Mission, this weekday breakfast hub pairs hearty skillets and French toast with a powerful purpose. Praised by Axios Charlotte and highlighted by local TV and magazine guides, it’s where regulars come for coffee, conversation, and tangible community impact.
Inside the historic Dunhill Hotel, The Asbury serves weekday breakfast and a long, lively weekend brunch. Known for sticky biscuits and chicken and waffles, it’s frequently recommended by Charlotte Magazine and local critics for refined Southern mornings Uptown.
A Dilworth institution since the ’80s, 300 East still nails Sunday brunch—especially the breakfast pizza and shrimp cake Benedict. Celebrated by Eater Carolinas and revisited by Axios Charlotte in 2025, it’s a timeless local favorite with genuine neighborhood character.
Tucked into Camp North End, I see Hex Coffee, Kitchen & Natural Wines as the permanent flagship of Chandler Wrenn and Tanner Morita’s near–decade-old roastery — a sleek, semi-new space that opened in May 2023 combining a Japanese-Hawaiian food menu from chef de cuisine Obadiah Rysztak with a sprawl of coffee, tea, beer, and natural wines and a calendar of community-centric pop-up events. The menu gives Hex an identity beyond coffee: housemade shokupan anchors a panko-fried pork katsu sandwich and a peach-and-brie fruit tartine with pistachio crunch; the Spam musubi is a salty-umami favorite with teriyaki-sweetness and nori; avocado toast becomes an avocado tartine with tomato miso, furikake, and bright lime; a breakfast rice porridge features melty pork belly, a poached egg, and smoky charred cabbage; and weekend brunch expands the offerings with karaage, waffles, and taiyaki. Hex balances often gatekeep-y ideas like terroir and natural wine with unpretentious hospitality rooted in Wrenn’s motorshop memories, and it programs approachable events like the monthly Tipsy Food Series (smash burgers, Nashville hot chicken, hot dogs paired with chilled wines) to welcome people into the conversation.
NoDa’s walk-up window turns out hot cake doughnuts all morning with a rotating daily flavor. Tied to beloved neighborhood restaurants and spotlighted by local media and critics, it’s a quick, very Charlotte way to start the day.
Old-school diner spirit lives on at Skyland, where plates of eggs, grits, biscuits, and pancakes come fast and fairly priced. The Charlotte Observer has highlighted it among the city’s best affordable breakfasts—pure, unpretentious Queen City comfort.
West Side locals swear by Stockyard’s early-morning plates—scratch-made eggs, scramblers, and country breakfasts that feel like home. The Charlotte Observer has called out its value and hearty cooking, making it a dependable weekday breakfast run.
An all-day neighborhood café with breakfast platters, burritos, bagels, and strong coffee. Reopened with community at its core and frequently noted by Axios Charlotte, it’s a relaxed morning meetup a quick hop from Uptown.
Grab your morning latte and fund solutions to homelessness—this UK-born social enterprise trains and employs baristas locally. Covered by Axios Charlotte and The Charlotte Observer, it’s a meaningful, low-key stop for coffee and light breakfast items.
