CLT favorite eatery?
 

Have an upcoming flight with a 3 hour layover in CLT around diner time. I'm sure the inbound flight will have the Famous Protein Sandwich/ Birdseed choices! any recommendations for dinner Airside? Have AC membership and may just graze there? but no other lounge access. any favorites? TIA RT

IME there is nothing at CLT worth writing home about. Typical airport chain stuff. With 3 hours you have plenty time to walk around for a bit and see what looks the best or what you're hungry for.

If you search the existing CLT thread there's a handful of posts discussing a few options:

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...ction-etc.html

I find all the concessions at CLT to be poor quality with equally poor service. OTOH, if you like deep fried slop with a side of attitude you will love it.

Is the side of attitude à la carte, or is this a prix fixe deal?

I like NoDa Brewing out by the new A gates.

A little bit of a walk, but the beers are good. The food is average HMS Host stuff. However, the good local beer makes it my favorite CLT stop.

Bojangles. Fast food? Yes. Greasy and bad for you? Yes. Really tasty? Also yes.

I find the airport Bojangles to be subpar.

Granted, i'm a vegetarian, so my sampling of the menu is limited. However, the non-airport Bojangles run circles around this one.

Agreed. However, Bojangles hasn't come to Central Texas yet so I get my fix when and where I can.

I like Bad Daddy's (burger place) in C. Yes it is greasy and bad for you, but tastes great :)

My choices are Brookwood Farms BBQ and Phillips Seafood

There you go!! That’s more like it!

I haven’t eat pizza at CLT anymore. Is PapaJohns still there?

Last time I went to CLT ( 3-4 weeks ago ), most of the concessions were either closed or had limited hours due an excuse of labor shortage.
I am not sure if the issue is the same at this time, but wanted to share as the OP might not have that much options as he would imagine if the situation is same.

Centurion lounge.

Really? I found Phillips to be quite awful. I haven't gone back since.

I haven't been through CLT since the Before Times, so the value of this feedback might be pretty limited, but Beaudevin was my go-to there for longer connections; and I always found 1897 Market to be passable as well.

I like 1897 if you need some space & time for a longer cxn. The pizzas are decent for airport food.

Centurion Lounge by far has the best food

If you don't have access - Cinnabon

There’s a really cool restaurant with authentic local cuisine in the main area between terminals. You probably haven’t heard of it, but I’m familiar since I lived in NC for years. It’s called Chick-fil-A.

For sure Centurion lounge. And then Shake Shack, though the line is always crazy.

Shake Shack (3hr may be enough time to get through the line, if it is open), B terminal Bojangles (for some reason better than the Plaza). Considering 3hr is a long layover for CLT, the B terminal AC should be pretty empty for a good bit of your layover there, would recommend that one over the C/D.

If you're into Chick-Fil-A, the line is always really long but (as it is famed to do) it moves very quickly (with the added bonus that nothing sits on the shelf long between being made and being handed over).

Semi-related, there is a piano in the main atrium that has historically been available for passers-by to play -- does anyone know if it's still there and playable? (Figured it would be quick to go "due to covid" but would love to stop by and play it if not!)

I was there a couple of days ago but can't recall seeing it. Then again, wasn't paying attention. Headed back through on Tuesday and will keep an eye out.

Centurion lounge? That's where I'd go.

Thanks Everyone! Unfortunately my Amex card is way too low on the food chain to get me into Centurion. we'll check out the offerings in the AC ,and then it's probably Burgers or BBQ and Beer :) I like Chick fil A , but hate lines! and wasn't impressed with Airport Phillips, may have been at CLT a few years ago? THX RT

Don't forget the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for dessert!

I know that we used to have a thread that doesn’t get used much anymore to find sponsors to take someone into the admirals club… Maybe there’s one somewhere out there for the centurion lounge

update, there is: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...up-thread.html

It's been a few years (3-4) since I've connected through CLT but I remember the BBQ place being pretty great.

The piano is there and people are playing. Went through last week.

I’ve had Bad Daddy’s since the panorama started. It was really really good. Usually I’m grabbing Bojangles to take with me for friends.

Yes, and last week there was a fella playing. Always appreciate that. :-)

I'd probably go Bad Daddy's.

I honestly feel like the sushi bar thing in the middle of the atrium food court isn't all that bad either, at least if you sit down and have it made fresh.

Definitely Bad Daddy's unless you have an option you've already paid for (e.g., Centurion Lounge).

Cheers and happy travels!

I like the Mexican place -- Tequileria? -- where the central atrium splits off to concourse C. The carnitas tacos are tasty esp. with the pickled onions. They do close early at 19:30, or at least they did a week or so ago.

Shake Shack is good but it's been closed every time I've gone past for months. Like, why do you bother paying rent there? Bojangles next door to it was blah. I don't patronize that other greasy chicken joint (and I don't mean Popeye's).

Went from E to B late last night and everything food-wise was already closed by 21:30 yet the place was still packed. Glad I had a nice dinner before I left.

I did Shake Shack a little less than a month ago on a Friday afternoon around 2 pm. Line was manageable - maybe 15 minutes.

CLT Airport though is lacking in food options though compared to what I'm used to in ATL.

Amazing, thanks y'all.


I second this place, haven't eaten there in a while thanks to the Centurion but it was a decent spot.

Bad Daddy's also has pretty good salads.

ita vero
 

Beaudevin is my favorite too, especially for their small plates. Their cheese plate is my go-to when I connect in Charlotte.

1897 makes a pretty big and tasty salad. Lots of good snack and alcohol options too. The BBQ place in the atrium is more then adequate and the line moves quick.
In the back of the C/D Admirals Club, they have the avocado / salmon cart setup...that's usually pretty good. I'd say <most> food concessions are open at this point.

Then do a walk from the tip of E to the tip of A. That's a neat way to burn 25 min....

Well, I shot a note to the CLT airport's facebook account and got a swift reply shutting me down, LOL. I know that years ago it was ask-the-bartender and you could play... someone probably banged up the piano or something, sounds like it's controlled now: