When Bravo’s “Top Chef: Carolinas” wrapped its 14-episode run on June 8, it left behind something no tourism campaign could manufacture: a verified trail of restaurants, pitmasters and chefs that fed some of the most demanding palates on television. Filmed across Charlotte, North Carolina, and Greenville, South Carolina, with a detour through Asheville, the season put two mid-sized Southern cities in front of a national audience week after week. For travelers ready to follow the judges’ path, here is where to eat, what to order and how to do it right.

kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 E:>:?8 4@F=5 ?@E 36 36EE6C] x? }@G6>36C a_ad[ E96 |:496=:? vF:56 =2F?4965 :ED :?2F8FC2= p>6C:42? $@FE9 D6=64E:@?[ 2H2C5:?8 DE2CD 24C@DD }@CE9 2?5 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 7@C E96 7:CDE E:>6] r92C=@EE6 62C?65 :ED 7:CDE |:496=:? DE2C 2E r@F?E6C[ 2?5 vC66?G:==6’D $4@F?5C6= 3642>6 E96 7:CDE C6DE2FC2?E :? E96 4:EJ’D 9:DE@CJ E@ C646:G6 @?6] “%@A r967” 2?5 |:496=:? 2CC:G:?8 :? E96 D2>6 C68:@? H:E9:? >@?E9D @7 6249 @E96C :D ?@E 2 4@:?4:56?46] xE :D 4@?7:C>2E:@? @7 2 7@@5 D46?6 E92E 92D 366? 3F:=5:?8 7@C J62CD 2?5 :D ?@H 5C2H:?8 ?2E:@?2= 2EE6?E:@?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qmr92C=@EE6i (96C6 E96 D62D@? 42==65 9@>6k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr92C=@EE6 D6CG65 2D “%@A r967’D” 32D6 @7 @A6C2E:@?D 7@C >@DE @7 E96 D62D@?[ 2?5 E9C66 @7 E96 4:EJ’D C6DE2FC2?ED 3642>6 6=:>:?2E:@?\492==6?86 G6?F6D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]=236==696=6?6C6DE2FC2?E]4@>^Qm{2 q6==6 w6=6?6k^2m[ E96 C67:?65 uC6?49 3C2DD6C:6 :? &AE@H? =65 3J E96 4F=:?2CJ D9@H’D 2=F> y2>:6 {J?49[ 9@DE65 E96 D62D@?’D 7:CDE 6=:>:?2E:@? 492==6?86[ H:E9 y2>6D q62C5 pH2C5 H:??6C $62? qC@4< 2E E96 ;F586D’ E23=6]k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^DFAA6C]=2?5^Qm k^2mk^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^DFAA6C]=2?5^Qm$FAA6C=2?5k^2m[ y677 %@?:52?56= 2?5 y2>:6 qC@H?’D >:5\46?EFCJ 49FC49 4@?G6CD:@? :? !=2K2 |:5H@@5[ 762EFC65 6A:D@56 E9C66’D 6=:>:?2E:@? 492==6?86] xE’D 2=D@ 2 |:496=:?\C64@>>6?565 C6DE2FC2?E] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7:?62?576EE=6]4@>^Qmu:?6 U2>Aj u6EE=6k^2m :? $@FE9!2C<[ H96C6 r967 vC68 r@==:6C[ 2 y2>6D q62C5 pH2C5 7:?2=:DE[ 9@DE65 6A:D@56 7@FC’D 6=:>:?2E:@? 492==6?86[ H9:49 E2D<65 4@?E6DE2?ED H:E9 6=6G2E:?8 2 4=2DD:4 $@FE96C? D:56 5:D9 :?E@ 2 >2:? 