Chef Hector Gonzales-Mora fans are thrilled for him to have a new home after departing Resident Culture. Gonzales-Mora’s Noche Bruta is a new Camp North End gem, taking over Hex’s sweeping space Thursday through Saturday evenings for a slightly fancier sit-down service. At reasonable prices, the hyper-limited menu still gets to a bit of everything — the flautas drenched in a salsa verde, the ribeye tacos, and a can’t-miss miso caramel churro. The crispy pork katsu sandwich marries Japanese, Hawaiian, and Mexican flavors between pillowy shokupan.

Andrew Schools and Larry Suggs have infused their veteran bartending expertise into a new moody bar in Villa Heights. With a steady following born out of Humbug’s pop-up at the Refuge Hotel, the new brick and mortar Humbug is shaking, stirring, and serving an impressive range of $14 cocktails, from a fernet espresso martini with salted cold foam to a crisp fennel-infused Aviation. And somehow, the eight shooters on the menu transform shots into expertly crafted, socially acceptable, even classy drinks at this intimate bar. It’s a walk-in only spot with a limit of six people per party — a choice that reflects a dedication to focused table service and a come-as-you-are neighborhood feel. Enjoy the tucked-away pool table that lives in the back, maybe on Amaro Mondays.

The Wesley Heights neighborhood is becoming increasingly hot. One reason why: Maiz, Agua, Sal, a tortilleria and agave bar where chef Jonathan Olvera is impressively running breakfast, lunch, and dinner service. The individual tacos, thoughtfully portioned to have equal parts meat, tortilla, and something bright with each bite, are $5 a pop. The huarache, loaded with nopales and cotija, provides an earthy depth of flavor with that dreamy blue corn masa. In fact, all of the tortillas, made of fresh-pressed masa harina straight from farmers in Mexico, are the true stand outs here. Amanda Britton’s mezcal and tequila cocktails pack the heat and are unsurprisingly state of the art. The space is crisp and clean, and the outside has distant views of Charlotte’s expanding skyline. Margarita evenings await.

New-kid-on-the-block Substrate is a neighborhood enoteca that adds stunning vermouths, amari, and natural wine to Optimist Park. While there’s no food menu, there is a whole shelf dedicated specifically to notorious hot girl foods —  tinned fish and cured meats —  to be perched atop saltines on the house. By day, the inside is lovely, with the sun casting flirty shadows on the oodles of natural wine bottles, but visitors will want to sip their amber and pink-hued drinks outside on the balcony or patio. Because it’s a small house with a front yard (and a parking lot), it really feels like someone’s yard party. By night, it’s moody with generous specials and a backdrop of something funky on aux, vinyl, or even live. The thrifty art on the walls and a sign that pokes a little fun at “natty wine” culture show this place's lighthearted, self-aware personality.

Highly sought-after food truck El Veneno has a permanent setup at Birdsong Brewing for Sunday brunch. The breakfast tacos are unlike any other, with scorched, spiced meats hugged by corn tortillas. Two killer breakfast options include the soft conchas enveloping barbacoa cheese, creamy avocado, and scrambled eggs, and the specialty sourdough jalapeno bagels with fried eggs, queso, and bacon. Prices range from $5 to $16, and the line is worth the wait.

Charlotte clearly hasn’t had enough of these giant food halls, so much so that Monarch Market just opened with 12 food vendors and three bars in the center of Uptown. Its clean-cut and unblemished aesthetic draws post-work professionals in, especially into the higher-brow Aster Cocktail Bar and casual Lanai Terrace. Standout vendors include beloved Curry Gate, Korean street food vendor Seoul Good, and franchise Dock Local, which promises tried-and-true Connecticut and Maine lobster rolls (hot and cold, respectively).

Coquette, a French buvette by the team behind neighboring Mariposa, is a quiet patisserie by day and a buzzy dinner service/wine bar by night. It’s convenient (minus Uptown parking) in its walkability to popular uptown Charlotte event spaces and offices, and in its open-all-day hours, with caneles and tea at the ready. The white negroni with Lillet Blanc or a classic French 75 sips well with the minerally Prince Edward Island oysters, and balances the richness of the duck fat fried chicken and coq au vin. Inside, it feels dressed up in blue, gold, and pink, fairytale-esque, and ornamented with marble tabletops. And don’t worry, the employees do say “bonjour!” when you walk in.

Lorem Ipsum is, in a way, a hotel bar, but it’s cooler with Justin Hazelton at the helm, cozier with moody candlelight, and with much, much better music. That’s the main part of this bar’s identity — listening to rotating music offerings over the specialized sound design system, with paired visuals projected onto the wall. Alongside a small, specialty wine and beer list for sipping, there’s a classy Earl Grey take on an Old Fashioned, a banana-infused rum cocktail, and a salted, citrusy tequila drink, just to name a few.

There’s good, there’s great, and there’s paradigm-shifting. Union BBQ is boldly serving Texas barbecue in North Carolina out of a weekend-only food truck. Dynamic duo Holden Sasser and Chase Young serve a mean, best-in-class brisket with a charred crust that turns into a tender, layered, smokey bite, paired best with sour pickles. The lime zest on the pork spare ribs is a quiet hero, and the beef cheek barbacoa sandwich, deluged in rajas con crema and a touch of cilantro, is sloppy in all of the right ways. Like a proud curtain call, the Big Deborah, a fresh-baked and double-the-size take on a Little Debbie’s oatmeal cream pie, nostalgically closes out the meal. Tracking down the smoked meat served in to-go pizza boxes at Union Barbecue is worth the effort — like an oh-so-satisfying game of hard-to-get. Union Barbecue’s Instagram has updates on its latest whereabouts.

L’Ostrica found an untapped market in Charlotte — fine dining — and filled it with a sophisticated, yet inviting, tasting menu restaurant in the Montford neighborhood. Wednesday through Saturday evenings, the menu consists of five to 10 courses — delicate offerings, like a brilliant crispy beet chicharon or a velvety mussel mushroom cappelletti. Also, the caviar service is a must-get when feeling this fancy. For the casual or curious, try the daily to-go offerings from the market (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.) or pop in for the evening bar snacks menu and cocktails, like the decadent fall whiskey, amaro, and Carolina persimmon drink. On Sunday evenings, L’Ostrica shifts the dining format to a Sunday Supper theme with a rotating a la carte menu. Note: Reservations are required (except for the bar).