CHARLOTTE — Steak 48 remains one of Charlotte’s most sought-after reservations.
The 11,500-square-foot restaurant in Apex SouthPark has become “the” place to celebrate special events and family milestones since opening in late 2020.
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“I don’t think our restaurant is busy or popular on it its own. I think it’s a reflection of the city it’s located in,” says Oliver Badgio, chief brand officer. “Charlotte has a very sophisticated diner.”
Steak 48 is focused on the total experience, providing high-quality dishes, luxury personal service and an intimate venue. That resonates with guests; sales for the first year were 25% above expectations, Badgio says.
“We focus on the totality of the experience. Steak and wine is a big part of that. You have to come to a restaurant and feel like I’m in the right place, this is where I want to be,” Badgio says.
That focus helped push Steak 48 to the top of CBJ’s ranking of readers’ favorite restaurants.
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Between May 25 and June 30, CBJ readers were asked to share their favorite restaurants in and around Charlotte. The votes cast for favorite and runners-up one through four were assigned numeric values: five for a reader’s favorite, four for the first runner up, three for the second, two for the third and one for the fourth. Adding up the values for each restaurant and sorting the entire pool by value determined the ranking.
The survey covered other restaurant types beyond overall favorites as well, including top picks for business breakfasts and lunches, fast-casual eats and special-occasion meals.
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