4@FCD6]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm|@C6 r92C=@EE6 H@CE9 6IA=@C:?8k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmr92C=@EE6’D 4F=:?2CJ 2==FC6 6IE6?5D H6== 36J@?5 E96 492==6?86 G6?F6D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>:5H@@5D>@<69@FD6]4@>^Qm|:5H@@5 $>@<69@FD6k^2m 3C@F89E A:E>2DE6C |2EE96H q2CCJ E@ E96 ;F586D’ E23=6 5FC:?8 E96 D62D@?’D H9@=6 9@8 6A:D@56] }62C3J k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4FDE@>D9@A7@@5]4@>^QmrFDE@>D9@Ak^2m[ 2 |:496=:? #64@>>6?565 ?6:893@C9@@5 C6DE2FC2?E :? r92C=@EE6’D t=:K236E9 ?6:893@C9@@5 H:E9 2 H:?6 =:DE E92E 72G@CD @=5\H@C=5 3@EE=6D[ 492?86D :ED >6?F EH@ E@ E9C66 E:>6D 2 H66<]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E968@@5J62C9@FD6]4@>^Qm%96 v@@5J62C w@FD6k^2m[ 2 4@?G6CE65 >:== 9@>6 :? }@s2[ H2D 2?@E96C DE@A E96 ;F586D >256 5FC:?8 7:=>:?8] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]6G6C2?52=@]4@>^QmtG6C p?52=@k^2m[ 2 |:496=:?\C64@>>6?565 xE2=:2?\p>6C:42? EC2EE@C:2 @? }@CE9 s2G:5D@?[ 5C2HD H66<6?5 3CF?49 4C@H5D H:E9 9@FD6\>256 A2DE2 2?5 2? 2==\xE2=:2? H:?6 =:DE @C82?:K65 3J C68:@?] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2?<@A6CFG:2?]4@>^Qm!2?<@k^2m[ 2=D@ :? }@s2[ 3C:?8D 6=6G2E65 !6CFG:2? }:<<6: 4F:D:?6 E@ E96 ?6:893@C9@@5[ H:E9 46G:496[ =@>@ D2=E25@ 2?5 8C:==65 @4E@AFD 2>@?8 E96 DE2?5@FED]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@C 2 DECF4EFC65 :?EC@5F4E:@? E@ E96 4:EJ’D 7@@5 4F=EFC6[ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E2DE642C@=:?2]?6E^492C=@EE6^Qmr92C=@EE6 &AE@H? %2DE:?8 %@FCk^2m[ CF? 3J %2DE6 r2C@=:?2[ 4@G6CD E96 962CE @7 &AE@H? H:E9 DE@AD 2E D@>6 @7 E96 4:EJ’D 36DE 4967D 2?5 7@@5 2CE:D2?D]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8QmvC66?G:==6i (96C6 E96 4@>A6E:E:@? 962565 D@FE9k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%9C66 6A:D@56D @7 “%@A r967i r2C@=:?2D” H6C6 7:=>65 :? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^8C66?G:==6\7@@5\D46?6^QmvC66?G:==6k^2m[ 2?5 E96 4:EJ 56=:G6C65 2E 6G6CJ EFC?] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^D@3JD]4@>^Qm$@3J’Dk^2m[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2’D 7:CDE\6G6C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]H:?6DA64E2E@C]4@>^2CE:4=6D^a_ad\H:?6\DA64E2E@C\8C2?5\2H2C5\H:??6C\D@3JD\:?\8C66?G:==6\D4Q C6=lQDA@?D@C65 ?@7@==@HQm(:?6 $A64E2E@C vC2?5 pH2C5k^2m H:??6C 2?5 2 $@FE9 |2:? $EC66E :?DE:EFE:@?[ 9@DE65 6A:D@56 ?:?6’D 6=:>:?2E:@? 492==6?86[ 2? 6:89E\4@FCD6 5:??6C 7@C 2 C@@> 7F== @7 E96 4:EJ’D 4F=:?2CJ E2DE6>2<6CD[ H:E9 2 sF<6’D |2J@ "F:4<7:C6 2D E96 @A6?6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]23JDD8C66?G:==6]4@>^Qmp3JDDk^2m 3C@F89E 6A:D@56 `_’D 7:D9:?8 56C3J 4@@<\@77 E@ :ED 5:?:?8 C@@>[ H96C6 E96 C2H 32C 2?5 3=F6 4C23 5:A 5C2H 2 DE625J 4C@H5] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]E@AD@:=C6DE2FC2?E]4@>^Qm%@AD@:=k^2m[ :? ?62C3J %C2G6=6CD #6DE[ D6CG65 2D E96 D6EE:?8 7@C 6A:D@56 ``’D 6=:>:?2E:@? 