As summer winds down, I can’t help but think about bratwurst summer—albeit with a very different take on Charlie XCX’s take on the lime green bratwurst aesthetic. To be clear, I’m actually talking about places in Charlotte where you can get bratwurst.
Many restaurants in Charlotte have adapted bratwursts from pork, beef or veal into a German-style sausage experience. Has anyone ever tried local honey on their bratwursts? No? Then read on!
If you are always looking for something new or have an appetite for good and inexpensive sausages, then you are definitely in luck here.
Here’s where you can enjoy inexpensive German food in Charlotte and the surrounding area:
Carolina Butcher and Beer Garden serves not only bratwursts but also other snacks and sandwiches. Courtesy of Caty Dover, Carolina Butcher and Beer Garden
Carolina Butcher and Beer Garden
Location: 9762 Charlotte Hwy, Indian Land, SC 29707
Carolina Butcher and Beer Garden is located in Indian Land with a restaurant in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina where you can stop while traveling. You’ll find that Carolina Butcher and Beer Garden is both a restaurant and a butcher shop with homemade sausages and burgers. If you’re looking for something gluten-free, try the bratwurst. You can also hang out in their beer garden.
Crave – Hot Dogs and BBQ
Location: 282 S. Sharon Amity Rd. Suite 335, Charlotte, NC 28211
Location: 3050 Derita Road, Suite 10, Concord NC 28027
You won’t want to miss out on a classic bratwurst at Crave, especially since the restaurant won the Best Bratwurst award at OktoberFest 2023 by Taste of Charlotte. With a self-tap beer wall and a classic bratwurst with sauerkraut and mustard for $6.95, Crave is definitely worth a visit.
Guild Brewery
Location: 3530 Dewitt Ln, Charlotte, NC 28217
Not only does Gilde Brewery offer 475 years of German brewing history at its Charlotte location, but it also brings authentic German beer and cuisine to the city. Choose between a Brat Dog or a Bavarian Bratwurst. Or, if one isn’t enough, treat yourself to a Wurst Flight, which includes a Bratwurst, a Braunwurst and a Knackwurst.
Also note that the Gilde brand began in Hanover, Germany, where Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was both Electress and Queen of Hanover before becoming Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.
(WHILE WE’RE ON THE SUBJECT: ‘Fiction Inspired by Fact’: How Accurate Is the Netflix Series About Queen Charlotte?)
The Good Sausage Company
Location: 1222 S Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28203
Location: 3001 Central Ave, Charlotte, NC 28205
Location: 4015 Corning Pl, Charlotte, NC 28216
Need a quick bite or have a craving for smoked meat or sausage? The Good Wurst Company has been voted the best wiener in Charlotte for the past three years.
From classic homemade bratwurst to farm-fresh bratwurst, Good Wurst’s bratwursts range in price from $8.59 to $9.45. All bratwursts and frankfurters are served with either potato salad, cucumber salad or coleslaw and can come with up to five free sides. The menu even includes a selection of burgers and sandwiches.
Hot Dog Depot
Location: 218 Albright Rd, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Location: 106 Clebourne Street, Fort Mill, SC, 29715 (Opening Fall 2024)
One of the best things about visiting different restaurants in and around Charlotte is seeing how diverse and unique their menu is. Hot Dog Depot owners Dave Sutton and his wife Jay have created many variations of hot dogs and burgers – including the restaurant’s bratwurst.
The new Hot Honey Brat, which costs $4.39, has quickly become a customer favorite.
“The recipe is simple: we combine grilled onions with a sweet and spicy local honey from Jackson Family Honey,” said Dave Sutton.
Customers also have 20 different options for toppings on bratwurst, hot dogs or burgers.
(COMING SOON: Local restaurant expands its offerings with a new location for hot dogs, burgers, milkshakes and more.)
JJ’s Red Hots
Location: 1514 East Blvd Charlotte, NC 28203
If you’re looking for a really good deal, check out JJ’s Red Hots. For $14.99, you can get your choice of sausage, such as JJ’s Homemade Bratwurst or Smoked Jalapeño Bratwurst, with your choice of side and a drink.
JJ’s Red Hots were also featured on celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s television series. “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” on the Food Network. The show featured his Chili Cheese Coney, which features homemade chili, shredded cheese and diced onions.
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery
Location: 4150 Yancey Road Charlotte NC, 28277
Location: 15025 Bowl Street Charlotte, NC 28277
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery is Charlotte’s oldest independent brewery. Start by ordering a Bavarian-style pretzel ($8) and your choice of sausage ($11). (We recommend the bratwurst or the jalapeno cheddar bratwurst.) Then finish your meal with a delicious apple strudel ($7) or German chocolate brownie sundae ($7) while enjoying live music and sipping beer.
Olde Mecklenburg Brewery will also open another location in Cornelius, while its offshoot Water Works Restaurant and Beer Garden will open in Mount Holly in fall 2025.
Waldhorn Restaurant
Location: 12101 Lancaster Hwy, Pineville, NC 28134
Owned by a family with German roots, Waldhorn Restaurant also offers traditional and authentic German cuisine. Waldhorn not only offers international dishes, but also delicious bratwurst dishes. Stop by for lunch or dinner and enjoy a bratwurst sandwich ($12.95) or a Swabian sausage platter ($19.95).
