Sweet Lew's, It's You

Background: 
Lewis Donald opened Sweet Lew’s in late 2018 in the Belmont neighborhood of Charlotte. Learn more about Donald’s background on this episode of the Scallionpancake podcast. He’s a real mensch! We love Sweet Lew’s, and we think it’s the best BBQ in town.

Eat This: 
I always go for chopped pork, but Jason swears by the brisket. All of the meats are smoked in-house in Donald’s giant smoker. I also freaking LOVE the man’s ribs.

Dessert: 
You get the option of banana pudding or dirt pie! YUM. See the banana pudding pictured above with the sides.

Drink: 
Enjoy beer, wine, or do it right with some of the south’s finest: Cheerwine and RC Cola.

Atmosphere: 
At Sweet Lew’s, the approach is simple: it’s just good BBQ. Nothing fancy. Order at the counter and carryout or eat inside in front of the TV or outside on the patio. There’s a sauce station in the dining room, so make sure you LOAD. UP.

Pitmaster Hospitality: 
Nothing but good, old-fashioned southern hospitality at Lew’s. Top notch. 

Frankie’s Notes:
If you don’t think of Lucille Ball singing “Sweet Sue, It’s You” when you read the title of this blog, then that’s on you, bud; Frankie tried smoking brisket once, but he nearly charred his perfect curly tail right off; I hope to god you also get double banana puddings for dessert; Cheerwine is the nectar of the gods if the gods in question lived in the Holler and married their cousins; It’s fun running into friends like Laney JP at Sweet Lew’s!

Rating: 4 out of 5

 

Best Coffee Shops for Chilling in Charlotte

Because sometimes “work from home” means working from a coffee shop for a change of pace and a (small) dose of human interaction. I work from home a couple of days a month, and these are the coffee shops I choose to lug my laptop to because they have great coffee, tea, and food, and they don’t play music at one million decibels, which is my number one complaint with most coffee shops.

This article first appeared at Localeur. If you haven’t checked out Localeur yet, you totally should. It’s an awesome resource for travel recommendations.

Undercurrent Coffee

Undercurrent has two locations in Charlotte, one in Plaza Midwood and one in Optimist Hall. Both offer ample seating, but if you want to hunker down, I recommend the Midwood location. There are tons of outlets to plug in your devices, and the seating is super comfy.

They make all of their menu items and baked goods from scratch and serve amazing coffee. The seasonal drinks in particular are always worth an order, and their iced matcha is second to none.

The Batch House

The Batch House is home to THE BEST baked goods in Charlotte. If you want some of those, however, you’re going to have to get here early. Batchmaker Cristina Rojas-Agurcia opens at 7 a.m., but she’s often sold out of treats by mid-morning.

However, the shop itself stays open until 3 p.m., so you can sip your coffee, read a book, and enjoy the adorable, tea party-esque decor (oh, and the Golden Girls-themed restroom). This place is a gem!

Lincoln’s Haberdashery

I love hanging out at Lincoln’s, and it’s my go-to spot when I work from “home”. The playlist is amazing (and offered at a reasonable volume so I can still concentrate), and they have some of the best food in Charlotte, coffee shop or otherwise. Everything is made from scratch, and you really can’t order wrong.

The coffee is great and pairs perfectly with their signature GIANT chocolate chip cookie, The Louisiana Purchase. It’s the best cookie in the city in my book.

Coco & The Director

Coco & The Director stands out for their unique seating options. Whether you want to lean back on a pillow on the floor in the stadium-style seats or sit like a grown-up in a chair with a back, Coco is here for you.

They offer smoothies, freshly-carved sandwiches, great baked goods (including cronuts!), and their coffee options are solid. If you’re looking to chill in Uptown Charlotte, Coco is the coffee shop for you. My favorite order is a black coffee with their house-made banana bread.

Hex Coffee

Hex doesn’t have the best seating compared to other places on this list (it’s ample enough, but not super cozy). However, the coffee is top-notch and probably the best on the list. They roast their own beans, and they also serve seasonally rotating cold options like draft vanilla lattes.

The food options are limited, but they usually have something on offer from a local bakery or sandwich shop. If you find yourself in South End, Hex is worth a visit!