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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AXIOS) – Counter- in Wesley Heights has earned one Michelin Star, plus a Michelin Green Star for sustainability, according to a press release that appears to have been mistakenly published ahead of the famed guide’s Monday night ceremony in Greenville, South Carolina.
Why it matters: This is the first Michelin Award for a North Carolina restaurant in the guide’s inaugural evaluation of the South. It’s also a major milestone for Charlotte’s dining scene and recognition for chef-owner Sam Hart’s boundary-pushing tasting-menu restaurant.
- Lang Van, the family-run east Charlotte Vietnamese restaurant, nabbed a coveted Bib Gourmand award.
- Colleen Hughes, the James Beard-nominated beverage director at Supperland, received Michelin’s Exceptional Cocktails Award.
The intrigue: The press release was published under Michelin’s name on a wire service the organization typically uses, and it includes a comprehensive list of newly starred restaurants and judges’ comments.
- The honorees were expected to be named publicly in a South Carolina ceremony the evening of Monday, Nov. 3.
- A screenshot of an internal Michelin email reviewed by Axios acknowledges “that confidential information was released,” and instructs recipients to forward inquiries to the company’s spokesperson.
- Axios received an out-of-office reply to our confirmation request. But Axios reporters spoke with named restaurateurs in multiple cities on the list, and each confirmed they were invited to Monday’s ceremony.
Driving the news: Michelin’s inaugural American South list features 10 restaurants with one Star and one with two Stars.
- Emeril’s in New Orleans landed two Stars.
- The selection spans 228 restaurants across 44 cuisine types, plus 50 Bib Gourmands and four special awards.
Zoom in: Inspectors call Counter- “sui generis,” praising its immersive, narrative-driven tasting menus that weave in music, nostalgia and personal history.
- The experience leans hard on local sourcing — ingredients come from 20+ nearby farms — and a robust fermentation/preservation program to cut waste.
- Expect gracious, tight-knit service and a beverage program designed to match the ever-shifting themes.
Catch up quick: Counter-’s five-senses dining experience is one-of-a-kind in Charlotte. It’s constantly evolving with new tasting-menu themes, such as Titanic, Drive-Thru and Here & Now.
- The restaurant itself is also continuously evolving as part of its 12-year shelf life, self-imposed by Hart.
- Reservations are open for its “Home” winter menu, running Dec. 3–Feb. 7. The $225 tasting experience focuses on North Carolina’s mountain, Piedmont and coastal regions.
Part of their drive-thru menu, this trout dish is Counter-‘s version of the pumpkin spice latte. Photo: Laura Barrero/Axios(Laura Barrero Tousley/Axios)
Yes, and: Lang Van, a beloved Charlotte spot for 35 years known for its authentic Vietnamese dishes and year-round Christmas lights, was one of several Southern recipients of Michelin’s Bib Gourmand award, which recognizes value, or great food at reasonable prices.
Zoom in: Several Charlotte spots landed on Michelin’s “recommended” list — that means the restaurants will appear in the guide but did not receive an award.
- Customshop
- Ever Andalo
- Haberdish
- Kindred
- Little Mama’s
- Omakase Experience by Primefish
- Prime Fish
- Rada
- Restaurant Constance
- Supperland
Between the lines: Every Charlotte spot Michelin recommended this year is one we’ve celebrated before on our Best Restaurants lists.
What’s next: Only a select few got invites to the Nov. 3 ceremony in South Carolina. (Ours must have gotten lost in the mail.)
- It is being streamed on YouTube. The event begins at 7:15 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 3.
This story from Axios Charlotte was published as part of a partnership.
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