ULTIMATE Brew Pub Menu

The Queen City is fast becoming a Mecca for micro-brews and toasting friends in taverns is a tradition we’ve always held high.

Here’s a Prowler look at great grub and cold drafts in Charlotte.

P h o t o s b y S C OT T W I L L I A M S

by RENEE WRIGHT

The Ultimate Pub Menu Hey, Prowlers, there’s a whole world of food out there beyond nachos and wings. These selections from the menus of Charlotte’s hottest pubs will stretch your culinary comfort zone— without emptying your wallet. The price for these bar bites rarely tops $10, so you’ll have plenty left over for the drink tab. One thing is certain: at each of these spots, you’ll find lots of big screens tuned to The Game.

A Note: You won’t find many wings on our menu, or nachos either. There’s no doubt that Charlotte pubs have some of the finest examples of these delicacies in the world. And one day, we plan to try them all and decide which is best. Until then, you’ll have to experiment on your own.

of the best Que in town and uses it in some interesting dishes. Wash it all down with the city’s best selection of local brews on tap.

Whiskey Poppers Homemade pimento cheese balls, battered and fried, served with ranch.

Carolina Classic Nachos Outstanding is its class. Piled high with hand pulled pork, smoked chicken and brisket.

Steak Wedge Salad Grilled sirloin atop a wedge of iceberg lettuce, sprinkled with diced tomatoes, onions and bleu cheese crumbles. A low-carb dream.

Deviled Eggs and Bacon Like Grandma never made ‘em.

Beef Brisket Quesadilla A tasty roll up of brisket, caramelized onions, cheddar and Monterey jack cheese.

Mini Sliders Prime Rib swabbed in a whiskey glaze with horseradish cream sauce.

THE HUMBLE PUB, COMPELLING AS IT WAS, HAS BECOME SO MUCH MORE: GOURMET, COUTURE AND ALAS, ADDICTIVE.

Jack Beagle’s

Queen City Q

queencityq.com Located on the ground floor of the Seventh Street Station parking deck, sandwiched between the light rail line and Brixx Pizza, this friendly spot has some

Whiskey Warehouse

whiskeywarehouse.com Plaza-Midwood’s best rooftop view meets great grub, great drinks, and great atmosphere. Check out the huge list of whiskeys, and visit during the weekday happy hour, 4-6 p.m., for half price apps.

jackbeagles.com Fun spot in NoDa bases its fame on allbeef dogs and a selection of different mac-n-cheese flavors. Serves food really late on Friday and Saturday nights, and opens at 7 a.m. the following mornings for a breakfast that’ll get you back in action.

Garlic Cheesy Bread Italian cheese blended with fresh roasted garlic and grilled tomato atop fire roasted Italian bread.

Blue-Black Mac Gourmet mac-n-cheese with blue cheese and smoky bacon topped with a liberal grind of cracked black pepper.

Puppy’s Patti Melt A 1/3 lb. patty of certified humane, vegetarian fed, hormone and antibiotic free Angus beef sandwiched with caramelized onions, cheddar and pepper jack cheese between slices of grilled Texas toast.

Dilworth Grille

dilworthgrille.com The menu at this family friendly spot on Morehead has been tested by time and perfected for Charlotte tastebuds.

Buffalo Blue Chips Homemade potato chips topped with melted blue cheese crumbles served with a side of buffalo sauce.

Carne Asada Tacos Two tacos filled with marinated steak spicy queso, onion cilantro mix, lettuce, and salsa.

The Saloon

thesalooncharlotte.com This slick new spot in the North Carolina

side or substitute a salad, mac-n-cheese, or pasta salad for a few pennies.

All American Pub

allamericanpubclt.com New life along the tracks in South End, as this former game room morphs into a popular sports bar. The Oak Room inside is a favorite stop after Panther games.

Fried Pepper Jack Sticks Served with homemade marinara sauce.

Another Win at Dilworth Neighborhood Grille

Dilworth Crab Cakes A pair of the balsamic glazed crab cakes that won the Taste of Charlotte three times, served with homemade aioli.

WANT TO DRINK LOCAL? HEAD TO QUEEN CITY Q ON 5TH ST. AND TASTE THEM ALL.

Music Factory gives off a western vibe.

Top music acts, and line dancing too.

“Bloody Mary” Shrimp Cocktail Jumbo shrimp served with cocktail sauce laced with a spicy Bloody Mary mix.

“Grown up” Grilled Cheese Melted blend of jack and cheddar cheeses on grilled sourdough with bacon and sliced tomato. Served with a side of thousand island dressing. Comes with choice of hand cut fries, sweet potato fries, handmade potato chips, or veg of the day.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich A classic of its kind. Hand breaded fried chicken breast tossed in buffalo sauce and topped with blue cheese crumbs. served on a white bread bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion. Comes with a

Watermelon Stack Have a lady along? She’ll like this salad.

Layers of watermelon, fresh spinach, and goat cheese drizzled with a balsamic glaze.

USO Burger All-American burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, bacon, chili and American cheese. What makes it special? A dollar of the price is donated to the local USO providing support and comfort for our military families.

Tilted Kilt

tiltedkilt.com These bars (now with locations on Carowinds Blvd. and in Matthews) offer some tasty pub fare, although they are more famous for the mini-skirt kilts worn by the waitresses.

