Mert's Heart And Soul
Soul food restaurant · Uptown ·
Southern soul food, Lowcountry dishes, colorful setting, soul rolls
Southern soul food, Lowcountry dishes, colorful setting, soul rolls
"Mert’s can single-handedly lift your mood during your lunch break, even on the worst dumpster-fire of a Monday. It’s been serving excellent Lowcountry and Gullah-inspired dishes since 1998, with standouts like fried catfish, salmon cakes, mac and cheese, individual-sized loaves of cornbread, and the best thing in the building: the Soul Rolls. These fried egg roll wrappers come stuffed with black-eyed peas, seasoned rice, collards, and diced chicken breast, served with a side of spicy honey mustard (the way they pack in an absurd amount of flavor in a small package is on par with the invention of quantum computing). Don’t leave without a slice of pound cake, even if you’re so full you have to take it to go." - tess allen, g clay whittaker
"It’s a pleasant surprise to find a restaurant with rich character and history tucked between some of this banking city’s tallest skyscrapers. In Charlotte, that’s Mert’s Heart and Soul — a Gullah-style restaurant and an unbeatable workweek lunch spot. Inside, the space is brimming with color, personality, and a hodgepodge of wall hangings. Since 1998, chef James Bazzelle has honed in on Southern cooking — fried green tomatoes, a range of po’ boys, Creole shrimp, red beans, and rice bowls with turkey kielbasa. The salmon cakes and soul rolls, egg rolls stuffed with collard greens, black-eyed peas, and rice, are staff favorites. In a bit of a concrete jungle, Mert’s is a breath of fresh air." - Kayleigh Ruller
"Mert’s can single-handedly lift your mood during your lunch break, even on the worst, dumpster-fire of a Monday. It’s been serving excellent Lowcountry and Gullah-inspired dishes since 1998, with standouts like fried catfish, salmon cakes, mac and cheese, individual-sized loaves of cornbread, and the best thing in the building: the Soul Rolls. These fried egg roll wrappers come stuffed with black-eyed peas, seasoned rice, collards, and diced chicken breast, served with a side of spicy honey mustard (the way they pack in an absurd amount of flavor in a small package is on par with the invention of quantum computing). Don’t leave without a slice of pound cake, even if you’re so full you have to take it to go." - Tess Allen
"As seen on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, the traditional soul food and Gullah-inspired dishes fall in step with the bright, jazzy hand-painted decor. The soul roll egg rolls kick with black-eyed peas, rice, and collard greens. Don’t sleep on the little loaves of cornbread and the cakes." - Timothy DePeugh, Kathleen Purvis
"The menu at this cheerful, family-friendly favorite reads classic diner at first, with omelettes and pancakes, but look a little longer and you'll find Southern influences sprinkled throughout. Pork chops, fried chicken, eggs with catfish, or fried whiting all make an appearance. The corn bread here puts all other versions to shame—it arrives warm and doesn't even need butter, but go ahead anyway." - Nancy DePalma