Photos by Art Meripol

We love a neighborhood where hipsters mingle with businessmen over pork belly tacos.  Welcome to Charlotte’s Plaza Midwood.

Developed in the 1920s as a streetcar suburb known as Chatham Estates, this neighborhood just north of downtown was revitalized when young professionals started moving in 50 years later. Today it’s a popular spot where bankers mingle with artists over tapas and browse for one-of-a-kind finds in locally owned shops.

Some of our favorite spots: 

Fern Restaurant
Get the OM burger with house-made white beans and pickled fennel and smoked tomatoes ($10). 1323 Central Avenue; fernflavors.com

Bistro La Bon
Try Ten Bite Thursdays (10 small plates for $35) at this eclectic eatery that reflects Swedish, French, and Eastern European influences. 1322 Central Avenue; bistrolabon.com

Midwood Smokehouse
A custom-built smoker is the secret behind creations such as the pulled pork sandwich ($7.50). 1401 Central Avenue; midwoodsmokehouse.com

Slate Interiors
This ever-changing marketplace stocks affordably priced home-decor items as well as works by local artists. 1401 Central Avenue; shopslateinteriors.com

Lunchbox Records
This independent record store has hard-to-find albums and hosts in-store shows by local artists. 1419-A Central Avenue; lunchboxrecords.com

Soul Gastrolounge
Soul features tapas (Asian pork-belly tacos; $9), sushi, and craft cocktails. 1500 Central Avenue; soulgastrolounge.com

Gallery Twenty Two
This art gallery/bar shares a building with Soul Gastrolounge and offers 15 draft beers, sake, and wine. 1500 Central Avenue; 704/334-0122

Hong Kong Vintage
Find accessories and clothing from the 1940s to 1980s that are on trend with today’s fashions. 1514 Central Avenue; hongkongvintage.com