Irish Nachos Crispy house-made potato chips topped with Guinness Beer Cheese Sauce, seasoned ground beef and tomatoes. A nice variation on the classic.

Irish Nachos at The Tilted Kilt

Roasted Garlic Fries Freshly prepared and tossed in sautéed garlic butter and parmesan cheese.

Yum!

“One Shot” Johnny Flatbread Not sure how this one got its name, but it’s a TK favorite. Sun-dried tomato pesto topped with pepperoni, sausage, smoked bacon and mozzarella.

Brazwells Pub

brazwellspub.com Spreading the cool on Montford Drive with live music, daily drink specials, and half-price apps, Mon.-Fri. 4-6 p.m.

Spring Roll Housemade rolls wrapped around grilled shrimp, smoked andouille sausage and fresh vegetables served with a sweet Thai chili sauce.

Portobello Burger Grilled marinated portobello with fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions, spinach, tomato and fresh pesto on focaccia bread.

Sunrise Burger It’s never too late for breakfast. Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, tomato and topped with a sunny side up egg.

Duckworth Grill and Taphouse

duckworthsgrillandbar.com With locations on Park Road and in Ballantyne, Huntersville and Mooresville, Duckworth is best known for the many craft beers it offers on tap, many hard to find elsewhere in Charlotte, but the food is great too. Don’t miss the daily specials, frequent tastings and classes.

Mommoo’s Wings We couldn’t resist including these wings which placed third at 2011 Carolina Wing Festival. (Duckworth also entered the first place winning wings.)

These are based on the founder’s grandmother’s recipe with 17 secret ingredients. Mommoo’s wings are fried then quickly chargrilled for extra crisp before being tossed in a vinegar based sauce.

Hickory Tavern

Philly Cheesesteak Supreme Award-winning combo of steak, grilled

Oysters on the Half-Shell Fresh Gulf oysters, crackers, and cocktail sauce.

Fried Banana Pepper Rings Hand battered and served with ranch for dipping.

Fine Fare at Brazwell’s Pub

onions, green peppers, mushrooms and your choice of cheese. Also available in steak and egg, chicken, and vegetarian versions.

thehickorytavern.com This growing empire of sports bars has locations as far afield as Asheville and Carrboro, but most are right here in Charlotte where it all began. Hickory’s menu adds seafood to the usual pub fare. Daily and monthly specials keep tabs down.

Fish Tacos Blackened tilapia, topped with Pico de Gallo, lettuce, remoulade, and sour cream. Also available in shrimp and chicken; mix and match to get your favorite combo.

Seared Ahi Tuna Splurge a little on this plate of rare tuna accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

Buffalo Wild Wings

www.buffalowildwings.com Our personal party hangout and partner on tailgate days. Check out the cool

retro PBR glasses… We have yet to try all the different seasonings and sauces, but these folks don’t just wait around for a wing order. They use their sauces in many delicious ways.

Roasted Garlic Mushrooms Garlic infused mushrooms, breaded and fried, served with Southwestern ranch dressing.

Molten Dip Cheddar and parmesan cheese dip packed with chicken and celery, mixed

Shrooms from B-Dubs

with your favorite Buffalo Wild Wings sauce, then topped with Pico De Gallo and served with tortilla chips.

Parmesan Garlic Chicken Flatbread Buffalo Wild Wings signature Parmesan Garlic Sauce atop crispy, oven-baked flatbread pizza with chicken and a mozzarella-provolone cheese blend.

Boardwalk Billy’s

boardwalkbillys.com Parrothead vibe, peanuts on the floor, this place is for real. Seafood meets ‘que here with laid-back results.

Crab con Queso Billy’s world famous spicy cheese and crab dip served with tortilla chips.

BBQ Beer Can Chicken Half a bird, marinated, then slow smoked, makes this a tender, juicy treat.

Low Country Boil Slurge a bit on this Charleston classic

ENERGY COCKTAILS YOUR FAVORITE VODKA. YOUR FAVORITE ENERGY DRINK. WE HAVE A NEW FAVORITE: VODKA CHILLED AND PLAYBOY ENERGY DRINK.

Hangover Burger at Russell’s steam pot filled with shrimp, smoked sausage, potatoes and corn on the cob.

Russell’s Pub and Grill

www.russellspubngrill.com The old 5 Steps Down on Sardis gets a facelift and a new owner.

Country’s Jalapeño Philly Roll Shredded steak, peppers, onions, and jalapeno cream cheese.

Bacon BBQ Sliders Two sliders with bacon, BBQ sauce and cheese, served with a choice of side.

Fried Chicken Salad Tender chicken atop spring mix, tomatoes, onions, bacon, cheese, with choice of dressing.

VBGB Restaurant and Beer Garden

Want to try the new Playboy Energy Drink?

TEXT “NRG” to 69696 FINALLY IN CHARLOTTE.

vbgbuptown.com Big patio full of fun games, and an inside dedicated to brews, make this spot in the North Carolina Music Factory a standout. Been wondering what happened to the historic JFG Coffee sign that used to sit by Panther stadium?

Check out the back patio.

Zweigle’s Pork Brat A favorite of Buffalo Bills fans, these nitrate and MSG free brats are from the Rochester, NY company that’s been