I Tried Charlotte’s Optimist Hall, Should You?

As an adult, the absolute last thing I want to do is go to the mall. I mean the walking around from end to end of the mall, the moms chasing the toddlers, the aggressive perfume sales cart people, and all the crop tops in Forever 21, it is absolutely terrifying. However, the only cool points that a mall gets with me, is the food court! The choices you can make in a food court with an empty stomach and a credit card are limitless.

So, imagine my surprise when I learned about a place right here in Charlotte, NC that gives you all the fun of the food court without the hassle of the mall. Charlotte has always been an up-and-coming city for food, fun, and alcohol, and the Queen City’s Optimist Hall is just the place. Optimist Hall (Home - Optimist Hall) is a large building that houses over 20 different restaurants and bars, as well as a few shops. The atmosphere both inside and outside are absolutely beautiful, I had the pleasure of going during sunset and it was breathtaking.

Now let’s get to the food! Like I said previously, there are over 20 places to eat and drink, so at first glance it can be a bit overwhelming to maneuver. On my inaugural trip, I decided to go with an Asian theme. I first went to Bao and Broth, a ramen and bun shop. There I tried their spicy pork ramen, the belly bun, bulgogi bun, and chicken bun. This was my first-time trying ramen and second time trying buns, and overall, I would give the meal 6.5/10. The presentation of the food was great, the overall taste needed a little extra something to make it pop a bit more. I would try the restaurant again to give another dish a chance, because I want to become a ramen aficionado.

Bao and Broth’s Spicy Pork Ramen

The second restaurant I tried was The Dumpling Lady. I had the pleasure of tasting their pork and chive dumplings made in their house-made Sichuan chili-oil, as well as their pan-fried dumplings. I am giving these a 10/10! The pan-fried dumplings were crispy, flavorful, and on point! The chili oil was the perfect amount of flavor and spice. If it was possible to make love to a food, I would definitely be packing my hoe bag for my next “d” appointment, except the “d,” in this case stands for dumplings.

The Dumpling Lady’s Pork and Chive Dumplings

To top off my tasty trip, I finished off at Honeysuckle Gelato. This place was amazing! The flavors were both expansive and unique, with flavors like yule log, Nutella, and my new favorite, goat cheese and cranberry. Now this flavor combination may sound crazy, but y’all it was phenomenal! A perfect combination of sweet and savory. A 10/10 and would highly recommend.

Honeysuckle Gelato’s Goat Cheese and Cranberry Gelato

I would absolutely recommend Optimist Hall to anyone living or visiting Charlotte, NC. This place is vibrant, fun, and full of options and the customer service was fantastic. I will say I would love to see a few more black owned businesses in this space, so hopefully this will happen soon.