492==6?86[ 2D<:?8 4@?E6DE2?ED E@ A2J EC:3FE6 E@ E96 $H2>A #233:E %C2:= H:E9 6=6G2E65 C233:E 5:D96D] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]DH2>AC233:E4276]4@>^Qm$H2>A #233:E r276 U2>Aj vC@46CJk^2m[ E96 EC2:=\D:56 >2C<6E E92E DFAA=:65 E96 "F:4<7:C6 :?8C65:6?ED 7@C E92E D2>6 6A:D@56[ :D H@CE9 2 DE@A @? :ED @H?]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8Qm|@C6 @7 vC66?G:==6 H@CE9 6IA=@C:?8k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D4@F?5C6=8G=]4@>^Qm$4@F?5C6=k^2m[ y@6 r2D9’D uC6?49\p>6C:42? 3:DEC@ @? }@CE9 |2:? $EC66E[ :D E96 >@DE 564@C2E65 C6DE2FC2?E :? vC66?G:==6’D 9:DE@CJ] r2D9 2AA62C65 2D 2 8F6DE 5:?6C 2E E96 $@3J’D 6A:D@56[ 2?5 9:D C6DE2FC2?E 62C?65 E96 4:EJ’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^8C66?G:==6;@FC?2=]4@>^62E\5C:?<^H2E49\=:G6\>:496=:?\8F:56D\2>6C:42?\D@FE9\2??@F?46>6?E\8C66?G:==6\D4^Q C6=lQ?@7@==@HQm7:CDE |:496=:? DE2Ck^2m :? }@G6>36C a_ad 2?5 2 a_ae y2>6D q62C5 pH2C5 7:?2=:DE ?@5 7@C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH];2>6D362C5]@C8^DE@C:6D^;2>6D\362C5\2H2C5D\C6DE2FC2?E\2?5\4967\?@>:?66D\a_aeQ C6=lQ?@7@==@HQmq6DE r967i $@FE962DEk^2m] %96 3667 E2CE2C6 :D 7:?:D965 E23=6D:56[ E96 92=:3FE 2?5 5F4< 2C6 2>@?8 E96 E@A A:4<D 2?5 E96 H:?6 =:DE :D AC65@>:?2?E=J uC6?49 H:E9 E23=6D:56 5642?E:?8]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^E96?@D65:G6]4@>^Qm}@D6 s:G6k^2m D6CG6D 49:4<6? 2?5 H277=6D H:E9 2 >2A=6 82DEC:BF6 H@CE9 3F:=5:?8 2? 27E6C?@@? 2C@F?5] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^;:2??28C66?G:==6]4@>^Qmy:2??2k^2m[ @? E96 D64@?5 7=@@C 23@G6 |2:? $EC66E H:E9 2 HC2A2C@F?5 32=4@?J @G6C=@@<:?8 E96 u2==D[ >2<6D 2== :ED A2DE2D :?\9@FD6 2?5 A@FCD @?6 @7 E96 DEC@?86DE H:?6 AC@8C2>D :? E96 4:EJ] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2A:D<:E496?8G=]4@>^Qm!2A:’D z:E496?k^2m CF?D 5:776C6?E >6?FD 2E =F?49 2?5 5:??6C[ H:E9 E@CE2D =625:?8 2E >:552J 2?5 2 >@=6 2E 5:??6C E92E 62C?D E96 EC:A] k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^A2DD6C6==6:?E96A2C<]4@>^Qm!2DD6C6==6 q:DEC@k^2m[ 2 uC6?49 3:DEC@ EF4<65 :?E@ u2==D !2C<[ D9:7ED :ED >6?F 36EH66? =F?49 2?5 5:??6C 2?5 >2:?E2:?D 2 BF2=:EJ\E@\AC:46 C2E:@ E92E 3F:=5D ?6:893@C9@@5 =@J2=EJ]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmu@C 2 8F:565 :?EC@5F4E:@?[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^8C66?G:==69:DE@CJE@FCD]4@>^QmpE E96 r967’D %23=6 rF=:?2CJ %@FCk^2m[ CF? 3J vC66?G:==6 w:DE@CJ %@FCD[ E2<6D 8F6DED E@ 7:G6 5:?:?8 56DE:?2E:@?D[ H:E9 4967 :?EC@5F4E:@?D 2E 6249 DE@A] %@FCD >66E 2E %96 {2KJ v@2E 2E `f_ #:G6CA=246]k^Am
