Counter

To say that Counter is an outlier in the Charlotte dining scene risks understatement: this ambitious, mercurial project from Chef Sam Hart is sui generis. The boldly immersive experience features shifting concepts fueled by Chef Hart’s multifarious passions and creativity, drawing on themes of nostalgia, music, personal history and more on a multicourse tasting menu. Local products are celebrated, including herbs and vegetables from nearby urban farms, combined with wide-ranging culinary influences that make for a truly memorable meal. The tight-knit team provides effortlessly gracious hospitality, and the beverage offerings are sure to impress.

What makes it distinctive

• A tightly choreographed, full-sensory format that pairs food with sound and art as part of the storytelling.
• Themed tasting menus that rotate quarterly, with no repeats once a theme ends.
• Chef-owner Sam Hart’s project built around local farm relationships and an in-house preservation program.

Signature Ingredients

• Seasonal produce from local farms (herbs, vegetables)
• Fermented and preserved components used to extend the local harvest

Tasting Menu

• Multicourse tasting menu built around rotating themes and concepts.
• Menus rotate every three months, and dishes are not repeated after a theme ends.

Focus

• Strong emphasis on local sourcing, including herbs and vegetables from nearby farms.
• Pairings include wine and a non-alcoholic option.