This cold weather calls for a warm bowl of soup. Here’s a list of 23 must-try soups in Charlotte.
(Listed in no particular order.)
(1) Baked French Onion Soup – 300 East
Baked provolone with croutons for $6.75.
Related Agenda guide: Best French onion soups in Charlotte
(2) Lobster Bisque – BrickTop’s
This $12 soup with fresh Maine lobster, cream, and brandy is a huge hit in SouthPark. The lobster comes in alive to the restaurant every morning — that’s how fresh it is.
(3) Tom Yum Soup – Thai Taste
It’s a slightly sour, spicy soup with herbs, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, and mushrooms.
Another top soup seller is Thai Taste’s Tom Kha, a coconut cream soup with mushrooms, green onions, tomatoes, galanga, cilantro, and lemongrass.
(4) Califlour Soup — Barrington’s
Priced at $17, this fancy soup is made with black winter truffles, poached lobster, chives, and truffle oil.
(5) Tonkotsu Ramen – Futo Buta
It’s made with pork bone broth, pecan smoked pork belly, scallions, organic mushroom, onsen egg, pickled ginger, nori, sesame, and black garlic.
Futo Buta offers eight different ramen bowls including other popular choices like their Miso Ramen, Fire & Ice Ramen, and Chizu Ramen.
Related Agenda guide: Best ramen in Charlotte
(6) She Crab Soup – Eddie’s Place
Eddie’s Place may be known for their breakfast all day, but the She Crab soup is a must-try. Pre-Covid, Eddie’s was serving up about 150-200 She Crab soups each day. It’s $7.50 for a bowl and comes with two giant pieces of warm salted bread — perfect for dipping.
(7) Bread Soup – Lincoln Haberdashery
It’s massive. This popular soup is made with chicken stock, tomato, onion, fennel, basil, extra virgin olive oil, basil, and soaked sourdough topped with parmesan.
(8) Sopa De Pollo – Viva Chicken
Pulled rotisserie chicken, homemade chicken broth, cilantro infused rice, green onions, red onions, red peppers, and cilantro.
(9) Chicken Tortilla Soup – Paco’s Tacos
Poached chicken, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and chilis — garnished with avocado, lime, and a jalapeño.
Related Agenda guide: Best Mexican restaurants in Charlotte
(10) French Onion Soup — Crepe Cellar
Melted gruyère and crostini.
Photo courtesy of Meg Seitz/Crepe Cellar
(11) Curry Laska – CO
Shrimp, shredded chicken, bun rice noodles, shredded cucumber, Thai basil, and baby bok choy, served in a spicy coconut broth.
(12) Tomato Soup – Papi Queso
This tomato soup with tarragon cream obviously pairs well with a grilled cheese (try Papi’s burger melt grilled cheese).
(13) New England Clam Chowdah – Moosehead Grill
Described as “wicked good,” this clam chowder is filled with big chunks of clam.
Related Agenda story: Best wings in Charlotte
(14) Chicken Noodle — Pasta & Provisions
If you’ve never bought a large frozen container of soup from Pasta & Provision, you can’t call yourself a soup lover.
Other soup options include their ham & hominy, pasta e Fagioli, Italian wedding, tomato bisque, vegetarian minestrone, and cioppino (seafood stew).
(15) Spicy Crab Soup – Alexander Michael’s Tavern
It’s thick and creamy with plenty of fresh crab.
(16) Noble’s Tomato Basil Bisque – Rooster’s
When it’s got the owner’s last name in front of it, you know it’s going to be good. It’s served with goat cheese crostini.
(17) Texas Chili — Lupie’s Cafe
They say it’s hot, and they mean it. Easily my favorite of Lupie’s four different chilis. It’s made with ground chuck but NO tomatoes, and it simmers in beer sauce for over six hours (which you can totally taste).
(18) Pho Dac Biet — Lang Van
Lang Van used to be a hidden gem on the east side of town, but now I feel like everybody knows this Vietnamese hotspot. If you’re new to pho, they’ll guide you to the pho dac biet, a huge bowl of beef noodle soup.
And yes, I consider pho a soup. Don’t @ me.
(19) Spicy Pork Ramen — Boa & Broth
Pork and chicken broth, Fresno chili paste, Cashe pork belly, Shoyu egg, and pickled ginger (love that additional flavor).
(20) Exceptional Tortilla Soup – Cantina 1511
Traditional pulled chicken soup in a fresh vegetable broth, topped with Mexican cheese, tortilla chips, and fresh avocado.
(21) Nei Jiang Beef Noodles — The Dumpling Lady
Egg noodles with house-made beef stock, beef stew, bok choy, chives, and cilantro.
(22) Tokyo Shoyu – Wu Ron’s
You won’t be able to get ramen like this from a cup. It’s made with chicken broth, soy base, pork belly, bean sprouts, scallions, bamboo shoots, egg, and sesame seeds.
(23) Tomato soup – The Workman’s Friend
Classic tomato soup (pairs well with their grilled cheese).
