I Went to Charlotte for the Food—Then I Found a Striped Bass Fly Blitz Nearby

A year ago, my wife and I were invited to a screening of a short film called Savor Charlotte: Culture Forward Culinary—a love letter to Charlotte’s food scene. My wife lives for these “cultural” experiences. I’m 50/50, but I’ve learned that showing up to what she thinks is good for me keeps me presentable in mixed company.

The Food and Fish Tour

In our house, we have a standing travel deal: if she finds a town with a legit food scene, and I can find good fly fishing within an hour and thirty, it goes on a list we call "The Food and Fish Tour." We try to knock out three of these trips a year.

Charlotte, NC Makes the List

Inspired by the Savor Charlotte film and a few phone calls that connected me to guide Caleb York of York Casting Co., who said he could get me on a freshwater striper blitz, or big schools down deep (nothing a sinking line can’t handle), all within a little over an hour from downtown – Charlotte went on the list.

Striped Bass on a Fly Rod and Two Exceptional Restaurants

Fly fishing for striped bass is on my list of favorite species to target; I do it every year up and down the East Coast in the salt. Guide Caleb York described the fishing we would get into near Charlotte as similar to the way I fish for them in Montauk and Cape Cod, but in freshwater. We cruise the lake, watch for bird activity, and use electronics to find the deeper, schooled-up fish.

Seagulls feeding on baitfish on Lake Wateree in front of some shore homes. — Lake Wateree, find the birds, find the fish. | Photo by Ken Baldwin

Montauk In Miniature

It was a day! The fish we caught ranged from 7 to 12 pounds, and there were plenty to go around. A 10-pound striper on a 7-weight in cold water is an energetic fish and will pull some drag. We used sinking lines and Clousers. It was as simple as that. It was Montauk in miniature, and the fact that in a couple of hours I’d be sitting in a nice restaurant with my wife in downtown Charlotte felt like two different trips packed into one day.

A guide holding a striped bass next to a fly angler standing in a boat on a lake near Charlotte, NC. — Guide Caleb York getting us into some good striper fishing. | Photo by Davis Farnsworth

Caleb York Charters: If you are visiting Charlotte without a vehicle, they can pick you up at your hotel.

The Food Part of the Tour

For the food part of the trip, my wife and I would choose one restaurant by walking around the city, and the other would be 100% her choice.

Dressler’s

Our first night, we explored the city on foot and picked a place that looked appealing. Peering through Dressler’s windows, my wife liked the white linen tables. I liked the bar. We went in.

North Carolina Hospitality

Dressler’s does something I wish all restaurants would do: make eye contact when customers walk in and make them feel welcome. Dressler’s did that from the first step through the door, and the whole staff kept it going. It felt like they cared we were there.

A Good Balance

Dressler's is a classy place, but relaxed and easy-going. Casual dress-up is fine. For me, that means a Poncho shirt or a Simms sweater, and I don’t have to think about it too much.

The Menu Matches the Vibe

The menu choices match the feel of the place. You can go fancy, or they've got some basics that are no-nonsense and just flat-out delicious. My wife gets the fancy, I go basic, and we sample each other's plate.

The Restaurant

I'm not a restaurant reviewer, but this is what I came away with. Upscale-casual. Relaxed vibe. It's not loud, and the lighting is comfortable. I could see my food and talk with my wife.

The staff is genuinely friendly and attentive. The food is called "New American Cuisine," but it has enough of the southern sensibility, so it's filling and satisfying. If I lived here, I'd become a regular.

• The Prime Rib Sandwich in the Instagram photo is what I mean by "basic and delicious." It's a no-nonsense meal, all about flavor, and has that Umami thing going on.

Albertine

This restaurant is on the difficult side for me to describe or convey what happened. I say "what happened" because having dinner at the Albertine is an event.

Upscale Dining in Charlotte

My wife really wanted to go here, so I checked out their website. My honest reaction went something like this: “Ugh… this place is hip. Wow—this place is fancy. Nooooo, it’s trendy too. Yeah… not my kind of place.”

Serving Humble Pie on the Menu

When I'm wrong, I'm not kinda wrong, I'm knock it out of the park wrong. Albertine ranks among the best restaurant experiences I’ve ever had.

A North Carolina Thing

Everything about this place was a great experience. From making the reservations to a finished meal, they were hands-on and invested.

Similar to Dressler's, the staff was friendly and enjoyed conversing with diners. Maybe that's a North Carolina thing. The energy in the restaurant was up, but not uncomfortably loud. The whole place had a positive, social vibe that you could feel.

Inside

The interior was done in rich, subdued colors, with good lighting and artwork on the walls. I knew we were in Charlotte on the map, but it felt like Old Europe in the room.

The Menu

The food was Mediterranean and the American South coming together. Again, the southern influence made it familiar enough for me to lean in. We took a chance on dishes new to us, and the staff enjoyed talking about the food and its backstory.

An Experience

I came to the restaurant skeptical, and I was wrong. Eating at Albertine’s is an experience and should be treated as a special night out. The staff serves as if it were, and the food backs it up.

Next Time in Charlotte

The film Savor Charlotte – a love letter to Charlotte’s food scene – didn’t lie. The food in Charlotte is absolutely worth the trip. And the striped bass fishing on a fly rod? I did not see that coming. At best, I figured I’d sneak in a few small trout on nymphs from a stocked river.

Instead, Lake Wateree is now on my radar as a legit striped bass destination. ~ Ken Baldwin > Follow me on my X account

"Slow down...listen to the hoppers...be patient with yer wife...eat sardines with hot sauce... catch “Gagger” trout!!!" – Flip Pallot