Here are 12 of the best waterfront restaurants in the Charlotte area
Dining with a waterfront view or on an outdoor patio along the water’s edge is something akin to magic. It doesn’t matter if it’s brunch or a beer, a greasy handheld or a five-course meal.
Why is that?
Turns out, spending time near water, what experts call “blue spaces,” is calming. It is restorative and promotes a positive mood, studies show. Lest you think you need to head out to Myrtle Beach or Santorini to get its benefits, don’t fret: “Urban water counts,” Dr. Natalie Azar, an NBC News medical contributor, said on the TODAY show. That includes rivers, canals and fountains, and even pools and bathtubs, she said.
Not all of us have houses on Lake Norman’s waterfront or friends with a boat, however. Our solution — head over to one of our favorite waterfront restaurants for some good food and r&r at the same time:
Catawba River
JR Cash’s Bar & Grill
Location: 1000 Marina Village Dr, Mt Holly, NC 28120
Cuisine: American, seafood, steak
Arrive by boat at JR Cash’s Bar and Grill in Mount Holly (pro tip: park in Dock F) and then fuel up with an order of honey butter croissants, she-crab soup and maybe an order of Hawaiian Chicken with a half rack of ribs. Yes, you’ll have to be rolled out — and also yes, it’s worth it.
[READ NEXT: Find the best restaurant patios in Charlotte with our searchable guide]
The Pump House
Location: 575 Herrons Ferry Road, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Cuisine: American, fine dining, Southern
The renovated pump house turned restaurant is steeped in Rock Hill history, and you’ll feel it as you head up the elevator into the dining space overlooking the Catawba River from above the treetops. Its menu is rich with Southern flavor, such as the Springer Mountain Chicken, with sweet tea-brined roasted half chicken, Madeira wine and Parmesan herb cream, served with a herb salad.
River’s Edge
Location: 5000 Whitewater Center Pkwy, Charlotte, NC 28214
Cuisine: American
Although you’re near the Catawba River at River’s Edge, to be fair, your view while dining will be of the rapids at the Whitewater Center. Even better! You get to watch all the action. Go for the Black Bean Burger, with avocado, mixed greens, tomato and chipotle aioli on a brioche bun. Enjoy it with a beer — or better yet, after you eat head over to The Pump House Biergarten. Sip on a Life Flows On by Divine Barrel Brewing before walking down toward the river or settling in on the big rock by the rapids for a live show.
Lake Norman
Bar One Lounge and 800° Woodfired Kitchen
Location: 1459 River Hwy., Mooresville, NC 28117 (projected opening winter 2023)
Cuisine: bar
When it opens in Mooresville later this year, Bar One Lounge’s floating dock will be the place for waterfront cocktails. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves — Bar One and 800° Woodfired Kitchen will also share a two-story (not floating) space on the water as well. Upscale cuisine and live entertainment will be offered at the restaurant. And back at the floating bar, the boat-accessible spot will include full service.
Eddie’s on Lake Norman
Location: 643 Williamson Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117
Cuisine: American, brunch, seafood
Come for the crab cake on a bun with blue crab meat, stay for the famous ice cream crepe drizzled with caramel and chocolate sauce. You can even sit outside year-round — when the weather is cold and the patio heaters are on. Pro tip: There are different drink specials every night, so mark your calendar according to your favorite flavor — and we’ll see ya at Fishbowl Friday.
Hello, Sailor
Location: 20210 Henderson Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031
Cuisine: American, seafood
This waterfront restaurant with midcentury modern vibes will have you ordering a Yacht Club cocktail (Mezcal, elderflower, lime, grapefruit and jalapeño) to go with your catfish platter with beef fat fries. Don’t sleep on the side of hush puppies at Hello, Sailor. While you dine in the retro space, peruse photos of some of the area’s best midcentury modern homes for a true step back in time.
Landing Restaurant
Location: 4491 Slanting Bridge Rd, Sherrills Ford, NC 28673
Cuisine: American, casual, Tiki bar
Go for The Big Kahuna, an 8 ounce cod served with lettuce and tarter sauce. It comes with french fries, but you can sub out a side salad, corn nuggets, fruit or onion rings for an upcharge. This isn’t just a meal — it’s an adventure. At Landing Restaurant, you can arrive by boat, get a table on the sandy beach or even rent a kayak after you’re done eating. There’s even a motel if you want to make a staycation out of it.
North Harbor Club
Location: 100 N Harbor Pl, Davidson, NC 28036
Cuisine: American, brunch, wine
Make a reservation for the dining room if you want guaranteed seating — and the patio is first come, first served. If you manage to get a space under the umbrellas along the water, you’re in luck. Go big with the Beef & Reef, a beef tenderloin with your choice of crab cake or Cajun sauteed jumbo shrimp, served with grilled zucchini and creamed corn.
Lake Wylie
Drift on Lake Wylie
Location: 315 Lanyard Ln m, Belmont, NC 28012
Cuisine: American, brunch, steakhouse
Dinner is nice, but brunch is even better when you can savor a weekend morning by the water. Order a craft cocktail to go with your fried chicken and funnel cakes, which are made with house-made funnel cake, fried chicken breast, spicy maple syrup and powdered sugar.
Raintree
Link & Pin Arboretum
Location: 8128 Providence Rd #1200, Charlotte, NC 28277
Cuisine: American, seafood
Instagram: @linkandpinnc
Yes it’s true, you don’t have to head to our area’s biggest bodies of water to get waterfront dining around here. Hidden behind Link & Pin’s Arboretum location is a small pond with a water feature. Get a table on the outdoor patio, where you can watch the changing leaves on the surrounding trees while enjoying your lobster roll. Save room for a Nutella Budino or some bread pudding before doing a post-dinner stroll to the pier.
University City
Boardwalk Billy’s Raw Bar and Ribs
Location: 9005 J M Keynes Dr #2, Charlotte, NC 28262
Cuisine: American, seafood, barbecue
Instagram: @boardwalkbillysuncc
If you squint, you’ll feel like you made it down to the coast — maybe even the Boardwalk Billy’s in North Myrtle Beach. So what if it’s a small lake and not the Atlantic Ocean? There are ducks to feed while you wait for your table. Once you’re seated, go all in on the beach theme with Oysters on the Half Shell and Fried Founder, and even a frozen strawberry daiquiri.
Zapata’s Mexican Restaurant
Location: 8927 J M Keynes Dr, Charlotte, NC 28262
The restaurant claims to have a “killer cocktail menu” and “some of the best darn tacos you’ll ever try. It also has two patios on two levels, warmed by propane heaters and overlooking the University Place Lake and Boardwalk.
[READ NEXT: Your ultimate guide to 50+ heated patios in the Charlotte area for fall/winter 2022]
Head to the beach
Sure, it’s the off-season, but if, after reading all this, you’re wishing you were down by the coast breathing some saltwater air along with your favorite view, check out our beach guides:
The best beaches in the Carolinas are just a drive away. Here are your top picks.
Eat like a local’s out-of-town guest at your favorite South Carolina beach town.
Where are the best Wilmington-area restaurants? Eat like a local at Wrightsville or Carolina Beach.
This story was originally published October 19, 2022 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Here are 12 of the best waterfront restaurants in the Charlotte area."