k9a 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\9625:?8QmpD96G:==6i ~?6 >@C6 DE@A H@CE9 >2<:?8k^9am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9QmtA:D@56 `a @7 “%@A r967i r2C@=:?2D” 3C@F89E E96 C6>2:?:?8 4@?E6DE2?ED E@ pD96G:==6 7@C 2? pAA2=249:2?\7@4FD65 6A:D@56 E92E 9@?@C65 E96 4@>>F?:EJ’D C64@G6CJ 7C@> wFCC:42?6 w6=6?6] %9C66 @7 E96 4:EJ’D >@DE C6DA64E65 4967D D6CG65 2D =@42= 8F:56D] (:==:2> s:DD6?’D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^>2C<6EA=246\C6DE2FC2?E]4@>^Qm%96 |2C<6E !=246k^2m[ @A6? @? (2== $EC66E D:?46 `hfh 2?5 2 A:@?66C @7 E96 72C>\E@\E23=6 >@G6>6?E :? E96 C68:@?[ D9@H42D65 E96 4F=:?2CJ 65F42E:@? A@CE:@? @7 E96 6A:D@56]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm|696CH2? xC2?:[ H9@D6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^492:A2?:]4@>^Qmr92: !2?:k^2m 62C?65 E96 y2>6D q62C5 pH2C5 7@C ~FEDE2?5:?8 #6DE2FC2?E :? a_aa[ ;@:?65 E96 E@FC] pD9=6:89 $92?E:[ 2 %@A r967 $62D@? `h 2=F>[ a_ad y2>6D q62C5 |65:2 pH2C5 H:??6C 2?5 E96 4967 369:?5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]8@@59@E7:D9]4@>^Qmv@@5 w@E u:D9k^2m[ C@F?565 @FE 2? 6A:D@56 E92E EC62E65 pD96G:==6 =6DD 2D 2 324<5C@A 2?5 >@C6 2D 2? 2C8F>6?E] p== E9C66 C6DE2FC2?ED 2C6 H@CE9 E96 5C:G6 7C@> 6:E96C r92C=@EE6 @C vC66?G:==6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qm%96 r2C@=:?2 7@@5 >@>6?E :D ?@E 2 EC6?5 4J4=6] xE :D E96 C6DF=E @7 4967D H9@ DE2J65 @C 42>6 324<[ D@FC465 =@42==J 367@C6 :E H2D 2 >2C<6E:?8 A9C2D6 2?5 3F:=E C6DE2FC2?ED E92E 4@F=5 9@=5 E96:C @H? :? 2?J >2C<6E] “%@A r967i r2C@=:?2D” 82G6 E92E C62=:EJ 2 ?2E:@?2= DE286j E96 |:496=:? vF:56 2H2C565 DE2CD[ 3FE E96 C6DE2FC2?ED H6C6 2=C625J E96C6]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQHA\3=@4<\A2C28C2A9Qmy6??:76C p==6? :D 2 C6E:C65 4967 EFC?65 EC2G6=6C[ 4@@<3@@< 2FE9@C 2?5 ?2E:@?2==J DJ?5:42E65 ;@FC?2=:DEj D96’D 2=D@ 2 4@\7@F?56C @7 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m[ H96C6 D96 D92C6D 6IA6CE EC2G6= E:AD[ 4CF:D6 :?D:89ED 2?5 =FIFCJ 56DE:?2E:@? 8F:56D] p C64@8?:K65 4CF:D6 6IA6CE H:E9 2 566A A2DD:@? 7@C 9:89\6?5 6IA6C:6?46D 2?5 @77\E96\362E6?\A2E9 56DE:?2E:@?D[ y6??:76C 6IA=@C6D E96 H@C=5 H:E9 4FC:@D:EJ[ 56AE9 2?5 2 DE@CJE6==6C’D A6CDA64E:G6] w6C 2CE:4=6D 2C6 C68F=2C=J 762EFC65 @? E96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD (:C6[ %96 (2D9:?8E@? !@DE[ $62EE=6 %:>6D[ |$} 2?5 >@C6]k^Am
kAm%96 A@DE k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>^9@H\E@\62E\=:<6\2\E@A\4967^Qmw@H E@ 62E =:<6 2 %@A r967 :? E96 r2C@=:?2Dk^2m 2AA62C65 7:CDE @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^7@@55C:?<=:76]4@>Qmu@@5 sC:?< {:76k^2m]k^Am

